USPS will begin accepting lithium batteries installed into electronics on November 15, 2012

Just in Time for the Holidays, U.S. Postal Service to Begin Global Shipping of Packages with Lithium Batteries. The Postal Service has worked collaboratively with the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Universal Postal Union and the Federal Aviation Authority to secure the changes needed to allow international mail shipments containing lithium batteries to begin.

Effective Nov. 15, 2012, Postal Service policies will be changed to allow specific quantities of lithium batteries - when installed in the equipment they are intended to operate - to be sent to many international destinations, including APO (Army Post Office), FPO (Fleet Post Office) and DPO (Diplomatic Post Office) locations when permitted by the destination or host country.

Items which can be shipped may include: cameras, video cameras, mobile/smart phones, Bluetooth headsets, laptop computers, shavers, portable DVD players, tablets, two-way radios, GPS devices and most other small electronic devices requiring lithium batteries to operate.

Items which cannot be shipped include any lithium batteries not installed in the equipment they are intended to operate. In addition, when installed, they may not exceed the quantity or limits defined in the IMM or DMM.

Domestic shipments of packages containing lithium batteries, and electronic devices containing lithium batteries currently remain unchanged.

The Federal Register final rule, and IMM, DMM and Publication 52 revisions, will be available at pe.usps.com.

Source

How to overcome USPS shipping restrictions for lithium batteries andelectronics sent to APO and FPO military addresses

USPS doesn't allow to ship lithium batteries and electronics with them to international destinations since May 8, 2012. USPS is the only postal service that can be used to send packages to APO/FPO/DPO locations.

But you can overcome shipping restrictions and deliver lithium batteries to APO and FPO addresses using Fedex or DHL. You will need to ship to specific locations like a specific battalion at Bagram Air Base. So you will need to use the name of the base, city, country, additional identifying information such as building number or barracks number, a contact name and phone number, and if possible, an email address.

Do NOT use APO/FPO addresses like

SSGT Kevin Taylor
Unit 2050 Box 4190
APO AP 96278-2050

SGT Robert Smith
PSC 802 Box 74
APO AE 09499-0074
Seaman Joseph Doe

USCGC Hamilton
FPO AP 96667-3931
SGT Jane Doe
CMR 1250
APO AA 09045-1000

when sending through Fedex or DHL. Such addresses can be used when sending through USPS only.

Also note that FedEx accepts consumer electronics containing lithium batteries of less than 100 watts for shipment overseas


Update (November 11, 2012)
Effective Nov. 15, 2012, USPS will start accepting specific quantities of lithium batteries - when installed in the equipment they are intended to operate - to be sent to APO (Army Post Office), FPO (Fleet Post Office) and DPO (Diplomatic Post Office) locations when permitted by the destination or host country.

Package forwarders allowing to deliver lithium batteries andelectronics from USA to the Ukraine

Now that USPS prohibits international delivery of lithium batteries and electronics with lithium, Li-ion, Li-pol batteries, many customers from the Ukraine will face problems delivering electronics from the US. The problem is that when you use courier services like DHL, Fedex, UPS you will need to pay for customs clearance in some cases, even if you don't exceed the limit of 200 EUR / month. Plus when you use courier services the limit includes the shipping cots. Luckily package forwarders (also known as mail forwarders, freight forwarders, parcel forwarders, shipping forwarders) started shipping packages from the USA to Europe in containers. Many package forwarders shipping to Russia won't work for the Ukraine when shipping lithium batteries and electronics due to different logistics. But there are package forwarders that will work for the Ukraine. And their prices are often lower compared to USPS Priority Mail or USPS Express Mail International.

• Shipito is one of the largest package forwarders of the USA. Delivers packages with lithium batteries and electronics to the Ukraine by Polonez Parcel, Shipito Airmail Priority and Shipito Airmail Express.
  
  
  
  • Polonez Parcel delivery is cheaper that USPS for large packages is cheaper than by USPS ($0.79/lbs, min 20 lbs, dimensional weight is used if greater than real weight). Packages sent by Polonez Parcel to the Ukraine are not insured.
  
  
  • Shipito Airmail delivery is cheaper than USPS for light and small packages (1-6 lbs). Tracking for Shipito Airmail Priority packages is not available, but such packages can be insured.
  
  
  • Shipito Airmail Express delivery costs about the same as USPS Express Mail. Shipito Airmail Express packages can be insured and tracked. Max content value is $1,000. Airmail Express packages are delivered to Belgium post and from there to by EMS into the Ukraine.


• Meest America (Most) is a delivery service shipping packages by sea and air. Besides delivering freight from the USA to the Ukraine, Meest provides storage and warehouse services, allows to consolidate and repack packages. Every package is insured with the company for $60.00. Additional insurance is available. Packages with lithium and electronics can be shipped by sea.


• RusBid is a package forwarder pretty well known in the Ukraine. Allows to ship packages to the Ukraine by Meest.


• BosMix is a package forwarder pretty well known in the Ukraine. Allows to ship packages to the Ukraine by Meest.

Do you know any other package forwarders that allows to deliver lithium batteries and electronics with lithium, Li-ion, Li-pol batteries to the Ukraine? If you don't live in the Ukraine, do you experience similar problems with your package forwarder?


Update (November 11, 2012)
Effective Nov. 15, 2012, USPS will start accepting specific quantities of lithium batteries - when installed in the equipment they are intended to operate - to be sent to many international destinations, when permitted by the destination or host country.

Shipito customers won't be able to ship electronics with lithium batteries to international destinations after starting May 16, 2012

USPS sent new email saying that packages with lithium batteries (lithium, li-ion and li-pol batteries) will be prohibited after May 15, 2012.

Effective May 16 2012 until January 2013, the Postal Service will not be able to accept packages containing lithium batteries and electronic devices containing lithium batteries addressed to international destinations. This includes mail destined to, or from, APO (Army Post Office), FPO (Fleet Post Office) and DPO (Diplomatic Post Office) locations.

This change is required by the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU), both of which currently prohibit lithium batteries in mail shipments that are carried on international commercial air transportation.

This change will not apply to packages containing lithium batteries and electronic devices containing lithium batteries when mailed within the United States on domestic commercial air or ground transportation.

International organizations apply different rules to the carriage of lithium batteries in mail shipments carried on commercial aircraft as compared to domestic requirements.

We anticipate that by January 2013, international aviation rules will be changed to allow mailing of lithium batteries when installed in the personal electronic devices they are intended to operate.

USPS is working with expert organizations to determine if any new exceptions can be developed prior to January 2013. Further announcements will be made should USPS be able to accept lithium batteries in certain types of mail shipments as soon as any new options become available.

We appreciate your business and are committed to providing you with a high standard of service.

So unlike previously expected, Shipito customers will have more time to ship packages containing lithium batteries and electronic devices containing lithium batteries via USPS. Please note that your package has to physically leave Shipito warehouse on May 15, so I recommend scheduling package for mailout at least a day or two BEFORE this date.


The good news is that Shipito Airmail Priority accepts packages containing lithium batteries and electronic devices. So customers who can not use DHL, Fedex, TNT, UPS, Polonez Parcel or any other carrier will still be able to ship electronics via Shipito. Shipito Airmail Priority packages are handled by postal services around the world. And they are insured.

Another good news is that several package forwarders allow to ship lithium batteries from USA to Russia.

Update (November 05, 2013)
Sgipito Airmail can no longer be used for shipping lithim batteries. But you may still use other alternative shipping methods offered by Shipito like USPS Priority, USPS Express, Russian Post, FedEx, DHL or TNT.