Guide
Ask ten forwarders what paperwork a lithium battery export from China needs and almost all of them will ask for two letters — MSDS or SDS. The names are used interchangeably, but they belong to two generations of the same document, and the version you hand over matters at the dangerous-goods acceptance desk.
By the Cargo163 operations team · Updated 30 September 2026 · 7 min read
MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet — the older format manufacturers produced before the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) standardised hazard communication. SDS, the Safety Data Sheet, is its successor: the same core purpose, but a fixed 16-section structure so that warehouse handlers and cargo acceptance agents alike read the same facts in the same order.
In practice, when a carrier or forwarder asks for an “MSDS” on a battery booking, what they want is a current GHS-format SDS for the exact model you are shipping.
Both documents inform handlers about hazards; the difference is generation and format, not the underlying purpose.
Under GHS, a Safety Data Sheet follows 16 mandatory sections — from identification, hazard classification and composition through handling, physical properties and toxicology, to transport information (Section 14) and regulatory notes.
Material Safety Data Sheets predate GHS: each producer chose its own layout, and sections could be missing. Many people in trade still say “MSDS” out of habit — while actually meaning an SDS.
An old-style MSDS can be rejected on format alone even when the technical content is correct. Before booking, confirm the document uses the 16-section GHS structure and covers your model.
The safe rule: request the GHS-format SDS from the manufacturer. If the paperwork asks for an “MSDS”, attach the SDS.
Lithium batteries are regulated as dangerous goods — Class 9 miscellaneous for most air movements — but the paperwork has to say what the substance is. The SDS describes the battery’s chemistry. Acceptance staff use it to confirm:
On a booking, the SDS doubles as a cross-check: when its data conflicts with the Wh rating or UN number declared elsewhere, the shipment can be treated as misdeclared dangerous goods and held.
One sheet serves very different readers, so accuracy matters more than speed.
For a battery export, these are the elements an acceptance team looks for first:
A usable SDS is current, in the language the carrier requires, and issued for the model actually in the boxes.
These three get confused constantly on battery bookings, but each document has a different job.
| Document | What it covers | Who relies on it |
|---|---|---|
| SDS (older MSDS) | The battery itself: chemistry, hazards, safe handling and transport information | Forwarders, carriers, warehouses, emergency responders |
| UN38.3 Test Summary | Proof the cell or battery type passed the UN transport safety tests | Airlines and dangerous-goods acceptance staff |
| DGD (Shipper’s Declaration) | A signed declaration for one specific consignment: packing, labels, quantities | Airlines and ground handlers at acceptance |
Three roles: what the substance is, whether the type is tested, and whether this shipment is packed correctly. Add the packing list, invoice and battery specification sheet, and the air-freight file is complete.
The SDS covers a different cell or pack than the goods in the cartons. Acceptance checks model numbers, and a mismatch is grounds for rejection.
An old MSDS or a long-unrevised SDS with a stale date. Classifications and GHS labels change; forwarders expect a current document.
The Wh rating, cell count or UN number on the sheet differs from the spec sheet or carton labels. Every document must tell the same story.
Send the SDS you have along with the battery specification — we check whether it is current and matches the cargo before recommending a compliant route.
Related reading: Battery Shipping from China · UN38.3 Test Explained · UN3480 vs UN3481 · Battery Shipping Cost · All guides
Note: Documentation requirements vary by battery chemistry, configuration, transport mode, destination and carrier. This guide is general logistics information and does not replace the applicable dangerous-goods regulations. Cargo163 reviews each shipment's documents before confirming a solution.