Singapore Tightens Battery Handling: Eleven UN Numbers Move to PSA Group 2

What is changing in Singapore battery handling?

The PSA classification for certain battery and battery-related dangerous-goods shipments is changing from PSA Group 3 to PSA Group 2. According to the published carrier notice, eleven UN numbers are affected, which may change how relevant containers are handled in Singapore.

Ocean Network Express issued the notice concerning the Singapore Port Authority, PSA and changes to transshipment dangerous-goods handling charges. For importers, the notice does not by itself establish a new product classification under UN dangerous-goods rules. It describes a change in the PSA group used for port handling in Singapore, with consequences for handling, segregation, monitoring and potentially transshipment charges.

Which UN numbers are affected?

The notice identifies eleven UN numbers as affected battery or battery-related dangerous-goods entries. The list includes the following numbers.

UN number	Status in the information provided
UN3090	Affected battery dangerous-goods shipment
UN3091	Affected battery dangerous-goods shipment
UN3171	Affected battery dangerous-goods shipment
UN3480	Affected battery dangerous-goods shipment
UN3481	Affected battery dangerous-goods shipment
UN3536	Affected battery dangerous-goods shipment
UN3551	Affected battery dangerous-goods shipment
UN3552	Affected battery dangerous-goods shipment
UN3556	Affected battery dangerous-goods shipment
UN3557	Affected battery dangerous-goods shipment
UN3558	Affected battery dangerous-goods shipment

The available research confirms that these eleven UN numbers are covered, but it does not provide a full product description for each entry. You should therefore compare the UN number, proper shipping information and dangerous-goods documents for your shipment with the original shipping records.

What does the move from PSA Group 3 to Group 2 mean?

The move means that PSA will assign the listed shipments to a different internal PSA handling group in Singapore. The carrier notice describes the change as a reclassification from PSA Group 3 to PSA Group 2.

A PSA group is an operational classification used for dangerous-goods handling in the port and transshipment process. It is not automatically a new UN dangerous-goods class and does not replace the need for a correct dangerous-goods declaration.

The supplied sources do not include a complete comparison of the practical rules for PSA Group 2 and PSA Group 3. You should therefore not infer a specific storage period, yard location or surcharge for an individual shipment without confirmation. The documented consequence is that the change may affect handling, segregation and transshipment dangerous-goods charges.

How can the change affect containers routed through Singapore?

A container carrying one of the eleven UN numbers may receive different operational treatment in Singapore. The carrier notice specifically identifies handling, dangerous-goods segregation, mandatory monitoring for selected shipments and possible transshipment charges as relevant areas.

Handling means the operational movement or onward processing of cargo within the port system. A change in PSA group may cause the shipment to be planned and processed differently from before.

Dangerous-goods segregation means keeping dangerous goods separated in accordance with the applicable handling requirements. The supplied facts identify segregation as a potentially affected process, but they do not provide a new segregation matrix for every combination of UN numbers.

Transshipment means moving cargo through an intermediate port so that it can be loaded onto another vessel for its final destination. For a container that is not ending in Singapore but is being transferred there, the revised group may therefore create additional operational and cost questions.

The notice documents possible effects, not a fixed charge for every shipment. Obtain a carrier or PSA confirmation before making a cost or routing decision.

When is monitoring required?

Selected battery dangerous-goods shipments will require monitoring when they remain in the port for longer periods. The available information identifies the requirement but does not state the exact duration that constitutes a longer stay, the scope of monitoring, its technical method or its cost.

Monitoring means a required control of a selected dangerous-goods shipment during an extended stay. The carrier or PSA must confirm which shipments are selected and how the requirement is applied.

This point matters for transport planning because a longer stay can create an operational requirement in addition to a transit-time risk. Check not only the planned connection to the next vessel, but also whether your UN number and expected dwell time trigger the monitoring rule.

What is unclear about the effective date?

The effective date is inconsistent and must be confirmed directly before a booking or cost decision. The ONE notice was published on September 3, 2026, but it also states August 3, 2026 as the effective date.

The supplied information therefore contains two different dates. It is [SOURCE TO VERIFY] whether August 3 was the actual start date, a typographical error, or a date referring to another implementation step.

Do not treat this as a minor editorial issue. If the date determines whether a shipment is handled under PSA Group 2 or whether a charge applies, an incorrect assumption can distort the booking and landed-cost calculation. Ask the carrier or PSA to confirm the applicable start date for the specific shipment in writing.

What should importers check now?

Start with the shipment’s dangerous-goods data and then obtain confirmation of the Singapore handling treatment. The following checklist separates the documented change from the points that still require shipment-specific clarification.

1. Match the UN number: Compare the UN number in the booking, dangerous-goods declaration and shipping documents with the list of eleven affected numbers.
2. Confirm the routing: Determine whether the container will be transshipped in Singapore or whether Singapore only appears in preliminary routing information.
3. Confirm the PSA group: Ask the carrier whether the specific shipment is reclassified from PSA Group 3 to PSA Group 2.
4. Resolve the effective date: Request a written statement on whether August 3 or September 3, 2026 applies to the planned handling.
5. Ask about segregation: Request the requirements for the specific shipment’s composition, yard placement and onward movement.
6. Assess dwell time: Identify the planned stay in Singapore and ask which time threshold triggers mandatory monitoring.
7. Obtain a written cost estimate: Ask for transshipment dangerous-goods handling charges and any monitoring or other related costs before booking.
8. Keep the evidence: Store the notice, carrier response, booking confirmation and dangerous-goods documents together in the shipment file.

These steps do not replace professional dangerous-goods advice or a review of the original requirements. They ensure that the PSA change is assessed using the actual UN number and routing rather than only the product name.

What should a carrier inquiry include?

A useful inquiry should contain at least the UN number, planned route, transshipment port and expected dwell time. Without these details, a general tariff or process response may not apply to your shipment.

Add the booking number once available and state clearly that the inquiry concerns transshipment through Singapore and the revised PSA group. Ask specifically about four points: the applicable PSA group, the effective date, the monitoring requirement and all relevant charges.

Request a written answer if you will use the information for booking, price approval or route selection. The supplied sources do not state universal amounts or provide a complete process matrix. Shipment-specific confirmation is therefore the appropriate basis for a binding decision.

What is confirmed and what remains open?

The confirmed points are the reclassification from PSA Group 3 to PSA Group 2, the eleven listed UN numbers and mandatory monitoring for selected shipments with longer dwell times. The information also confirms that handling, segregation and possible transshipment dangerous-goods charges may be affected.

The exact charge amounts, the applicable segregation rules, the definition of a longer dwell time, the selection criteria for monitored shipments and the complete operational difference between the two PSA groups remain open. The effective date is also unresolved because the ONE notice states August 3, 2026 even though it was published on September 3, 2026.

This distinction matters for import costing. You can treat the revised PSA group as a documented planning issue, but you should not assume a specific surcharge, deadline or monitoring duration that is not stated in the supplied sources.

What does the notice mean for landed-cost planning?

The notice may change the cost calculation for battery-related containers routed through Singapore because additional dangerous-goods processes and transshipment charges are possible. The available facts do not support a specific additional-cost figure.

Do not add a universal fixed surcharge without a shipment-specific confirmation. Flag affected shipments for review and obtain a carrier or PSA cost statement for each relevant route. Include planned dwell time in that review because the monitoring requirement may apply specifically when a shipment remains in the port for longer.

The notice concerns the handling of the relevant cargo in Singapore. It does not establish that the same battery or battery-related shipment will receive the same treatment at every other port or on every other route. The applicable UN number, routing, booking and confirmed port requirements remain decisive.

Sources

• Ocean Network Express: “Singapore Port Authority (PSA) - Change to PSA Group for UN Numbers - Changes to Transshipment DG Handling charges (DHT),” published September 3, 2026.
• PortalPortuario: “Autoridad Portuaria de Singapur eleva exigencias de seguridad vinculadas a baterías,” published September 3, 2026.

The supplied sources do not finally resolve the date discrepancy in the ONE notice. Confirm the effective date directly with PSA or the carrier before making a binding booking or cost decision.

Sources

Research checked on 2026-09-04. The following original sources support the factual claims:

• Ocean Network Express – Singapore Port Authority (PSA) - Change to PSA Group for UN Numbers - Changes to Transshipment DG Handling charges (DHT) (2026-09-03): Nennt die Umklassifizierung bestimmter Batterie-Gefahrgüter von PSA-Gruppe 3 auf PSA-Gruppe 2, elf betroffene UN-Nummern, verpflichtendes Monitoring bei ausgewählten Sendungen sowie mögliche Auswirkungen auf Umschlag, Trennung und Transshipment-Gebühren.
• PortalPortuario – Autoridad Portuaria de Singapur eleva exigencias de seguridad vinculadas a baterías (2026-09-03): Bestätigt die Umklassifizierung der Batterie-Gefahrgutladungen, die elf UN-Nummern, verpflichtende Überwachung bei längeren Liegezeiten sowie unmittelbare Auswirkungen auf Umschlag, Trennung und Transshipment-Gebühren.