Maersk is now trucking lithium-ion batteries across the US, Canada and Mexico, handling them as the Class 9 hazmat they are. The company built the service into its existing carrier network instead of creating dedicated hubs.
It comes with one big limit: the service only accepts new batteries. Returns, recalls and end-of-life packs remain out of scope.
How it works: The service runs through Maersk Ground Freight, an asset-light network of 65-plus stations and seven hubs reaching more than 42,000 US zip codes. Drivers are trained to handle hazmat, but shipments stay below the federal placarding threshold, so placards and CDL hazmat endorsements are not required.
Each shipment carries a fixed document set:
Safety Data Sheet
Dangerous Goods Declaration
UN 38.3 test summary, the standard battery safety test
State-of-charge (SOC) declaration
Watt-hour rating
Batteries must ship at 10% to 60% charge. Damaged, recalled, returned and waste units are excluded.
The catch: No major carrier currently moves end-of-life, damaged or recalled battery freight at scale in North America, and Maersk's service does not change that. Bob Livingston, US head of Maersk Ground Freight Operations, said: “The energy transition isn't just about what powers a vehicle. It's about the entire supply chain behind it.”
Across the sector: Carriers are racing to secure battery volume as North American EV and energy storage manufacturing scales. DHL is chasing €3B in new-energy logistics revenue by 2030 through a European battery hub, and ITS Logistics has opened battery hubs in the US. Maersk is taking a different route and skipping the hub build.
What's next: The service is live across all three countries. The next question is whether Maersk expands into returns and end-of-life packs, though large-scale EV battery retirements are still years away.
