Bluewater Battery Logistics, Dupré Logistics announce partnership

Battery life cycle management company Bluewater Battery Logistics, Los Angeles, has partnered with Dupré Logistics LLC, a privately held transportation company headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Bluewater provides original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), integrators and dealers of electric vehicle (EV) and industrial lithium-ion batteries with logistics services, navigating what it calls a heavily regulated battery shipping landscape. The collaboration, solidified after two years of successful cooperation, aims to enhance safe and U.S. Department of Transportation- (DOT-) compliant battery redistribution and recycling services across the country.

RELATED: Commentary: Navigating shipping regulations for end-of-life and damaged batteries

According to Bluewater, as lithium battery manufacturing continues to surge, the importance of safe and compliant shipping of batteries, both new and retired, has grown in importance. The company says modern high-capacity lithium batteries contain vast amounts of energy and require enhanced safety standards for every step of their handling and shipping.

Dupré brings more than 44 years of experience handling specialty cargo to the Bluewater partnership, the company says, adding that Dupré is recognized nationally for its commitment to safety and expertise in shipping energy and hazardous materials. The partnership enables both companies to safely and compliantly manage battery shipments of any size.

“The progress in battery technology is remarkable, and with it comes a great responsibility to properly handle the batteries with the high amount of energy contained within,” Bluewater CEO Ben Firestone says. “Our partnership with Dupré Logistics provides our clients with the top expertise needed to stay safe and compliant while transporting batteries to a new owner, new application, or to recycling.”

Bluewater says it has established itself as a provider of tailored solutions for the resale, reuse, repurposing and recycling of batteries in both stationery and mobility applications, as well as solar panels. With tens of millions of batteries managed to date, the company says it tackles issues related to surplus, used, end-of-life and damaged batteries, particularly lithium-ion types.

“With over 100 megawatts of energy storage systems decommissioned and recycled, Bluewater is trusted by leading companies in the utility-scale energy storage space,” Firestone says.