Full Process Guide for Shanghai Aluminum Ingot Import Customs Clearance

Core Process and Practical Key Points of Shanghai Aluminum Ingot Import Customs Clearance

As an industrial raw material circulated globally,aluminum ingot is subject to multi-link supervision in its import customs clearance.As an agent deeply rooted in Shanghai ports for 20 years,I once encountered a case where the customer’s goods were stranded at the port for 3 days due to unfamiliarity with "valuation disputes".The following breaks down the key operations and pitfall avoidance guidelines for aluminum ingot import from three dimensions: access permit,commodity inspection and verification,and customs valuation.

I.Customs Valuation: How to Avoid Disputes Caused by Declared Price?

Customs valuation is the core checkpoint for aluminum ingot import.In 2026,the *Measures of the Customs of the People’s Republic of China for Determining the Dutiable Value of Imported and Exported Goods* imposes stricter application of the "transaction value method" for metal products.I handled a typical case: a customer imported aluminum ingots from the UAE at an FOB price of USD 1750 per ton,and calculated the total value as "FOB + freight" during declaration.As a result,the customs deemed that "the price deviates 12% from the domestic aluminum price index in the same period",and required re-calculation via the "deductive value method".

• Key solution steps: Prepare Certificate of Origin (CO) and EXW price certificate in advance to prove that the quotation is ex-factory price without markup by intermediaries;
• Avoidance skills: If the aluminum ingots are from RCEP member states (such as Thailand,Malaysia),you can apply for "Certificate of Origin + RCEP tariff preference" to reduce the probability of customs valuation disputes;
• Data support: In 2026,the customs valuation dispute rate for aluminum ingot products of Shanghai Customs has dropped to 8.3%,2.1 percentage points lower than that in 2025,thanks to the pre-inspection system of the "Single Window".

II.Pre-Inspection of Commodity Inspection: "Hidden Mines" in Aluminum Ingot Component Testing

Component testing of aluminum ingots is another major pain point,especially the content of impurities such as silicon,iron and copper.I once handled a batch of aluminum ingots imported from Russia.The customer thought that as long as there was a quality certificate issued by the Russian customs,it would be qualified.However,after the goods arrived at the port,the commodity inspection bureau sampled and found that "the iron content exceeded 0.03%",while the standard stipulated in the contract was "≤0.2%",which led to the detention of the goods.

• Necessary pre-inspection list: Verify the inspection standards of the exporting country in advance (for example,the European Union needs to comply with EN 573-3 standard) to ensure consistency with the domestic standard GB/T 1196-2021;
• Practical optimization plan: Apply for "pre-inspection service",coordinate the commodity inspection bureau to come for sampling before the goods arrive at the port,so as to avoid the risk of return shipment caused by inconsistent components after arrival;
• Common dispute points: The "ingot type" of aluminum ingots (such as cast ingot / rolled ingot) does not conform to the contract agreement.It is necessary to confirm the port receiving standards in advance to avoid inspection delays caused by mixed loading of "soft package" and "hard package".

III.Import License and Tariff Policy: New Changes in 2026

Attention shall be paid to the handling of "Automatic Import License" for aluminum ingot import.In 2026,the *Notice on the Import Management of Some Metal Raw Materials* issued by the Ministry of Commerce clearly stipulates that the "processing trade examination and approval form" shall be submitted for single import volume exceeding 5000 tons.In addition,the anti-dumping duty policy needs to be checked emphatically: 19.8% anti-dumping duty is still levied on aluminum ingots imported from the United States,while ASEAN countries can enjoy 0% tariff with RCEP Certificate of Origin.

IV.Skills to Improve Customs Clearance Efficiency at Shanghai Port

As a local agent in Shanghai,Zhongshitong relies on the "Single Window" system to realize 72-hour pre-inspection of documents in advance,and coordinates the "one-window integrated operation" of the commodity inspection bureau and customs.The key points are as follows:

• Manifest information pre-verification: Check the consistency of bill of lading,invoice and customs declaration form 3 days in advance to avoid inspection caused by inconsistent marks and numbers;
• Forwarding plan in advance: For bulk aluminum ingots (more than 5000 tons),plan the storage and distribution scheme in advance to avoid port demurrage;
• Inspection coordination skills: In case of customs inspection,prioritize "off-work hours inspection" (such as 2:00-4:00 a.m.) to avoid peak port hours and shorten port detention time.

V.Risk Warning and Pitfall Avoidance Guidelines

Common risks of aluminum ingot import include: demurrage trap (port demurrage caused by failure to exchange documents in time after goods arrival),customs valuation dispute (abnormal comparison between declared price and customs database),inconsistent documents (Certificate of Origin not filled in Chinese).

• Typical pitfall avoidance case: A customer imported aluminum ingots from Australia.Due to failure to check the consistency of "trade term" and "price composition",he mistakenly wrote "FOB" instead of "CIF" in the declaration,resulting in an extra RMB 120,000 tariff,which was corrected later by supplementing the "freight certificate";
• Compliance bottom line: Aluminum ingot import must comply with the *Measures for the Administration of Import of Solid Wastes*.Mixed loading of "scrap aluminum" or "aluminum foil scraps" is strictly prohibited,otherwise it will be directly dealt with as smuggling.

The process of aluminum ingot import customs clearance seems fixed,but details determine success or failure.With 20 years of experience in Shanghai ports,Zhongshitong has helped more than 300 enterprises realize safe,compliant and efficient aluminum ingot import.If you need further optimization of the customs clearance scheme,you can contact us 3 days in advance for document pre-inspection to avoid extra costs caused by information asymmetry.