Chiwan

Importing from Chiwan to the UK

Chiwan Container Terminal (CCT) is a pivotal asset of the Port of Shenzhen. It serves several major factory districts in the region, especially those within the Pearl River Delta (PRD) economic zone.

Shenzhen is home to numerous electronics and manufacturing companies, benefiting from its proximity to Chiwan Port for importing raw materials and exporting finished products.

It has close ties to Dongguan, a city famous for its manufacturing and processing industries, including electronics, textiles, and furniture. Dongguan's factories rely on Chiwan Port for logistics and shipping needs.

As a major commercial and manufacturing centre, Guangzhou's diverse industries, ranging from automotive to electronics, use Chiwan Port for international trade. With 5,000,000 ETU handled per year, Chiwan Port has railways, highways, waterways and on-road transport for exporting goods.

What are FOB and EXW terms?

UK shippers importing from Chiwan Port will need to choose between two forms of Incoterms: FOB and EXW.

FOB
Free On Board is an incoterm where your seller is responsible for delivering the goods to the nearest port and handling all the associated costs and risks until the goods are loaded onto the shipping vessel. Once the goods are loaded onto the vessel, the responsibility is transferred from the seller to you (the buyer). You must then cover transportation costs (from the port of shipment to the final destination), as well as customs clearance and any other associated charges.

EXW
EXW (Ex Works) places minimal responsibility on the seller. Under EXW terms, the seller is only required to make the goods available at their premises (such as a warehouse or factory). You assume all the responsibility for loading the goods, transportation and managing all export and import procedures, including customs clearances and transit insurance.

Sea Freight service options from Chiwan to UK

When you import sea freight from Chiwan to the UK, shippers can generally choose between one of two options:

FCL: Full Container Load refers to the shipping of goods in freight containers used exclusively by a single shipper.
LCL: Less-than-container load (LCL) is an option for shippers who do not have enough goods to fill a standard container and must share container space with other shippers.

Do you need an export licence?

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has classified goods into three categories:

approved goods (automatically licensed)
restricted goods
forbidden goods

Export licences issued by the Ministry of Commerce contain information about the exporter, buyer, cargo, value, and transportation mode. To export restricted items, a licence is mandatory. Foreign trade companies (FTCs) in China exporting to their UK subsidiaries must also secure an export licence. Nonetheless, trading on FOB terms with a supplier eliminates the need for a licence.

Necessary import customs clearance documents

To ensure goods imported from Chiwan Port arrive safely in the UK, businesses should prepare the necessary documentation, including: