Jiangmen

Importing from Jiangmen to the UK

Jiangmen River Port, situated in Guangdong province of China, is the second-largest river port in the region.

It faces the South China Sea and is historically significant as it was opened to Western trade in the early 20th century. Jiangmen Port serves several major factory districts, including key industrial areas like Jiangmen High-Tech Industrial Development Zone: this is a national-level development zone focusing on high-tech industries.

It supports sectors such as electronics, machinery, and new materials. Jiangmen Port also serves the Xinhui Economic Development Zone. A provincial-level zone that fosters various manufacturing industries, including textiles, food processing, and electronic appliances.

What are FOB and EXW terms?

Businesses importing goods from China to the UK should understand two key international trade terms that determine the responsibilities of sellers and buyers: 'Free on Board' (FOB) and 'Ex Works' (EXW).

FOB
With FOB terms, the seller handles costs and risks until the goods are loaded at the departure port in China. At that point, ownership transfers to the buyer, who arranges and pays for import clearance, duties, and final transportation to the UK.

EXW
Under EXW terms, the seller makes the goods available at their premises in China. The buyer is then fully responsible for export procedures, insurance, loading, customs clearance, and all transportation and delivery costs from China to the final destination in the UK.

Sea Freight service options from Jiangmen to the UK

When importing goods from Jiangmen to the UK by sea, there are two main types of cargo shipping options available to shippers:

full container load (FCL), where a container is filled solely with the shipper’s own goods for sole use.
less than container load (LCL), where a container with a partial container volume is shared with the goods of other shippers.

Do you need an export licence?

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has classified exported products into three categories:

goods eligible for automatic licensing
restricted goods requiring a licence
prohibited goods

Export licences issued by the Ministry contain information on the exporter, buyer, cargo, value, and mode of transportation. It is mandatory to obtain a licence for exporting restricted items. Chinese Foreign Trade Companies (FTCs) exporting to their UK branches must also secure an export licence. Nevertheless, conducting trade under FOB terms with a supplier exempts the FTC from the licence obligation.

Essential customs documents for importing

To transport merchandise from the Jiangmen port to the United Kingdom, the following crucial paperwork must be collected: