Sheet Metal Shipping from China
Ocean freight for sheet metal — container selection and loading plan, packing specification, HS classification and import clearance at destination. Quoted EXW, FOB, CIF, CIP or delivered duty-paid.
- Full container, LCL and breakbulk — priced per box, not per kilo
- Loading plan agreed before booking, not improvised at the warehouse
- Classification settled before the vessel sails
Sheet Metal shipping from China is straightforward once the cargo is understood: this is freight that flat stock damaged along the edge, which is the part that gets used, and the routing follows from that.
The pricing follows from it. Weight-limited almost always. Coil and plate carry serious mass in a small footprint, so the payload is exhausted early and the binding constraint becomes floor loading per square metre rather than total gross.
A caution particular to this commodity. Edge burr and bruising. Small in itself and it stops the sheet feeding cleanly through a press, which shows up as a production stoppage rather than as freight damage.
On the compliance side the recurring item is straightforward to state and easy to leave too late: Material certificates; CE marking where the part is load-bearing or safety-critical. HS classification generally falls in chapter 73 / 82 / 83, though the exact heading depends on specification and should be confirmed against your own product before you rely on a duty estimate.
Freight reference — Sheet Metal
| Typical HS chapter | 73 / 82 / 83 |
|---|---|
| Cargo behaviour | Flat stock damaged along the edge, which is the part that gets used |
| How it prices | Weight-limited |
| Usual service | Sea FCL |
| Main compliance step | Material certificates; CE marking where the part is load-bearing or safety-critical |
| Trade terms available | EXW, FOB, CIF, CIP, DAP or delivered duty-paid |
HS chapters are indicative. The binding classification depends on your exact specification — confirm the heading before relying on a duty estimate.
Packing and protection
Full-length bearers, edge protection on all four sides, banded flat. Sheet supported only at its ends deflects permanently across a long sailing.
Loading the container
On loading: Support the entire footprint. Anything overhanging its bearers deforms under its own weight across a four-week sailing, and coils must be chocked against rotation: a coil that begins to turn at sea does not stop.
Choosing the service
On routing: Ocean FCL, and worth insisting on a clean, inspected box for coated or mirror-finish material. Rust bloom and condensation staining are cosmetic faults that still get a load rejected.
Where it usually goes wrong
Edge burr and bruising. Small in itself and it stops the sheet feeding cleanly through a press, which shows up as a production stoppage rather than as freight damage.
Live rates on lanes that carry this cargo
Published per-kilo and per-CBM rates from China, updated from carrier feeds. Rates are lane-based rather than commodity-based, so these apply to sheet metal as much as to any other general cargo on the same route.
Clearing sheet metal at destination
The freight is the easy half. What decides whether this cargo lands on time is the HS heading it is entered under, the certification the destination applies to it, and whether the consignee is registered to import it. We file the entry in 160 markets and settle duty and tax as part of the movement, so the classification we quote is the classification that gets used.
Clearance requirements by market →Frequently asked questions
How is freight priced for sheet metal?
Weight-limited almost always. Coil and plate carry serious mass in a small footprint, so the payload is exhausted early and the binding constraint becomes floor loading per square metre rather than total gross.
How should sheet metal be packed for export?
Full-length bearers, edge protection on all four sides, banded flat. Sheet supported only at its ends deflects permanently across a long sailing.
Air or sea for sheet metal?
Ocean FCL, and worth insisting on a clean, inspected box for coated or mirror-finish material. Rust bloom and condensation staining are cosmetic faults that still get a load rejected.
What customs paperwork does sheet metal need?
The step that most often holds a shipment is Material certificates; CE marking where the part is load-bearing or safety-critical. Classification normally falls in HS chapter 73 / 82 / 83, but the exact heading depends on your specification — send the product details and we will confirm the code and the duty position for the destination before you commit.
What goes wrong most often with sheet metal shipments?
Edge burr and bruising. Small in itself and it stops the sheet feeding cleanly through a press, which shows up as a production stoppage rather than as freight damage.
Is there anything specific to sheet metal we should know?
Get the specification onto the invoice in the same words the manufacturer uses. Generic descriptions on mixed industrial consignments are the single biggest trigger for customs inspection, and an inspection costs more in delay than accurate paperwork costs in effort.
Can you quote sheet metal on FOB or CIF rather than duty-paid?
Yes. We quote EXW, FOB, CIF, CIP, DAP and delivered duty-paid on this cargo. The term decides how much of the journey is already inside the price — the trade-terms table on any of our rate pages sets out exactly who carries which cost at each stage.