Dalian (Dayaowan)
North-east China's battery gateway at Dayaowan, with a small but growing lithium export flow, a local MSA that has named misdeclaration as its main problem, and both winter ice and spring fog.
Europe · sea freight from Dalian
Shipping from Dalian to Pembroke Dock
Dalian to Pembroke Dock
Yellow Sea · Taiwan Strait · Malacca Strait · Indian Ocean · Bab-el-Mandeb · Suez Canal · Strait of Gibraltar · St George's Channel
- DalianChina origin
- Yellow Sea
- Taiwan Strait
- Malacca Strait
- Indian Ocean
- Bab-el-Mandeb
- Suez Canal
- Strait of Gibraltar
- St George's Channel
- Pembroke DockUnited Kingdom
Lithium batteries for Pembroke Dock go through Dayaowan, where Liaoning's first JT/T 1543 lithium export sailed in May 2025. On the way they face a voyage that may run through Suez as drawn or round the Cape, depending on the service, and they arrive at the port of Pembroke Dock.
Great Britain runs its own post-Brexit pre-filing and battery producer rules. The 6 points below are particular to this lane; each comes with what we do and the paperwork it touches.
What we need to start
- Dalian Dayaowan export
- Winter ice & spring fog
- Consignee EORI
- EU declaration of conformity
- BPRN
Route profile
How Dalian → Pembroke Dock differs from other lanes
United Kingdom
An S&S GB entry summary 24 hours before loading, UK battery producer registration with a BPRN, and 24-hour dangerous goods notice to the harbour master.
Where this route gets difficult
What to watch between Dalian and Pembroke Dock: 6 points
Listed from loading in Dalian to import into United Kingdom, each with what we do about it.
- Origin port
A smaller flow under the new ship-carriage standard
Liaoning's first lithium battery export under JT/T 1543 sailed from Dayaowan on 4 May 2025, and Dalian MSA counted 885 TEU of lithium batteries exported in the first four months of that year. Carriers should not accept batteries that do not meet JT/T 1543, and with a thinner flow there are fewer sailings to fall back on if a booking is refused.
What Anxin does: We check JT/T 1543 conformity evidence with the manufacturer before booking and confirm the carrier's acceptance of the UN numbers in writing.
- Origin port
Ice in the northern Yellow Sea from January
Sea ice forms every winter in the Bohai Sea and northern Yellow Sea. In winter 2021/22 China's marine forecast centre expected floating ice about 15 nautical miles out in the northern Yellow Sea, where Dalian's Dayaowan lies, and about 60 in Liaodong Bay, peaking from mid-January to mid-February.
What Anxin does: For January–February sailings from Dalian we allow extra time between stuffing and the DG cut-off and reconfirm the vessel schedule the week before loading.
- Sea corridor
Drawn via Suez, sailed mostly via the Cape
The map on this page shows the corridor through Bab-el-Mandeb and Suez, but Sea-Intelligence figures for September 2026 put Red Sea routing on the Asia–Europe head-haul at 13–25%, with 27% for North Europe services and 57% for the Mediterranean. The service that calls at Pembroke Dock decides between Suez and the Cape of Good Hope, and with it the distance, the waters and the possible transhipment ports.
What Anxin does: We ask the carrier to state the routing and any transhipment port on the booking confirmation, and we quote the two routings separately when both are on offer rather than mixing them.
- Import country
Road haulage from Pembroke Dock under the carriage regulations
The road leg out of Pembroke Dock is regulated by the Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations 2009, which make ADR the rulebook for dangerous goods on British roads, with national derogations. UN 3480 moves as class 9, so the haulier needs the same package and UN details as the ocean declaration.
What Anxin does: We give the UK haulier the UN number, class and package details from the sea dangerous goods declaration so the road paperwork from Pembroke Dock matches what left Dalian.
- Import country
Bin symbol and capacity label under the 2008 regulations
For the British market the marking reference is the 2008 placing-on-the-market regulations: every battery carries the crossed-out bin, sized to its surface area, and rechargeable portable batteries state their capacity on the cell or pack and on the packaging front. Small or embedded batteries move the symbol to the packaging.
What Anxin does: We compare carton and battery photos with the UK marking list before goods leave Dalian, because relabelling after discharge at Pembroke Dock means opening dangerous goods packages.
- Import country
Portable batteries: a compliance scheme by 15 October
A UK producer placing more than a tonne of portable batteries a year must be in a battery compliance scheme, joined by 15 October before the compliance year; the scheme registers and reports for it. Smaller producers register themselves on the NPWD and report their tonnage and chemistry by 31 January.
What Anxin does: We ask the UK importer whether it is a large or small portable producer and which scheme covers it, and put battery weights per chemistry on the packing list.
Documents & compliance
Checklist for Dalian → Pembroke Dock
Anxin reviews documents supplied by the shipper, manufacturer and importer; it does not issue test reports, safety data sheets or import certificates.
Before loading in Dalian
- JT/T 1543 conformity evidence from the manufacturer
- Crossed-out bin symbol and mAh/Ah capacity label checked on battery and packaging photos
- Substance statement for mercury, cadmium and lead from the manufacturer
- Safety data sheet and dangerous goods safe-carriage declaration for the MSA cargo report
- Customs packaging use-appraisal result for the dangerous goods packaging (with the maker's performance appraisal)
Carrier and voyage
- Routing (Suez or Cape of Good Hope) and any transhipment port stated on the booking confirmation
- Condition statement: new, used, damaged/defective (SP376) or for recycling (SP377)
- Bill-of-lading issuer named and S&S GB data complete before loading
For import into United Kingdom
- Battery compliance scheme (or NPWD registration) for portable batteries
- Battery weight and chemistry per shipment for the importer's NPWD return
- Importer's GB or XI EORI and CDS subscription confirmed; declarant named
Before you book
One consistent file
A document that is present but inconsistent holds a booking as surely as a missing one: the UN number, model name or carton count reads differently in the Dalian export filings, the carrier booking and the United Kingdom import papers. We compare all three before confirming space.
Carriers we book with
Our booking panel; availability on this lane and acceptance of the declared UN numbers are confirmed for each booking. It does not mean that a listed carrier runs a direct service on this route. Carrier choice depends on the trade lane, cargo classification and each carrier's dangerous-goods acceptance at booking. The final carrier is confirmed on the booking.
Risk & mitigation
What could go wrong from Dalian to Pembroke Dock, and who acts
| Risk | Where | Mitigation | Who acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice delays berthing in mid-winter | Northern Yellow Sea, Jan–Feb | Extra time before cut-off; schedule reconfirmed | Carrier, monitored by Anxin |
| Service switches between Suez and Cape routing | Main voyage | Routing written on the booking; quotes kept separate per routing; packing assumes the longer voyage | Carrier, tracked by Anxin |
| Batteries arrive without the bin symbol or capacity marking | Importer in the UK | Photos checked against the UK marking list before loading | Manufacturer / importer |
Questions
Common questions on the Dalian → Pembroke Dock route
HMRC's Customs Declaration Service. The importer or agent needs a GB (or XI) EORI number and a CDS subscription; HMRC grants access within 2 hours or up to 5 working days.
It depends on the service. In September 2026 most Asia–North Europe capacity still sailed round the Cape of Good Hope; Sea-Intelligence put the Red Sea share for North Europe vessels at 27%. We ask the carrier to confirm the routing on the booking and quote each routing separately.
Sea ice forms every winter in the northern Yellow Sea; in 2021/22 it was forecast to reach about 15 nautical miles out there, peaking mid-January to mid-February. We plan extra time for those weeks.
References
Regulations and port sources cited
- Safety and security import requirements: entry summary declarations (HM Revenue & Customs (GOV.UK))
- Waste batteries: producer responsibility (Environment Agency (GOV.UK))
- The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009, regulation 5 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Regulations: waste batteries (GOV.UK (Office for Product Safety and Standards))
- Regulations: batteries and accumulators (placing on the market) (GOV.UK (Office for Product Safety and Standards))
- Subscribe to the Customs Declaration Service (HM Revenue & Customs (GOV.UK))
- Sea ice arrives: what are the impacts? (Bohai and northern Yellow Sea, winter 2021/22) (China Meteorological Administration (from China Natural Resources News))
- Export dangerous goods packaging inspection: service guide (Chinese) (General Administration of Customs of China (Lanzhou Customs service guide))
Next step
From enquiry to import
- 1EnquiryCargo, origin, destination
- 2Documents checkUN 38.3, SDS, packing
- 3BookingAfter carrier acceptance
- 4HandoverAt Dalian
- 5ImportClearance at Pembroke Dock
Prefer chat? Chat on WhatsApp (+86 151 4514 5178)
After you send it
We check carrier acceptance for Dalian → Pembroke Dock before any booking, and ask for missing battery documents first.
All destinations from Dalian · United Kingdom ports
Need Dalian → Pembroke Dock reviewed?
Share the cargo facts; we review the route in writing.
Request a Quote