Asia – Black Sea via Suez and the Turkish Straits
Suez, the Aegean and the Turkish Straits, with a 24-hour DG sailing plan before the Bosporus and, since September 2026, almost the whole Black Sea on the war-risk list.
Europe · sea freight from Guangzhou
Shipping from Guangzhou to Istanbul (Haydarpasa)
Guangzhou to Istanbul (Haydarpasa)
South China Sea · Malacca Strait · Indian Ocean · Bab-el-Mandeb · Suez Canal · Dardanelles · Sea of Marmara · Bosporus
- GuangzhouChina origin
- South China Sea
- Malacca Strait
- Indian Ocean
- Bab-el-Mandeb
- Suez Canal
- Dardanelles
- Sea of Marmara
- Bosporus
- Istanbul (Haydarpasa)Turkey
This route runs out of Nansha, at the mouth of the Pearl River, then follows a corridor through the Turkish Straits; at the far end is the port of Istanbul (Haydarpasa).
Türkiye checks battery imports through TAREKS before the customs declaration is registered. This page sets out 5 points specific to this route, how Anxin handles each one and which documents to prepare.
What we need to start
- Dongguan–Nansha one-box
- Typhoon season Jun–Oct
- TAREKS application
- CE declaration of conformity
- Özet beyan 24 h before loading
Route profile
How Guangzhou → Istanbul (Haydarpasa) differs from other lanes
Türkiye
CE evidence, a TAREKS check and a clean invoice with HS codes are what Turkish customs looks for on batteries.
Where this route gets difficult
5 pain points from Guangzhou to Istanbul (Haydarpasa)
In the order the cargo meets them: at the loading port, at sea, at Istanbul (Haydarpasa) and at customs in Turkey.
- Origin port
A recommended 25% charge for ESS from Nansha
Nansha MSA told a July 2024 meeting on energy-storage carriage that ESS batteries should travel at roughly 25% state of charge, with accidental activation prevented. It is advice, not a binding rule, yet it is the number the local authority has put on the record.
What Anxin does: For ESS cargo leaving Nansha we ask the manufacturer to state the shipping state of charge and the anti-activation measures in writing, and put both in the documents the carrier sees.
- Origin port
Dongguan factory to Nansha: the new one-box route
On 22 September 2026 Dongguan and Guangzhou MSA agreed to extend the one-box model to Nansha: Guangzhou MSA recognises Dongguan MSA's factory inspection and does not re-inspect unless necessary. The first box was stuffed in Dongguan that day and sailed from Nansha to Singapore on 24 September. The model is new at Nansha, so the factory record has to be right first time.
What Anxin does: We ask at booking whether your Dongguan factory can use the Nansha one-box arrangement and make sure the stuffing photos, packing certificate and DG declaration match, because a mismatch is the 'necessary' case that brings the second inspection back.
- Sea corridor
Turkish Straits: Sailing Plan 1 a day ahead
Before entering the Turkish Straits, a ship with dangerous cargo files Sailing Plan 1 with the Turkish Straits VTS at least 24 hours ahead, listing the dangerous goods classes on board. A class 9 battery container is part of that list, so wrong or late DG data on the manifest can delay the ship at the entrance.
What Anxin does: We make sure the DG manifest data (UN number, class, quantity, container number) are final and match the booking before the vessel leaves the last port before the straits.
- Import country
Declaration of conformity and matching originals
Turkish clearance needs CE evidence where EU directives apply, an invoice in triplicate showing HS code and origin, an uncorrected certificate of origin and an original bill of lading with three copies, all describing the same goods.
What Anxin does: We check the declaration of conformity, invoice and certificate of origin against each other before the originals are sent to the importer in Turkey.
- Import country
Retail needs the brand in a collection system
In Türkiye a distributor may not sell a battery brand that has no collection system behind it and must take back waste batteries free of charge, so the brand's registration decides whether stock can go on sale.
What Anxin does: We ask the importer to confirm the brand is registered in its collection system before the first shipment leaves Guangzhou.
Documents & compliance
Documents to line up for Guangzhou → Istanbul (Haydarpasa)
Test reports, safety data sheets and import certificates come from the shipper, factory and importer, not from Anxin; our part is to review them before booking.
In Guangzhou, before the box is loaded
- For ESS: written shipping state of charge and anti-activation measures from the manufacturer
- Load plan showing even weight distribution (no more than 60% of the cargo weight in either half of the container length)
- Invoice in triplicate with HS code and origin; certificate of origin without corrections
- Battery type, quantity and weight per invoice line (for GEKAP)
- Safety data sheet and dangerous goods safe-carriage declaration for the MSA cargo report
For the shipping line
- Final DG manifest data ready before the vessel reaches the Turkish Straits
- UN 38.3 test summary for every cell and battery type
- Dangerous goods declaration with UN number (3480 / 3481 / 3090 / 3091), proper shipping name and packing instruction (P903, or P908/P911 for damaged)
At the Turkey end
- Declaration of conformity and test reports for the TAREKS inspection
- Importer's TAP membership and Çevre Uyum İzni (TAREKS)
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 Guangzhou export filings, the carrier booking and the Turkey 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
Risks on this route and who deals with them
| Risk | Where | Mitigation | Who acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second inspection at Nansha because factory records are incomplete | Dongguan factory → Nansha | Photos, packing certificate and declaration matched before trucking | Anxin |
| Incorrect DG data in the straits sailing plan | Turkish Straits | Manifest checked against the booking | Carrier, with data from Anxin |
Questions
Common questions on the Guangzhou → Istanbul (Haydarpasa) route
Membership of TAP (or its system), decided within 30 days, and then an environmental compliance permit applied for through TAREKS; GEKAP is also payable on batteries placed on the market.
A Sailing Plan 1 to the Turkish Straits VTS at least 24 hours before entry, including the dangerous cargo classes on board.
Both now have a one-box arrangement with Dongguan MSA: Yantian since May 2026 and Nansha since 22 September 2026, so a container inspected at the factory need not be reopened at the terminal unless necessary. The choice then comes down to the carrier's service to your destination and the cut-offs; we compare both when you book.
References
Official sources for this page
- Türkiye: Import Requirements and Documentation (last published 2026-01-29) (International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce)
- Sıkça sorulan sorular: atık pil ve akümülatörler (T.C. Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği Bakanlığı)
- Turkish Straits Maritime Traffic Regulation (English translation) (Republic of Türkiye (translation published by VDA))
- Nansha MSA meeting on the safe carriage of energy-storage batteries (Guangzhou Nansha District Government)
Next step
From enquiry to import
- 1EnquiryCargo, origin, destination
- 2Documents checkUN 38.3, SDS, packing
- 3BookingAfter carrier acceptance
- 4HandoverAt Guangzhou
- 5ImportClearance at Istanbul (Haydarpasa)
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After you send it
We check carrier acceptance for Guangzhou → Istanbul (Haydarpasa) before any booking, and ask for missing battery documents first.
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