Asia – Mediterranean via Suez
Mediterranean services are the ones most likely to use Suez again (57% in September 2026), which puts the cargo back through Bab el-Mandeb, rated a SUBSTANTIAL threat.
Europe · sea freight from Lianyungang
Lianyungang to Lisbon
Yellow Sea · Taiwan Strait · Malacca Strait · Indian Ocean · Bab-el-Mandeb · Suez Canal · Sicily Channel · Strait of Gibraltar
Lithium batteries for Lisbon go through Lianyungang port. On the way they face a Suez corridor that Mediterranean services are using again more than any other Asia–Europe lane, and they arrive at the port of Lisbon.
The Portuguese side adds SILiAmb registration to the EU battery rules. Below are 5 route-specific points to plan for, what we do about each, and the documents to have ready before booking.
What we need to start
Route profile
Mediterranean services are the ones most likely to use Suez again (57% in September 2026), which puts the cargo back through Bab el-Mandeb, rated a SUBSTANTIAL threat.
SILiAmb registration with APA and an annual declaration, a licensed management entity or approved individual system, and the EU-wide battery and ICS2 duties.


Where this route gets difficult
In the order the cargo meets them: at the loading port, at sea, at Lisbon and at customs in Portugal.
The China Meteorological Administration describes sea fog as a major marine hazard in the Yellow and Bohai Seas, mainly from April to July. At Lianyungang, as at Qingdao, fog can hold vessels at anchor, and a changed vessel means amended DG filings.
What Anxin does: In fog season we keep slack between stuffing and the DG cut-off and have the filing data ready to amend.
The JMIC's September 2026 update put the northern Red Sea and the Suez Canal at MODERATE, with two-way transits and container lines selectively returning, and the Eastern Mediterranean at LOW. On this corridor the exposure lies at the southern entrance of the Red Sea, not at the canal itself.
What Anxin does: We check before each booking whether the service has changed routing since the last quote.
The importer in Portugal carries the check: CE marking on the battery and an EU declaration of conformity, translated into the language Portugal asks for, have both been required since 18 August 2024 for batteries entering the EU market.
What Anxin does: We ask the manufacturer in China for the declaration of conformity and a photo of the CE marking on the battery or its packaging before loading, and pass them to the Portugal importer. We check that the documents exist and match the goods; we do not assess conformity.
Regulation (EU) 2025/1561 pushed the Battery Regulation's due diligence duties for cobalt, lithium, nickel and natural graphite back to 18 August 2027 and gave the Commission until 26 July 2026 for its guidelines. Buyers in Portugal are already collecting the supply-chain information they will need.
What Anxin does: We pass the Portugal buyer's due diligence questions to the manufacturer and keep their answers with the shipment file; the policy itself remains the producer's responsibility.
From 18 February 2027, Article 11 requires portable batteries built into appliances to be readily removable and replaceable by the end-user with commercially available tools, without heat or solvents, apart from limited derogations. Appliances shipped to Portugal for sale after that date need a design that meets the rule.
What Anxin does: When appliances with built-in batteries are booked for Portugal we point the importer to the February 2027 date so the manufacturer answers the design question before shipment; we do not assess compliance.

Documents & compliance
Anxin reviews documents supplied by the shipper, manufacturer and importer; it does not issue test reports, safety data sheets or import certificates.

Most delays on this route start with a document that exists but does not match: a UN number, a model name or a package count that differs between the Lianyungang filings, the carrier booking and the Portugal import file. We check the three against each other before the booking is confirmed.
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
| Risk | Where | Mitigation | Who acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Declaration of conformity missing or not in the required language | Importer in Portugal | Declaration and CE photo collected before loading | Manufacturer / importer |
Questions
24 hours before the container is loaded in China, not before it reaches Lisbon. Without it carriers do not load the box, and a filing without an EORI number is rejected.
Often: in September 2026, 57% of Asia–Mediterranean services used the Red Sea routing. Bab el-Mandeb was rated a SUBSTANTIAL threat by the JMIC on 24 September 2026, so we confirm each service's routing before booking.
Its June 2025 break-bulk ESS guide recommends 20–50% remaining charge, with converters and monitoring off and circuits disconnected.
References
Next step
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We check carrier acceptance for Lianyungang → Lisbon before any booking, and ask for missing battery documents first.
All destinations from Lianyungang · Portugal ports

Share the cargo facts; we review the route in writing.
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