Felixstowe
Every dangerous-goods container notified through Destin8 and approved in writing by the port's safety advisors, with the data passed on to Harwich Haven Authority.
Europe · sea freight from Tianjin
Shipping from Tianjin to Felixstowe
Tianjin to Felixstowe
Bohai Sea · Bohai Strait · Malacca Strait · Indian Ocean · Bab-el-Mandeb · Suez Canal · Strait of Gibraltar · English Channel
- TianjinChina origin
- Bohai Sea
- Bohai Strait
- Malacca Strait
- Indian Ocean
- Bab-el-Mandeb
- Suez Canal
- Strait of Gibraltar
- English Channel
- FelixstoweUnited Kingdom
From Tianjin to Felixstowe, cargo moves from North China through Tianjin Xingang, crosses a lane whose routing, Suez or Cape of Good Hope, is decided service by service, and is discharged at a port whose dangerous-goods safety advisors clear every class 9 box before it moves.
On the UK side, customs runs through HMRC's Customs Declaration Service and producers report battery tonnage through the NPWD. This page sets out 6 points specific to this route, how Anxin handles each one and which documents to prepare.
What we need to start
- Tianjin Xingang export
- Factory-supervised loading
- Consignee EORI
- EU declaration of conformity
- Destin8 hazardous notification
Route profile
How Tianjin → Felixstowe 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
6 points to plan for on the Tianjin → Felixstowe route
In the order the cargo meets them: at the loading port, at sea, at Felixstowe and at customs in United Kingdom.
- Origin port
Packaging appraisal is still the first step at Tianjin
Export dangerous-goods packaging must pass use appraisal in China before the goods can leave. Tianjin port's 2025 measures shortened appraisal time for lithium battery exports through quick release, and Tianjin Port Group handles lithium DG containers, but without the appraisal certificate the rest of the filing cannot proceed.
What Anxin does: We check at quotation that the packaging maker has its performance appraisal and apply for the use appraisal as soon as the packing is fixed, so the certificate is in hand before the MSA filing.
- Sea corridor
Cape waters saw about a third of 2024's container losses
Round-Africa routing puts battery containers through South African waters. Of the 576 containers the World Shipping Council recorded as lost at sea in 2024, the South African Maritime Safety Authority estimates about 200, roughly 35%, went overboard near the Cape. In August 2024 alone, SAMSA reported 99 boxes lost from the CMA CGM Belem off Richards Bay and 46 from the MSC Antonio off Port St Johns in wintry weather.
What Anxin does: When the booking goes via the Cape, we apply the CINS stuffing checks (gaps, blocking, wall clearance) more strictly and ask for photos at every stage of packing.
- Destination port
Destin8 notification and written approval from the port's DGSAs
Every dangerous-goods container passing through Felixstowe needs prior written approval from the port's Dangerous Goods Safety Advisors, and imports are notified electronically through Destin8. The same notification is relayed to Harwich Haven Authority, so one inconsistent entry travels to both.
What Anxin does: We check the UN number, class, packages and weights the carrier will use against the shipper's declaration before the vessel leaves Tianjin.
- Import country
An S&S GB entry summary 24 hours before loading in Tianjin
The UK's S&S GB service must hold the entry summary for a Felixstowe container 24 hours before it is loaded in Tianjin. Whoever issued the bill of lading answers for it, and a late booking rolls to a later vessel rather than being loaded unfiled.
What Anxin does: We settle who issues the bill of lading at booking and pass complete consignee and goods data to that party before the Tianjin cut-off.
- Import country
Tonnage and chemistry reporting through the NPWD
UK battery producers register with the environmental regulator through the National Packaging Waste Database and report every year the tonnage and chemistry of the batteries they placed on the market. Distributors and retailers supplying more than 32 kg a year also have to offer free take-back of waste portable batteries.
What Anxin does: We give the UK importer the battery weight and chemistry for each shipment from our booking data, which it can use for its annual return; the registration itself stays with the producer.
- Import country
Mercury, cadmium and lead under UK rules
Batteries sold in the UK may contain no more than 0.0005 % mercury and 0.002 % cadmium by weight, subject to listed exceptions, and those above 0.004 % lead need the Pb symbol beneath the bin symbol. The Office for Product Safety and Standards enforces the rules.
What Anxin does: We ask the manufacturer for a substance statement covering mercury, cadmium and lead and file it with the shipment documents for the UK importer; we do not test batteries.
Documents & compliance
Documents to line up for Tianjin → Felixstowe
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.
At the Tianjin end
- Packaging use-appraisal certificate issued before the MSA cargo report is filed
- Customs packaging use-appraisal result for the dangerous goods packaging (with the maker's performance appraisal)
- Container packing certificate signed by a certified packing inspector after supervised stuffing
- Transport-condition classification report where applicable
- Load plan showing even weight distribution (no more than 60% of the cargo weight in either half of the container length)
Carrier and voyage
- Routing (Suez or Cape of Good Hope) and any transhipment port stated on the booking confirmation
- Lithium battery mark (SP188 cargo) or class 9 labels and placards
- Condition statement: new, used, damaged/defective (SP376) or for recycling (SP377)
For the importer in United Kingdom
- Battery weight and chemistry per shipment for the importer's NPWD return
- UK haulier briefed with UN 3480 class 9 details for road carriage under ADR
- Importer's GB or XI EORI and CDS subscription confirmed; declarant named
Before you book
Match the details first
We line up UN numbers, model names and package counts across the Tianjin filings, the booking with the carrier and the documents for United Kingdom before the booking is confirmed, so that a mismatch is fixed at origin rather than discovered at Felixstowe.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy weather off South Africa | Cape of Good Hope | CINS stuffing and blocking checks before sealing | Packing site, checked by Anxin |
| Container held for DGSA approval | Port of Felixstowe | DG data checked before departure | Carrier / agent |
| Entry summary not lodged and the box rolls | Loading port, Tianjin | Filer and data settled at booking | Bill-of-lading issuer |
| Annual tonnage return missing shipments | UK producer | Weight and chemistry recorded per shipment | Importer / producer |
Questions
Common questions on the Tianjin → Felixstowe route
The crossed-out wheeled bin symbol at a minimum size, on the packaging if the battery is too small, and for portable rechargeables a capacity in mAh or Ah on the battery and the packaging front.
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.
Tianjin Customs offers a 'supervised factory loading, direct loading on port arrival' model: stuffing is supervised at the factory, the box enters the port in a booked slot and is loaded directly. Whether a given shipment can use it depends on the customs arrangement for the exporter and the port slot; we check both when you book.
References
Regulations and port sources cited
- Safety and security import requirements: entry summary declarations (HM Revenue & Customs (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))
- Health & Safety: Dangerous Goods Safety Advisors (Port of Felixstowe)
- Search on for containers lost overboard off South Africa's Indian Ocean coast (South African Maritime Safety Authority)
- Tianjin Customs export dangerous goods service page: supervised factory loading, direct loading on port arrival (Tianjin Customs)
- Tianjin port 2025 cross-border trade facilitation measures (Tianjin Municipal Government (tjjz.gov.cn))
- 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 Tianjin
- 5ImportClearance at Felixstowe
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After you send it
We check carrier acceptance for Tianjin → Felixstowe before any booking, and ask for missing battery documents first.
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