Logistics, customs, and costs
Sea freight vs. air freight, calculating freight costs, customs and import VAT, what an import really costs, realistic lead time planning, Incoterms in practice.
U.S. Opens Dual Trade-Remedy Probe into Chinese Linear Hydraulic Cylinders
The U.S. Department of Commerce opened antidumping investigations on September 9, 2026, covering linear hydraulic cylinders from five countries. A parallel countervailing-duty investigation covers China, India and Mexico. Importers should now verify product scope, origin and procedure status without treating alleged margins as final duties.
U.S. Sets Preliminary 66.61% Countervailing Duty on Chinese Tin Mill Products
On September 10, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced a preliminary 66.61% countervailing duty on Chinese tin mill products. The determination is not final, but it can already affect U.S. shipment costing, contract terms, and supporting records.
China and the U.S. Negotiate Tariff Cuts Covering $30 Billion Each, but No Product List Yet
China and the United States are negotiating a framework for reciprocal tariff cuts covering goods worth $30 billion on each side, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce. As of September 10, 2026, no product list, tariff rate, or confirmed implementation date has been published.
EU Reviews Its Procurement Instrument After the China Medical-Device Case
On 10 September 2026, the European Commission launched the first review of the International Procurement Instrument. The consultation does not create a general new import rule for private importers, but suppliers of Chinese medical devices should maintain reliable origin, operator-structure and Chinese-content records for EU public tenders.
EU Court Partly Annuls the Sinopec PVA Duty Calculation
On 3 September 2026, the Court of Justice of the European Union partly annulled the earlier judgment in case C-319/24 P concerning Chinese PVA anti-dumping duties. The annulment covers only a downward adjustment of the export price under Article 2(10)(i); the judgment does not set a new duty rate.
Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd Route AE19 and AE15 via the Suez Canal Again
On 9 September 2026, Maersk said that the AE19 and AE15 services would run via the Suez Canal instead of around the Cape of Good Hope. The announcement describes a targeted adjustment, not a general return of the east-west network.
Brazil Imposes Provisional Anti-Dumping Duties on Glass-Fibre Rovings from China
Brazil has imposed provisional anti-dumping duties on certain glass-fibre rovings originating in China and Egypt from 4 September 2026. The provisional rates for Chinese producers range from US$211.78 to US$456.44 per tonne.
China Requires Up to 99.2% Security on Japanese Dichlorosilane
China will require provisional anti-dumping security on certain dichlorosilane imports originating in Japan from September 8, 2026. The rates range from 80.8% to 99.2%, and customs requires a specific commodity code.
EU Opens Interim Review of Anti-Dumping Measures on Chinese Silicon
On 1 September 2026, the European Commission published an initiation notice for an interim review of anti-dumping measures on certain silicon originating in China. The initiation does not automatically change the applicable duty, but it increases the risk of later changes to duties and import calculations.
Typhoons Force China Port Omissions: Three September Sailings Drop Shanghai or Ningbo
Maersk reports flooding, port congestion and vessel delays after several typhoons in East Asia. Three September sailings will omit Shanghai, Ningbo or Kaohsiung.
EU Launches Third Anti-Dumping Expiry Review for Chinese Prestressing Wire
On 1 September 2026, the European Commission opened a third anti-dumping expiry review covering certain pre- and post-stressing wires and wire strands of non-alloy steel originating in China. The opening of the review is not a new final customs decision and does not, by itself, establish a specific duty rate.
Panama Canal Cuts Transit Capacity: What Nine Neopanamax Slots Mean for China–U.S. Shipments
Since September 3, 2026, the Panama Canal has provided nine daily transit slots at the Neopanamax locks. The China–U.S. route is not generally closed, but unconfirmed sailings face greater schedule and availability risk.
German import prices up 6.8%: What this means for China sourcing in 2026
The German average is not your supplier quote. It does show why intermediate goods, metals and electronics need a fresh cost review.
96-hour Shanghai waits: Planning port congestion and blank sailings
A cheap ocean rate is no help when a container waits four days outside the terminal. Plan buffers, alternates and escalation triggers.
China–Europe ocean freight in late August 2026: What the $4,473 index signals
A weekly index is not your freight quote. It is useful for testing carrier offers, surcharges and budget assumptions.
EUCDM 7.0.11: Which customs data is changing for China imports
The updated EU Customs Data Model is not only an IT task. It exposes which import fields and ownership rules must be reliable.
Titanium dioxide from China: What the EU’s reopened anti-dumping review means
A reopened absorption review is not a new duty rate yet. It is a clear signal to secure contracts, prices and product codes.
CBAM verification and the 50-tonne threshold: What small importers must document
Small import volumes are not automatically effortless. Check the threshold, product group and evidence trail before volume grows.
Product identifiers from 1 November 2026: What China sellers must prepare
Marketplaces, carriers and customs need consistent product data. Prepare identifiers before the new requirement slows dispatch.
€3 duty on low-value parcels: Is single-parcel shipping from China still viable?
The new charge changes direct-to-consumer economics. Model items, baskets, fulfilment and returns together instead of looking only at freight.
CBAM 2026: Which emissions data Chinese suppliers must provide
CBAM is becoming a procurement data task. Structure plant data, production routes and evidence for the definitive period.