Bolts Shipping from China
Export freight for bolts — packing specification, container loading, HS classification and clearance. Quoted EXW, FOB, CIF, CIP or delivered duty-paid.
Bolts shipping from China is straightforward once the cargo is understood: this is freight that graded structural fasteners where the certificate matters as much as the steel, and the routing follows from that.
That shapes the quote directly. Anything denser than roughly 0.8 t/m³ is weight-limited, not volume-limited. A 20GP tops out near 28 tonnes of payload while its 33 m³ of space sits half empty, so the correct question is never "will it fit" but "what is the road weight limit at the delivery end". Several European and West African corridors cap a laden 40ft at a lower gross than the box itself can legally carry, and that inland limit — not the ocean leg — is what sets your maximum load.
Worth knowing about bolts specifically. Grade substitution disputes. If the marking, the certificate and the invoice do not agree exactly, structural bolts will be rejected on site regardless of actual strength. Insist on mill certificates referencing the lot numbers you are shipping.
The paperwork that most often decides whether a consignment clears on time is Material certificates; CE marking where the part is load-bearing or safety-critical. Expect HS chapter 73 / 82 / 83, with the precise heading depending on grade and construction — confirm it for your specific goods rather than assuming.
Freight reference — Bolts
| Typical HS chapter | 73 / 82 / 83 |
|---|---|
| Cargo behaviour | Graded structural fasteners where the certificate matters as much as the steel |
| How it prices | Weight-limited |
| Usual service | Sea FCL |
| Main compliance step | Material certificates; CE marking where the part is load-bearing or safety-critical |
| Trade terms available | EXW, FOB, CIF, CIP, DAP or delivered duty-paid |
HS chapters are indicative. The binding classification depends on your exact specification — confirm the heading before relying on a duty estimate.
Packing and protection
Keg or carton by grade and length, never mixed. Head markings identify grade and must remain legible, so avoid packing that abrades the head face. Palletise and band; loose kegs roll and split in transit.
Loading the container
Stowage: Distribute along the full length of the box and keep the centre of gravity central and low. Loading everything against one end is the single most common cause of an axle-weight violation at the port gate, even when total gross is legal.
Choosing the service
Service choice: Sea FCL is the only sensible base case. Air is priced on actual weight for cargo this dense, so an air quote will typically run an order of magnitude above sea — worth it only for a line-stopping replacement part.
Where it usually goes wrong
Grade substitution disputes. If the marking, the certificate and the invoice do not agree exactly, structural bolts will be rejected on site regardless of actual strength. Insist on mill certificates referencing the lot numbers you are shipping.
Live rates on lanes that carry this cargo
Published per-kilo and per-CBM rates from China, updated from carrier feeds. Rates are lane-based rather than commodity-based, so these apply to bolts as much as to any other general cargo on the same route.
Frequently asked questions
How is freight priced for bolts?
Anything denser than roughly 0.8 t/m³ is weight-limited, not volume-limited. A 20GP tops out near 28 tonnes of payload while its 33 m³ of space sits half empty, so the correct question is never "will it fit" but "what is the road weight limit at the delivery end". Several European and West African corridors cap a laden 40ft at a lower gross than the box itself can legally carry, and that inland limit — not the ocean leg — is what sets your maximum load.
How should bolts be packed for export?
Keg or carton by grade and length, never mixed. Head markings identify grade and must remain legible, so avoid packing that abrades the head face. Palletise and band; loose kegs roll and split in transit.
Air or sea for bolts?
Sea FCL is the only sensible base case. Air is priced on actual weight for cargo this dense, so an air quote will typically run an order of magnitude above sea — worth it only for a line-stopping replacement part.
What customs paperwork does bolts need?
The step that most often holds a shipment is Material certificates; CE marking where the part is load-bearing or safety-critical. Classification normally falls in HS chapter 73 / 82 / 83, but the exact heading depends on your specification — send the product details and we will confirm the code and the duty position for the destination before you commit.
What goes wrong most often with bolts shipments?
Grade substitution disputes. If the marking, the certificate and the invoice do not agree exactly, structural bolts will be rejected on site regardless of actual strength. Insist on mill certificates referencing the lot numbers you are shipping.
Is there anything specific to bolts we should know?
Small fasteners ship by weight in kegs, cartons or bulk bags, and the packing decides whether they arrive countable. Mixed sizes in one carton cause receiving disputes; plated finishes need a moisture barrier or they bloom white before the customer opens the box.
Can you quote bolts on FOB or CIF rather than duty-paid?
Yes. We quote EXW, FOB, CIF, CIP, DAP and delivered duty-paid on this cargo. The term decides how much of the journey is already inside the price — the trade-terms table on any of our rate pages sets out exactly who carries which cost at each stage.