Sourcing blast-furnace coke from China

Zero duty on coal coke

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 2704 covers coke and semi-coke of coal, lignite or peat, whether or not agglomerated, and retort carbon. Coal-based blast-furnace coke falls within the coal-coke line, 2704 00 10 00.

The supplied snapshot records 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. Only the coal-coke line is relevant to this guide, so the table contains that line alone.

Confirm the material and production route through our commodity code guide. For the wider heading, see our foundry coke guide. Petroleum coke is a different product, covered in our petroleum coke guide.

Specify strength, reactivity and the reporting basis

Describe coal-based blast-furnace coke and its intended furnace use. Agree fixed carbon, ash, sulphur, phosphorus, volatile matter and moisture; state whether each result is reported on a dry or as-received basis. Specify the size distribution, permitted fines and oversize, cold strength, coke reactivity and strength after reaction.

Agree sampling and test methods with the furnace operator and laboratory before approving a supplier. Require batch-specific results and retain representative samples. Agree how the supplier will keep different grades separate during storage and loading.

A safety data sheet is required when a chemical is hazardous and supplied for workplace use. Obtain the supplier's hazard information and assess unloading, screening and dust exposure at your site. A safety data sheet does not replace a workplace hazardous-substances risk assessment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 20 tonnes of blast-furnace coke, illustrative order under 2704 00 10 00, invoiced at £5,160 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,960. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,960, so it is £1,392. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Chemistry: match batch certificates to the shipment and independently check ash, sulphur, phosphorus, fixed carbon and moisture on the agreed reporting basis.

Strength: verify cold strength, reactivity and strength after reaction using the agreed methods; appearance alone cannot establish furnace suitability.

Sizing: sample across the consignment and sieve for fines and oversize, including material that has broken down during transport.

Condition: check wet patches, foreign material, bag damage and shipment weights before mixing the delivery with existing stock.

What goes wrong

A sample can meet the chemistry specification while the shipment breaks down into fines or fails the agreed reaction-strength test. Wet coke also distorts comparisons between dry-basis analysis and delivered weight. Compare arrival samples with retained loading samples and keep disputed material separate. Arrange quality inspection around the actual batch.

Zero customs duty does not settle the Climate Change Levy treatment. Confirm the intended use and supporting documentation with your tax adviser. Customers claiming the metallurgical exemption must declare to their suppliers that the commodities are consumed for qualifying purposes.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.