Sourcing cable cranes from China
Cable cranes from China carry 0% UK duty across heading 8426, with no listed trade remedies. Confirm the applicable machinery supply requirements and any thorough examination needed before first use of installation-dependent equipment with the relevant authority. Specify the rope span, carriage and anchors together. Cambridge China Bridge sources cable cranes.
Cable-crane duty and classification
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8426 covers cranes including cable cranes, alongside other lifting machinery. Every listed line carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff extract lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls.
For a cable crane with a carriage travelling along a supporting rope, discuss 8426 99 00 00 with your customs broker. The table also shows configuration-dependent alternatives for vehicle-mounted or self-propelled machinery; these are not interchangeable codes. Confirm the complete design and shipment contents through our commodity-code guide. See the wider cranes guide for other crane types.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other cranes, neither self-propelled nor designed for road-vehicle mounting | 8426 99 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other cranes designed for mounting on road vehicles | 8426 91 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Other self-propelled lifting machinery on tyres | 8426 41 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other self-propelled lifting machinery, not on tyres, residual category | 8426 49 00 90 | 0% | None |
Specify the rope span, carriage and anchors
Describe the loads, supporting-rope span, lifting height, carriage travel, operating speeds and working environment. Ask for drawings showing rope sag, tensioning arrangements, end supports and anchor reactions for the proposed site. Define who supplies the foundations, anchors, supporting ropes, lifting ropes, winches and carriage.
Agree rope construction, terminations, sheave compatibility, drum capacity, brakes, travel limits and emergency stops. Ask for the power requirements, control arrangement, operating restrictions, assembly instructions and replacement-rope specification. Have the installer review the interface drawings before ordering.
For supply in Great Britain, confirm the applicable machinery safety requirements, conformity marking, declaration of conformity and English instructions with the relevant authority. CE recognition continues indefinitely in Great Britain. Confirm with the relevant authority whether installation-dependent equipment needs examination by a competent person before first use, and retain examination reports and declarations of conformity.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: An illustrative compact cable-crane system with carriage and winches under 8426 99 00 00, invoiced at £48,000 free on board, with £5,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £53,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £53,000, so it is £10,600. 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
Ropes and carriage: match rope identification, construction and terminations to the approved drawings; inspect for kinks, corrosion, damaged strands and carriage-wheel damage after unpacking.
Supports and anchors: reconcile the packing list with the support and anchorage drawings; check connection plates, pins, fasteners and tensioning components for damage or missing items.
Winches and controls: agree factory functional tests for brakes, travel limits and emergency stops; check drum winding and carriage movement against the approved test plan.
Documents and arrival: match the machine identification to its declaration, English manual and test records. Photograph transport damage and record discrepancies before assembly. Use our inspection guide to prepare the inspection brief.
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What goes wrong
A quotation can cover the winches and carriage while leaving supporting ropes, anchors or foundations unspecified. Changes in span or rope tension can leave the delivered system mismatched to the site. Put the complete supply boundary and site interface drawings into the purchase specification.
Poor rope packing, incompatible sheaves and incomplete brake or travel-limit testing can undermine acceptance. Resolve these points before dispatch, then arrange installation and confirm with the relevant authority whether a thorough examination is required in Great Britain. Keep factory test records separate from the site examination report.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on cable cranes from China?
The supplied tariff extract shows 0% on every line of heading 8426, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing measures. The read date is 1 October 2026.
Which commodity code should I use for a cable crane?
Discuss 8426 99 00 00 for a system that is neither self-propelled nor designed for road-vehicle mounting. Give your broker the drawings, mounting arrangement and shipment contents before confirming the code.
Does a cable crane need examination after installation?
Where safety depends on installation conditions, confirm with the relevant authority whether thorough examination by a competent person is required after installation and before first use; retain the examination report.
What should I ask the cable-crane factory to quote?
Ask for the supporting ropes, carriage, winches, controls, terminations and tensioning equipment, with clear exclusions for foundations and anchors. Require interface drawings and an agreed factory test plan.