Sourcing crude benzol from China

Crude benzol duty and classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 2707 covers products of high-temperature coal-tar distillation and similar products whose aromatic constituents exceed their non-aromatic constituents by weight. For crude benzol, establish the production route, composition and distillation profile before choosing the line.

The table lists crude-oil lines and aromatic-mixture alternatives for comparison, rather than interchangeable codes for every crude benzol shipment. All listed lines carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control on these lines.

Confirm the commodity code with your customs broker using the batch analysis, distillation report and intended use. For the wider heading, see our coal-tar solvent naphtha guide.

Specify crude benzol composition and recovery

Specify the production route and intended downstream process. Agree acceptance limits and test methods for benzene, toluene, xylenes, sulphur compounds, water, density, distillation profile and residue. Ask for a batch certificate of analysis and a sealed representative sample. Require written approval before blending or changing the source.

For Great Britain, confirm applicable UK REACH registration coverage with your chemical adviser, including how it applies to substances in mixtures. Hazardous chemicals supplied for workplace use require a safety data sheet. Chemicals must be labelled and packaged correctly before being placed on the market. Ask for an English safety data sheet matching the actual product.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order only: 20 tonnes of crude benzol in sealed drums, assuming the batch meets this tariff description; FOB and freight values are illustrative. under 2707 99 11 00, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £25,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £25,800, so it is £5,160. 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

Composition: compare independent batch results for aromatic components, sulphur and water with the agreed specification and supplier certificate.

Distillation: check the recovery curve and residue against the purchase specification and proposed tariff description.

Containers: inspect seals, closures, leaks, corrosion and batch markings on arrival; reconcile delivered weight with shipping records.

Documents: match container batch numbers to analysis certificates and safety information. Arrange testing and certification against the agreed methods.

What goes wrong

Watch for water contamination, sulphur outside specification, excessive heavy residue and blending that changes the recovery profile. A certificate from another batch can conceal these differences. Hold suspect material separately and obtain representative laboratory results before feeding it into the process.

Benzene is a known human carcinogen. Arrange sampling through personnel equipped to handle the product safely; do not use an informal smell check to accept a batch. Missing safety information or inconsistent product identity should stop acceptance until resolved.

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.