Sourcing ductile iron and cast iron pipes from China

0% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, tubes, pipes and hollow profiles of cast iron, heading 7303, carried 0% on goods from China on every line: ductile iron pressure pipes (coated or bare) and other cast iron pipes. No line carried an anti-dumping measure, and none carried the steel safeguard measure.

Cast iron fittings are under heading 7307 (see our steel pipe fittings guide), and manhole covers and gratings under 7325 (see our cast iron covers guide). For channel drainage, see our cast iron trench grating sourcing guide.

All the lines in the table above are in the iron and steel sector of the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), which applies to imports from 1 January 2027. An importer who expects £50,000 or more of CBAM goods within 30 days, or has imported that much in the previous 12 months, must register, keep records for 6 years, and should ask suppliers for emissions data now. See our UK CBAM guide.

Standards and drinking water approval

Ductile iron pipes for water are specified to BS EN 545, for sewerage to BS EN 598, and cast iron soil and drainage pipes to BS EN 877. Products used in public water supply must comply with regulation 31 of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 in England and the corresponding Welsh regulations, so cement linings, coatings and gaskets need evidence of compliance for contact with drinking water. Formal approval is not required for every product: qualifying small-surface-area products, including some gaskets, may be used under regulation 31(4)(b).

Specifying pipes

Specify nominal diameter, pressure class, length, joint type (push-fit, restrained, flanged), internal lining (cement mortar, epoxy), external coating (zinc with bitumen or epoxy), gaskets, marking, and bundling and loading for heavy pipes.

Worked duty example

Take a hypothetical order of 600 tonnes of cement-lined ductile iron water pipe, entered under 7303 00 10 10: £420,000 free on board plus £38,000 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £458,000. Ductile iron pipe carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £458,000, £91,600, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.

Inspection checklist

Dimensions and class: measure diameter, wall thickness and spigot and socket dimensions, and check the pressure class marking on each pipe.

Coatings and linings: check zinc and coating thickness, and cement lining thickness and cracks, against the standard.

Testing and documents: check hydrostatic test records, the regulation 31 approval for linings and gaskets, and that pipes are bundled with socket protection.

What goes wrong

Pipe orders fail on class, coatings and approvals. Walls are thinner than the pressure class, zinc coating is light, cement linings crack in handling, gaskets are not approved for drinking water, and sockets are damaged in loading.

Witness hydrostatic tests, measure coatings, and check approvals before shipment. See our quality inspection guide.

Cambridge China Bridge sources ductile iron and cast iron pipes for UK contractors and merchants, checking the foundry's test records first. See factory verification.