Floating pontoons and liferafts from China
Other floating structures from China, such as modular HDPE and concrete pontoons, floating docks, landing stages, jet-ski docks, buoys and inflatable liferafts, pay 0% UK duty, with no anti-dumping duty. Pontoons are bought on buoyancy, freeboard and connection strength, and liferafts for ships must carry the approvals marine equipment rules require.
Modular plastic and concrete pontoons, floating docks, landing stages, buoys and inflatable liferafts from China pay 0% UK duty. Marine rules, design and tests.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, other floating structures (for example, rafts, tanks, coffer-dams, landing stages, buoys and beacons), heading 8907, carried 0% on goods from China for inflatable rafts and for other floating structures, with no anti-dumping measure.
Boats, including inflatable boats and kayaks, are under heading 8903 (see our inflatable boats guide), so confirm the commodity code from whether the item is a vessel or a structure.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inflatable rafts (such as liferafts) | 8907 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other floating structures (pontoons, floating docks, landing stages, buoys) | 8907 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Marine equipment and design
Liferafts carried on UK ships are marine equipment under the Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulations 2025, which require approved equipment with the required marking, while liferafts for leisure craft are commonly specified to ISO 9650. Marina pontoons and floating structures are designed with reference to BS 6349-6, and the operator's site conditions (wave, wind, current and tidal range) decide the design loads.
Specifying pontoons
Specify module size and material (HDPE, concrete, steel with floats), buoyancy and freeboard under load, point and distributed load ratings, UV stabilisation, connection pins and their strength, anchoring or pile guides, decking and anti-slip surface, cleats, and colour.
Worked duty example
An invented example rather than a quote: a 60-metre modular floating pontoon system, commodity code 8907 90 00 00, bought for £48,000 free on board, with £6,500 of freight and insurance, so £54,500 is the value customs works from. No duty is due on floating pontoons; import VAT at 20% of £54,500 is £10,900. If you are VAT-registered, that VAT is normally reclaimable. See calculating UK import duty and VAT for the method.
Inspection checklist
Buoyancy: load-test sample modules and measure freeboard, and check wall thickness and weight of moulded floats.
Connections: check pins, lugs and fixings for fit and strength, and assemble a section to test alignment.
Materials and packing: check UV stabiliser and material certificates, and that modules are stacked and strapped to avoid deformation in transit.
What goes wrong
Pontoon orders fail on buoyancy, connections and UV. Floats are thinner than specified so freeboard falls under load, connection lugs crack in waves, plastics fade and embrittle without UV stabiliser, and designs ignore the site's wave climate.
Load-test samples, check connection strength, and design to site conditions. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources floating pontoons and docks for UK marinas, clubs and contractors, checking the maker's moulding and test records first. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on floating pontoons from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, other floating structures including pontoons (8907 90 00 00) carried 0% from China.
Are inflatable liferafts the same rate?
Yes. Inflatable rafts (8907 10 00 00) carried 0%.
Do ship liferafts need approval?
Yes. Liferafts on UK ships are marine equipment under the Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulations 2025.
Are inflatable boats the same heading?
No. Boats, including inflatable boats, are under heading 8903.