Sourcing gas turbine stator vanes from China

Duty and the stator-vane parts codes

Heading 8411 covers turbojets, turbopropellers, other gas turbines and their parts. Stator vanes are stationary guide components, so distinguish them from rotating blades. Code 8411 99 00 45 covers specified stationary-turbine guide blades made from nickel-based superalloys, operating above 600 kelvin but not above 1600 kelvin, with length no greater than 500 mm, width no greater than 900 mm and height no greater than 1300 mm.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, all the selected parts lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for these lines. Turbojet and turbopropeller vanes have separate parts codes. Elsewhere in this heading, turbocharger wheel and housing lines carry a supplementary-unit import measure; if importing those alongside vanes, confirm the declaration requirement with your customs broker.

Confirm the commodity code using the engine application, drawing, alloy, operating temperature and dimensions. Do not select the specific stationary-turbine line merely because the invoice says turbine vane. For related components and wider heading context, see gas turbine rotor blades.

Specify the vane stage, alloy and cooling geometry

Give the factory the engine model, stage, part number, drawing revision and whether you need individual vanes or vane segments. Specify the aerofoil profile, throat area, platform and mounting features, datum system and dimensional tolerances. State the alloy, casting structure, heat treatment, coating system and cooling-hole geometry. Identify any permitted repair or weld work explicitly.

Agree material certificates linked to casting batches, dimensional reports, crack-detection methods and acceptance criteria. Ask for coating and cooling-flow results where relevant. The manufacturer is responsible for checking conformity assessment requirements for the product and its components. Ask for that assessment for the intended application rather than treating a generic CE certificate as proof of vane suitability.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 40 stationary gas turbine stator vanes meeting this tariff description under 8411 99 00 45, invoiced at £28,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £32,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £32,000, so it is £6,400. 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

Identity: match part markings, stage, drawing revision and batch records to the purchase order and material certificates.

Geometry: check the aerofoil profile, throat area, platform alignment and mounting features against the agreed datums and tolerances.

Integrity: review alloy and heat-treatment records, crack-detection results, coating coverage and cooling-passage cleanliness against the agreed acceptance criteria.

Arrival: check for chipped edges, damaged coatings, moisture and mixed batches. Keep each vane linked to its reports. Use the quality inspection guide to plan the checks.

What goes wrong

A vane can fit its mounting while having the wrong throat area or cooling geometry. Alloy substitution, blocked cooling holes, coating over holes, casting defects and unapproved repairs are failure points to check. A dimensionally acceptable sample does not establish the production batch's material or thermal performance.

Separate receipt inspection from permission to install. Have the turbine engineering team review the records and fit before installation. HSE states that plant and equipment must be made safe before maintenance starts. Resolve missing batch records or failed checks before fitting the vanes; factory verification can help establish which casting, coating and inspection processes the supplier actually performs.

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.