Sourcing inflatable lift bags from China

Duty and classification for salvage lift bags

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 8907 covers other floating structures. Both listed commodity lines carry 0% duty for goods from China. For salvage lift bags, 8907 90 00 00 is a candidate code requiring confirmation for the actual design. The table groups lift-bag designs under that candidate code. See the wider floating structures guide.

The supplied tariff facts record no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions. The candidate code carries an import control of fluorinated greenhouse gases and a flag labelled DCMS Export Licence. Confirm the import-control requirement with your customs broker. Specify whether bags arrive empty and are inflated with air. Equipment containing fluorinated gas may need quota authorisations or delegations; obtain specialist advice if such gas is supplied.

Give your broker drawings, materials, inflation arrangements and the intended underwater lifting use before confirming the commodity code. Import VAT is normally charged at 20%; see import duty and VAT. The illustrative order values are for calculation only.

Specify buoyancy, harness and air release

Specify open-bottom or enclosed construction, rated buoyancy and its stated operating conditions, working pressure, fabric coating, seam construction, dimensions and packed weight. Agree the harness layout, attachment points, shackles supplied, inflation connector, relief valve and accessible dump control. Ask for drawings showing how buoyancy transfers through the harness to the load.

Suppliers must supply safe work equipment, and adequate information for safe use and maintenance is required. Request operating instructions covering inflation, controlled air release, attachment, inspection, storage and repair. Agree a witnessed test plan with a competent specialist, with acceptance criteria for the complete bag and harness. Use factory verification to check the maker's seam production and test records.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 60 enclosed salvage lift bags; illustrative order only, subject to code confirmation under 8907 90 00 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £33,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £33,000, so it is £6,600. 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

Fabric and seams: inspect coating damage, seam continuity, reinforcement patches and valve bonds against the approved sample.

Harness and fittings: check webbing routing, stitching, attachment geometry and supplied fittings against the drawing; match test records to the delivered design.

Inflation and release: check connector compatibility, leakage and operation of relief and dump controls under the agreed specialist test procedure.

Arrival and documents: unpack for abrasion, dampness and damaged valves; match bag identification to instructions and test records. See quality inspection.

What goes wrong

Failure points include leaking seams, poorly bonded valves, damaged coatings and harness stitching that does not match the approved design. A bag can hold air while its load attachments remain inadequately tested. A quoted buoyancy figure also needs stated conditions and supporting test evidence.

Reject unexplained changes to fabric, webbing, valves or attachment fittings. Ask the supplier to identify the affected production batch and provide corrected samples and matching records before releasing the shipment. Plan arrival checks before the bags enter service.

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.