Sourcing petroleum coke and bitumen from China

0% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, heading 2713 covers petroleum coke, petroleum bitumen and other residues of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals. All five leaves, petroleum coke not calcined (2713 11 00 00) and calcined (2713 12 00 00), petroleum bitumen (2713 20 00 00), and other residues for the manufacture of carbon black (2713 90 10 00) or other uses (2713 90 90 00), carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure, no registration and no suspension.

Articles made of bitumen, such as roofing membranes, are covered in our bitumen roofing membranes guide, and graphite made from coke in our artificial graphite guide; confirm the commodity code. For bituminous mixtures, see our bituminous mixtures sourcing guide.

Chemical rules

Petroleum coke and bitumen are substances under UK REACH, so check the supplier's registration position for imports of one tonne or more a year and ask for a safety data sheet under the UK REACH Regulation. Hot bitumen and fine coke dust need handling controls on site.

Specifying coke and bitumen

For petroleum coke specify green or calcined, fixed carbon, sulphur, ash, volatile matter, moisture, real density, size range, and vanadium, nickel and iron limits. For bitumen specify penetration grade or modified binder, softening point, and packing in drums or bitumen bags. For mixtures, see our bituminous mixtures sourcing guide.

Worked duty example

Take a hypothetical order of 500 tonnes of calcined petroleum coke in bulk bags, entered under 2713 12 00 00: £150,000 free on board plus £18,000 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £168,000. Calcined petroleum coke carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £168,000, £33,600, 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

Analysis: check sulphur, ash, volatile matter and real density on the certificate, and verify a sample in an independent laboratory.

Sizing: check the size range and fines content for the lot.

Packing: check bulk bag integrity, moisture and weights, and drum condition for bitumen.

What goes wrong

Coke and bitumen orders fail on sulphur, fines and moisture. Sulphur or metals exceed the grade, coke breaks down into fines in handling, moisture adds weight you pay for, and bitumen does not meet the penetration grade.

Test samples before shipping. See our quality inspection guide.

Cambridge China Bridge sources calcined petroleum coke and bitumen for UK foundries, carbon product makers and roofing buyers, checking the producer's lab first. See factory verification.