Sourcing seamless steel sections from China

Duty and classification for seamless sections

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, all supplied lines under heading 7304 show 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied snapshot lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel trade measure, suspensions or attached import controls. This heading covers seamless tubes, pipes and hollow profiles of iron other than cast iron, or steel.

The table selects circular sections by material and outside diameter. It does not provide a code for ordinary non-alloy square or rectangular seamless profiles because those lines are absent from the supplied file. Ask your customs broker or the relevant sanctions authority to confirm whether heading 7304 and the exact product fall within the Russian steel sanctions scope: relevant Russian steel inputs processed in China can make an import prohibited, subject to applicable exceptions or licensing.

Give your customs broker the section drawing, manufacturing route, material chemistry and intended use. Diameter and carbon equivalent affect the circular non-alloy and other alloy subdivisions. Confirm the exact description through finding your commodity code. For the wider product family, see seamless mechanical steel tubing.

Specify the section and its structural use

State the section shape, outside dimensions, wall thickness, length, straightness and end preparation. For square or rectangular profiles, specify corner radii and twist. Name the steel grade, delivery condition, manufacturing route and testing agreed with your engineer. Ask the mill to confirm that the supplied product is seamless; hot finishing alone does not establish that.

For construction use in Great Britain, establish whether a designated standard or UK technical assessment covers the product. Products within that regime require conformity assessment and performance documentation. CE marking remains available, and UKCA can also be used under its applicable assessment route. Match the documents to the mill, product and intended use through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 50 tonnes of seamless non-alloy circular hollow sections under 7304 39 82 30, invoiced at £32,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £36,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £36,000, so it is £7,200. 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 bundle tags and heat numbers to mill certificates, the ordered grade and delivery condition. Keep supply-chain evidence showing the steel inputs and processing locations.

Dimensions: measure wall thickness around the section and at different positions along it. Check outside dimensions, ovality or squareness, straightness, twist and cut length against the agreed tolerances.

Surface and ends: inspect for laps, cracks, deep scale, corrosion, dents and damaged corners. Check cut squareness, burr removal and any specified bevel.

Documents and packing: match agreed mechanical and chemical test results to each heat. Check performance documents where applicable, bundle protection and identification after unpacking. Arrange quality inspection before dispatch and repeat the arrival checks.

What goes wrong

Nominal wall thickness can hide a thin side, while bent lengths or twisted rectangular profiles prevent assembly. A surface defect exposed during blasting can require rejection after fabrication has started. Mixed heats and missing bundle tags make it difficult to connect a failed section with its test results.

A generic mill certificate does not establish structural suitability or complete the applicable construction product documentation. Agree acceptance criteria before ordering and quarantine mismatched material on arrival. Chinese manufacture also does not settle the origin of the steel inputs: keep verifiable supply-chain records and resolve any Russian-input concern before shipment.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.