SpecialEquipment ImportsDual Challenges Faced

According to the 2025 revised Catalog of Imported Special Equipment Supervision by Chinas General Administration of Customs, the error rate in import declarations for 12 categories of equipment, including pressure vessels and lifting machinery, has increased by 27% compared to last year. A chemical company importing a reaction vessel incurred CNY 380,000 in overdue storage fees due to failure to obtain3CProof of Non-Catalog Certification. Such cases reveal two core pain points in special equipment imports:

• Complex Regulatory System: Involves approvals from multiple authorities including the State Administration for Market Regulation, Ministry of Emergency Management, and General Administration of Customs
• High Technical Threshold: Requires simultaneous compliance with equipment performance parameter filing and safety technical specifications

Core Value System of Professional Agencies

Agencies with AEO Advanced Certification can save import companies approximately 40% in compliance costs. Below is a comparison of three core service modules:

Module 1: Pre-Screening System

• Equipment Access Verification
  • Check whether the equipment is listed in the 2025 revised Special Equipment Catalog
  • Verify the correspondence between customs HS codes and inspection/quarantine codes
• Technical Document Verification
  • Pressure vessels require ASME certification and design pressure proof
  • Lifting equipment must include load test reports

Module 2: Customs Clearance Process Reengineering

A certainMedical EquipmentThrough professional agency optimization, importers can reduce clearance time from 22 days to 9 days. Key measures include:

• Implementing classification pre-ruling applications
• Establishing an inspection supervision code whitelist
• Adopting a bond-guaranteed release model

Module 3: Full Lifecycle Management

Professional agency services do not terminate upon customs clearance completion, but also include:

• Equipment usage registration filing (completed within 30 working days)
• Regular inspection reminder services (annual/three-year cycles after initial inspection)
• Preliminary review of renovation and modification plan

Five key indicators for enterprises to choose agents

• Historical case: Whether the same type of equipment import has been handled
• Qualification documents: Holding authorization letter from special equipment inspection agency
• Response speed: 24-hour emergency mechanism for urgent situations
• Risk control: Whether liability insurance coverage plan is provided
• Cost structure: Whether there are hidden charge items

2025 industry trend forecast

With the revision draft of the Special Equipment Safety Law soliciting opinions, it is expected that:

• Additional welding procedure qualification report required for pressure pipeline import filing materials
• Implementation of component traceability management for elevator equipment
• Inspection cycle advanced from post-arrival to pre-shipment