Asia – Americas via the Panama Canal
A Pacific crossing, a Panama Canal transit that depends on lake levels, and a Caribbean passage in hurricane season.
North America · sea freight from Shanghai
Shanghai to Baton Rouge
East China Sea · Korea Strait · Tsugaru Strait · Eastern Pacific · Panama Canal · Caribbean Sea · Yucatán Channel · Gulf of Mexico
From Shanghai to Baton Rouge, cargo moves out of Shanghai, crosses a corridor through the Panama Canal, and is discharged at the port of Baton Rouge.
The United States applies Section 301 and UFLPA scrutiny to Chinese lithium batteries and wants its manifest data before loading. Below are 5 route-specific points to plan for, what we do about each, and the documents to have ready before booking.
What we need to start
Route profile
A Pacific crossing, a Panama Canal transit that depends on lake levels, and a Caribbean passage in hurricane season.
Section 301 duty on Chinese lithium-ion batteries at 25% since January 2026, UFLPA scrutiny of lithium supply chains, ISF 24 hours before loading, and a US-only marking rule for SP188 packages.


Where this route gets difficult
Listed from loading in Shanghai to import into United States, each with what we do about it.
Under Shanghai MSA's 2024 draft reporting guide, a warehouse stuffing lithium battery dangerous goods must hold fire-department proof of its fire hazard class and fire-resistance rating, and keep its details current on the Shanghai single window, which took over MSA account and site records in 2026.
What Anxin does: We only propose stuffing sites that can show the fire-safety documents and are on Shanghai MSA's system; if you use your own warehouse, we check this before booking.
How deep ships can load through Panama's new locks depends on Gatun Lake. In September 2026 the Canal Authority's advisory A-33-2026 postponed a cut in the Neopanamax draft from 14.63 m to 14.48 m that had been due on 1 October, citing lake levels; a lower limit reduces what a ship bound for Baton Rouge can carry.
What Anxin does: We check the canal advisory in force when we quote for Baton Rouge and ask carriers to confirm that the booked vessel's routing and any canal surcharge will not change before sailing.
USTR's 2024 review moved lithium-ion batteries of HTSUS 8507.60.0020 (the 'other', non-passenger-EV line) from a 7.5% to a 25% additional duty for entries from 1 January 2026; EV traction batteries under 8507.60.0010 reached 25% in 2024. Other China-specific duties can stack on top and change with little notice, so the landed cost depends on the exact classification and entry date.
What Anxin does: We do not give duty rulings. We make sure the invoice describes chemistry, configuration and application precisely enough for the importer's customs broker to classify it, and we flag the entry date when a vessel's arrival could straddle a duty change.
Packages of UN3480 or UN3090 moving under IMDG special provision 188 skip the DG declaration at sea, yet 49 CFR 171.25(b)(3) still wants the 'FORBIDDEN FOR TRANSPORT ABOARD PASSENGER AIRCRAFT' mark or a Cargo Aircraft Only label on each one, and on packages of batteries with or in equipment over 5 kg net.
What Anxin does: When the shipper declares SP188 for a Baton Rouge booking, we check the carton photos for the US marking or CAO label before stuffing, not after discharge.
Consumer products that need a CPSC certificate have had their certificate data filed electronically at entry since 8 July 2026 (goods from a Foreign Trade Zone from 8 January 2027). A battery-powered product falls under it through the product's own rules, which the importer should settle before the goods reach Baton Rouge.
What Anxin does: We ask whether the goods are consumer products that need a CPSC certificate and, if so, who files it, so that the question is settled before the goods arrive.

Documents & compliance
Test reports, safety data sheets and import certificates come from the shipper, factory and importer, not from Anxin; our part is to review them before booking.

We line up UN numbers, model names and package counts across the Shanghai filings, the booking with the carrier and the documents for United States before the booking is confirmed, so that a mismatch is fixed at origin rather than discovered at Baton Rouge.
Carriers we book with
Our booking panel; availability on this lane and acceptance of the declared UN numbers are confirmed for each booking. It does not mean that a listed carrier runs a direct service on this route. Carrier choice depends on the trade lane, cargo classification and each carrier's dangerous-goods acceptance at booking. The final carrier is confirmed on the booking.
Risk & mitigation
| Risk | Where | Mitigation | Who acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft cut reduces capacity or adds surcharges | Panama Canal | Advisory checked at quotation; carrier confirmation | Carrier, checked by Anxin |
| SP188 cartons without the US marking | Discharge and onward trucking | Marking or CAO label checked on carton photos before stuffing | Shipper, checked by Anxin |
Questions
Yes. Under 49 CFR 171.25(b)(3), SP188 packages of UN3480 or UN3090 need the 'FORBIDDEN FOR TRANSPORT ABOARD PASSENGER AIRCRAFT' marking or a Cargo Aircraft Only label, and so do packages of batteries packed with or contained in equipment above 5 kg net. We check for it on carton photos before stuffing.
It can. In September 2026 the Panama Canal Authority postponed a planned draft cut in the Neopanamax locks because of Gatun Lake levels (advisory A-33-2026). We check the advisory in force when quoting.
It can, but Shanghai MSA checks the phone location of the packing photos against a verified stuffing site, and sites outside Shanghai must be registered with it. We confirm registration before the stuffing date; otherwise the container can be refused for loading.
References
Next step
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We check carrier acceptance for Shanghai → Baton Rouge before any booking, and ask for missing battery documents first.
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