Xiamen (Haicang / Songyu)
Fujian's battery gateway, handling more than 90% of the province's lithium battery exports, with 10-minute online packaging appraisal for compliant products and the Taiwan Strait's winter monsoon on the doorstep.
North America · sea freight from Xiamen
Shipping from Xiamen to Baytown
Xiamen to Baytown
Taiwan Strait · East China Sea · North Pacific · Eastern Pacific · Panama Canal · Caribbean Sea · Yucatán Channel · Gulf of Mexico
- XiamenChina origin
- Taiwan Strait
- East China Sea
- North Pacific
- Eastern Pacific
- Panama Canal
- Caribbean Sea
- Yucatán Channel
- Gulf of Mexico
- BaytownUnited States
From Xiamen to Baytown, cargo moves from Fujian's battery makers through Xiamen port, crosses a Pacific crossing and a Panama Canal transit, and is discharged at the port of Baytown.
The US side adds a 25% Section 301 duty line, forced-labour scrutiny of lithium supply chains and an ISF deadline that falls before loading. The 6 points below are particular to this lane; each comes with what we do and the paperwork it touches.
What we need to start
- Taiwan Strait monsoon Oct–Apr
- Xiamen export
- HTS code 8507.60
- ISF filer
- Supply-chain tracing file
Route profile
The Xiamen → Baytown route in brief
United States
US entry hinges on filings made in China (ISF and AMS), a traceable lithium supply chain and a road leg that is regulated as a hazmat move.
Where this route gets difficult
6 pain points from Xiamen to Baytown
Listed from loading in Xiamen to import into United States, each with what we do about it.
- Origin port
Xiamen ESS on multipurpose vessels and class 9 berths
Xiamen's energy-storage transport guide 2.0 (August 2026) notes that some ESS containers sail on multipurpose ships and calls for a pre-voyage meeting with the terminal and lashing contractors. It names the terminals qualified for class 9: Xiamen Hyundai terminal, Yuanhai Tongda, and Haixiang berths 7–8.
What Anxin does: For ESS units we confirm early whether the carrier offers container-ship or multipurpose carriage, which qualified terminal is used, and who attends the pre-voyage meeting.
- Origin port
Pre-loading meeting and a ship plan at Xiamen
For large battery consignments Xiamen MSA offers pre-review of key DG documents, a pre-loading meeting where ship, cargo owner, terminal and agent agree deck stowage and emergency measures, and a 'one ship, one plan' checklist from gate-in to departure. In June 2026 it reported 104 energy-storage containers of 36 tonnes each loaded on a multipurpose ship for Houston.
What Anxin does: We send the key documents for pre-review before the formal filing and bring the stowage and emergency details the meeting will ask for.
- Sea corridor
Gatun Lake sets the Neopanamax draft
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 Baytown can carry.
What Anxin does: We check the canal advisory in force when we quote for Baytown and ask carriers to confirm that the booked vessel's routing and any canal surcharge will not change before sailing.
- Import country
ISF closes 24 hours before loading in Xiamen
The Importer Security Filing must reach CBP no later than 24 hours before the container is laden aboard the vessel abroad. CBP's liquidated damages guidelines provide for a claim per violation for late, inaccurate or incomplete filings. Two of the data elements, the container stuffing location and the consolidator, only exist once the box is packed.
What Anxin does: We send the importer's ISF filer the stuffing location, consolidator and manufacturer details as soon as the container is packed in Xiamen, ahead of the vessel's loading window.
- Import country
The emergency response number has to be answered live
US rules want a numeric emergency response telephone number on the shipping paper for battery cargo that leaves Baytown by road, monitored for as long as the goods are in transport and answered by a person with the emergency information for UN3480 or UN3090. A call-back service fails the test (49 CFR 172.604); only the IMDG waiver for cargo that never touches a public highway avoids it.
What Anxin does: Before sailing we confirm who provides the 24-hour number for the US leg, usually the importer's emergency response provider, and put it with the contract reference on the DG documents we send to the trucker.
- Import country
Unentered battery containers go to General Order after 15 days
A container landed at Baytown without a release permit may stay at the terminal only until the 15th calendar day. The carrier must then notify CBP and a bonded general order warehouse, which moves and stores the goods at the consignee's risk and expense (19 CFR 4.37). Not every general order warehouse can take Class 9 battery cargo, and where specialized storage is missing the port director decides where it goes.
What Anxin does: We check with the importer's broker that the entry can be filed before arrival at Baytown, and chase any missing invoice or HTS detail while the ship is still at sea.
Documents & compliance
Documents to line up for Xiamen → Baytown
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.
At the Xiamen end
- For ESS: carriage type (container ship or multipurpose), class 9 terminal and pre-voyage meeting confirmed
- 'Made in China' marking on articles or containers checked on photos
- Safety data sheet and dangerous goods safe-carriage declaration for the MSA cargo report
- Customs packaging use-appraisal result for the dangerous goods packaging (with the maker's performance appraisal)
- Container packing certificate signed by a certified packing inspector after supervised stuffing
For the carrier and the voyage
- Canal routing and any canal-related surcharge confirmed for the booked vessel
- SP188 cartons: US 'forbidden aboard passenger aircraft' marking or CAO label
- UN 38.3 test summary for every cell and battery type
For import into United States
- ISF filer named; stuffing location and consolidator sent right after packing
- HTSUS classification from the broker (8507.60.0010 vs .0020 decides the Section 301 line)
- Supply-chain tracing file for cells and lithium inputs, in case of a UFLPA request
Before you book
One consistent file
A document that is present but inconsistent holds a booking as surely as a missing one: the UN number, model name or carton count reads differently in the Xiamen export filings, the carrier booking and the United States import papers. We compare all three before confirming space.
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 table for Xiamen → Baytown
| Risk | Where | Mitigation | Who acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESS unit arrives at a terminal without class 9 qualification | Xiamen port | Qualified terminal confirmed at booking | Anxin with the carrier |
| Draft cut reduces capacity or adds surcharges | Panama Canal | Advisory checked at quotation; carrier confirmation | Carrier, checked by Anxin |
| Late or inaccurate ISF | Before loading abroad | Stuffing and consolidator data sent to the ISF filer immediately after packing | Anxin with the ISF filer |
| Truck stopped without a monitored emergency number | Road leg from the port | Emergency response provider confirmed before sailing | Importer, checked by Anxin |
Questions
Xiamen → Baytown: questions we are asked
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.
1 June to 30 November, peaking around 10 September, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
Yes. Xiamen MSA reported 104 ESS containers of 36 tonnes each loaded for Houston in June 2026. Xiamen's ESS guide 2.0 requires a pre-voyage meeting and use of a class 9 qualified terminal.
References
Regulations and port sources cited
- 19 CFR 134.11: Country of origin marking required (Legal Information Institute (e-CFR text))
- 19 CFR 149.2 – Importer security filing: requirement and time of transmission (eCFR / CBP)
- Section 301 Modifications Determination (Federal Register notice, Sept 2024) (Office of the U.S. Trade Representative)
- 49 CFR 171.25 – Additional requirements for the use of the IMDG Code (eCFR / PHMSA)
- 49 CFR 172.604: Emergency response telephone number (eCFR / PHMSA)
- DHS designates steel, copper, lithium, caustic soda and red dates as UFLPA high-priority sectors (19 Aug 2025) (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
- Advisory to Shipping A-33-2026: Postponement of maximum authorized draft adjustment in the Neopanamax locks (Panama Canal Authority)
- Tropical Cyclone Climatology (NOAA National Hurricane Center)
- Xiamen port energy-storage battery transport safety guide 2.0 (Fujian Provincial Department of Commerce)
- Xiamen MSA measures for energy-storage battery exports (Fujian Provincial Department of Commerce)
- Export dangerous goods packaging inspection: service guide (Chinese) (General Administration of Customs of China (Lanzhou Customs service guide))
Next step
From enquiry to import
- 1EnquiryCargo, origin, destination
- 2Documents checkUN 38.3, SDS, packing
- 3BookingAfter carrier acceptance
- 4HandoverAt Xiamen
- 5ImportClearance at Baytown
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After you send it
We check carrier acceptance for Xiamen → Baytown before any booking, and ask for missing battery documents first.
All destinations from Xiamen · United States ports
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