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Shipment Status & Support

North America · sea freight from Xiamen

Shipping from Xiamen to Nome

Xiamen to Nome

Taiwan Strait · East China Sea

Sea corridor illustration: Xiamen to Nome, United States Simplified map with a curved corridor from Xiamen via Taiwan Strait, East China Sea to Nome. Illustration only; not a vessel track or schedule. CHINAINDIACENTRAL ASIASIBERIAALASKANORTH PACIFIC XiamenCHINA ORIGIN NomeUNITED STATES XiamenTAIWAN STRAITFUJIANTAIWANDEPARTURE AREA
  1. XiamenChina origin
  2. Taiwan Strait
  3. East China Sea
  4. NomeUnited States
Geographic corridor illustration only, not a vessel track, port-call list or sailing schedule. The loading terminal, carrier, transshipment and dates are confirmed per shipment.

This route runs through Xiamen, the port for more than 90% of Fujian's lithium battery exports, then follows the open North Pacific, where weather is the main risk; at the far end is the port of Nome.

Nome means US customs filings that are due while the container is still in Xiamen, and a supply chain CBP may ask to see. This page sets out 6 points specific to this route, how Anxin handles each one and which documents to prepare.

What we need to start

  • Taiwan Strait monsoon Oct–Apr
  • Xiamen export
  • ISF filer
  • Supply-chain tracing file
  • HTS code 8507.60
Ask about this route United States ports from Xiamen

Route profile

How Xiamen → Nome differs from other lanes

Sea corridor

Transpacific (North Pacific)

No canal or Red Sea passage, but a North Pacific crossing where winter storms have collapsed container stacks.

Import country

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.

Container cranes at port facilities in Haicang, Xiamen, seen across the water on a hazy day
A cargo ship at anchor in calm water under a clear sky

Where this route gets difficult

6 pain points from Xiamen to Nome

In the order the cargo meets them: at the loading port, at sea, at Nome and at customs in United States.

  1. Origin port

    The Taiwan Strait's winter monsoon starts at the port

    Ships leaving Xiamen enter the Taiwan Strait straight away. A Chinese government weather account notes that the strait's funnel effect makes winds 1–2 Beaufort levels stronger than outside it, and that the winter and spring north-east monsoon brings force 7 or stronger winds on about two-thirds of days. Container ships are advised to secure lashing.

    What Anxin does: From October to April we apply the CINS blocking and bracing checks strictly on stuffing photos before sealing.

  2. Origin port

    Xiamen MSA's 'one ship, one plan' for large battery cargo

    Xiamen MSA offers pre-review of key DG documents, a pre-loading meeting at which ship, cargo owner, terminal and agent agree deck stowage and emergency measures, and a 'one ship, one plan' checklist from gate-in to sailing. In June 2026 it reported 104 energy-storage containers of 36 tonnes each loaded for Houston on a multipurpose ship.

    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.

  3. Sea corridor

    Hurricane-force winter storms, October to April

    NOAA's Ocean Prediction Center has recorded hurricane-force winds (64 knots or more) in mid-latitude North Pacific storms in every month from October to April, most often in December, with 15 to 23 such storms a season in its 2001–2004 study. These are not tropical systems, so they arrive outside typhoon season.

    What Anxin does: For October–April sailings we check blocking and bracing on stuffing photos before sealing and confirm the full DG data are on the manifest.

  4. Import country

    The ISF deadline falls before the box is loaded

    CBP must have the Importer Security Filing 24 hours before the container is laden in Xiamen, and its liquidated damages guidelines provide for a claim for each late, inaccurate or incomplete filing. The stuffing location and consolidator can only be filled in once the container is packed, which leaves a short window.

    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.

  5. Import country

    A US-only carton mark for SP188 shipments

    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 Nome booking, we check the carton photos for the US marking or CAO label before stuffing, not after discharge.

  6. Import country

    Demurrage and detention invoices must follow FMC rules

    Battery containers held for DG checks or paperwork can run up demurrage and detention at Nome. Under the FMC's billing rule, in force since May 2024, carriers and terminals must invoice within 30 days with accurate, complete information, or the charge is not payable, and the billed party has at least 30 days to ask for a waiver or refund. A 2025 court ruling set aside only the section on who may be billed.

    What Anxin does: We keep the dates of discharge, availability and any DG hold for each container, so the importer can check invoices against them and dispute charges inside the FMC time limits.

Locator map of Nome, United StatesNome
Locator map in the same projection as the corridor map; the dot marks the listed port position (64.50°N, 165.42°W).
Container ship being unloaded under red gantry cranes in Vancouver

Documents & compliance

What to have ready: Xiamen to Nome

These documents come from the shipper, the manufacturer and the importer. Anxin checks them against each other; it does not issue test reports, safety data sheets or import certificates.

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

Carrier and voyage

  • Stuffing photos before, during and after packing, checked for blocking and bracing
  • Dangerous goods declaration with UN number (3480 / 3481 / 3090 / 3091), proper shipping name and packing instruction (P903, or P908/P911 for damaged)
  • Lithium battery mark (SP188 cargo) or class 9 labels and placards

For the importer in 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
A shrink-wrapped lithium-ion battery pack for a small electric vehicle
Before you book

Match the details first

We line up UN numbers, model names and package counts across the Xiamen 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 Nome.

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

Risks on this route and who deals with them

RiskWhereMitigationWho acts
Cargo shift in winter monsoon seasTaiwan Strait, Oct–AprCINS blocking and bracing checked on photosPacking site, checked by Anxin
Heavy-weather damage in a winter stormNorth Pacific, Oct–AprCINS stuffing checksPacking site, checked by Anxin
Late or inaccurate ISFBefore loading abroadStuffing and consolidator data sent to the ISF filer immediately after packingAnxin with the ISF filer
SP188 cartons without the US markingDischarge and onward truckingMarking or CAO label checked on carton photos before stuffingShipper, checked by Anxin

Questions

Questions about shipping from Xiamen to Nome

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.

Weather is the main risk on this crossing: NOAA recorded hurricane-force North Pacific storms from October to April, most often in December. We tighten the packing checks for those sailings.

For products that pass automatic pre-review, Xiamen Customs issues it through the single window; the case reported in August 2026 took about 10 minutes, against about half a day for the old on-site inspection. Products that do not pass pre-review still need inspection.

References

Official sources for this page

  1. 19 CFR 134.11: Country of origin marking required (Legal Information Institute (e-CFR text))
  2. 19 CFR 149.2 – Importer security filing: requirement and time of transmission (eCFR / CBP)
  3. Section 301 Modifications Determination (Federal Register notice, Sept 2024) (Office of the U.S. Trade Representative)
  4. 49 CFR 171.25 – Additional requirements for the use of the IMDG Code (eCFR / PHMSA)
  5. DHS designates steel, copper, lithium, caustic soda and red dates as UFLPA high-priority sectors (19 Aug 2025) (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
  6. Hurricane force extratropical cyclones observed using QuikSCAT (Mariners Weather Log 49-1) (NOAA Ocean Prediction Center)
  7. Xiamen Customs smart supervision of lithium battery dangerous-goods packaging (Fujian Provincial Department of Industry and IT (from Fujian Daily))
  8. Xiamen port energy-storage battery transport safety guide 2.0 (Fujian Provincial Department of Commerce)
  9. Xiamen MSA measures for energy-storage battery exports (Fujian Provincial Department of Commerce)
  10. Export dangerous goods packaging inspection: service guide (Chinese) (General Administration of Customs of China (Lanzhou Customs service guide))

Next step

From enquiry to import

  1. 1EnquiryCargo, origin, destination
  2. 2Documents checkUN 38.3, SDS, packing
  3. 3BookingAfter carrier acceptance
  4. 4HandoverAt Xiamen
  5. 5ImportClearance at Nome
Each step is confirmed in writing; an enquiry does not create a booking.

Ask about Xiamen → Nome

Origin and destination are filled in; add the cargo facts you have.

Sending this form starts a review; it does not confirm carriage. Full enquiry form

After you send it

We check carrier acceptance for Xiamen → Nome before any booking, and ask for missing battery documents first.

All destinations from Xiamen · United States ports

A truck hauling a teal shipping container on a motorway

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