Dalian Port Food Import Customs Clearance Agency: Analysis of Key Nodes in the Whole Process from Access Approval to Customs Clearance

With its complete cold chain infrastructure and geographical location covering Northeast Asia,Dalian Port continues to attract global meat,aquatic products,dairy products and processed grain and oil products to enter the Chinese market through this port.Entering 2026,the General Administration of Customs of China has further shifted the regulatory logic for imported food to "source control" and "process traceability",which means that the quality of an enterprise’s work before cargo arrival directly determines the efficiency and cost of subsequent port links.Many first-time or inexperienced importers often make omissions in document preparation,label design or quarantine permit application,leading to cargo detention at the port and incurring high storage fees and penalty charges.

Zhongshen has operation teams at our Shanghai headquarters and Dalian Port,which form an integrated linkage.For food import business at Dalian Port,our role is not only to submit customs declaration documents,but also to intervene before cargo departure,helping enterprises build an import framework that meets current regulatory requirements.We have handled a variety of categories from bulk vegetable oil to high-value prepackaged snack foods,and are familiar with the inspection priorities and document review habits of different Dalian Customs offices for different types of food.

Phase 1: Access Verification and Document Pre-review

Not all foods from all countries are allowed to enter China.In 2026,China Customs dynamically updates the access lists of overseas food producers,countries and regions for all types of food.Before the client confirms the purchase intention,we will first verify whether the product is included in the "Catalog of Food Exported to China from Countries or Regions that Meet Evaluation and Review Requirements and Have Traditional Trade",and whether the overseas production factory has completed registration in China.This step is the key to avoiding fundamental non-compliance.

Document pre-review focuses on "consistency".We require clients to provide materials such as the foreign language label,ingredient list and production process of the intended imported food for pre-review.We focus on checking whether information such as product name,specification and model,and origin is completely consistent across all documents including contract,invoice,packing list,certificate of origin and health certificate.Common document problems in food import include that the issuing authority of the health certificate is not recognized by China,or there is a minor discrepancy between the product information on the certificate and the actual packaging information.For example,a client planned to import salmon from Norway,and the fishing area code marked on the health certificate was slightly different from the area agreed in the contract.We found this problem during the pre-review stage,and immediately coordinated with the overseas shipper to reissue the correct certificate,avoiding the risk of direct cargo return after arrival due to inconsistent documents.

Phase 2: Port Declaration and Inspection Coordination

After the cargo arrives at Dalian Port,it needs to be declared to Customs as soon as possible.The declaration elements for food are extremely complex.In addition to conventional product name,price and quantity,it also involves dozens of items including brand,model,production process,storage temperature,packaging specification,GMO status,irradiation status,etc.Inaccurate declaration is the main cause of inspection and document amendment.Based on the data pool established in the pre-review stage,we conduct product classification and standardized declaration for clients,ensuring that the declaration information is completely consistent with supporting documents and physical product labels.

Dalian Customs maintains a relatively high inspection rate for imported food.Inspection instructions may come from risk control or random inspection.Once the cargo is selected for inspection,our on-site staff will immediately coordinate with the port authority,Customs inspection department and the inspection agency designated by the client to arrange devanning and cargo movement.Food inspection has special environmental requirements,especially for frozen and chilled food,which must be operated quickly in a cold chain environment.We are familiar with the operation procedures of cold chain inspection platforms at various terminals of Dalian Port,and can minimize the exposure time of cargo at room temperature to ensure product quality.

• Coordinate with Customs,inspection and quarantine departments and port logistics to book inspection time and site.
• Accompany during inspection,answer questions from Customs officers on cargo status on site,and provide necessary document explanations.
• If label defects or minor document problems are found during inspection,we provide on-site solutions and assist clients to complete technical rectification or document supplementation.
• For cargo that passes inspection,we follow up on Customs system release information immediately and arrange cargo pickup.

Phase 3: Quarantine Inspection and Conformity Assessment

All imported food must pass the inspection and quarantine conformity assessment of China Customs before it can be sold in the domestic market.This link is carried out by the inspection and quarantine department affiliated to Customs.In addition to on-site inspection of the sensory properties of the cargo,packaging integrity,and the presence of pests and diseases,laboratory testing is the more important part.

The inspection and quarantine department will sample the cargo according to national food safety standards,and send samples to the laboratory for testing of microorganisms,heavy metals,pesticide residues,food additives and other items.The testing cycle varies depending on the items and laboratory scheduling.Our value lies in that we recommend clients to conduct pre-testing of products with reference to Chinese national standards before cargo arrival,so as to identify and adjust potential over-limit risks in advance.For example,a client imported jam,where the foreign formula used a pigment that has a stricter limit under Chinese standards.After we identified the risk in pre-testing,we assisted her in communicating with the overseas producer to adjust the formula,thus ensuring the smooth passing of the official customs clearance sampling test.

For food that requires an "Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit",such as fresh fruits,meat,grain,etc.we start the application process several months before cargo shipment,prepare relevant materials,track the approval progress,and ensure that the permit is issued validly before cargo arrival.

Phase 4: Chinese Label Review and Follow-up Services

The Chinese label of imported prepackaged food must comply with mandatory national standards such as GB 7718.Label review runs through the entire import process.In the pre-review stage,we review the Chinese label sample designed by the client; after cargo arrival,Customs will also check whether the physical outer packaging is affixed with a compliant Chinese label.Label content covers information such as nutrition facts table,ingredient list,country of origin,etc.Any error may lead to rectification or even cargo destruction.

After customs clearance and release,our service does not end.For clients who require batch distribution or temporary storage in bonded warehouses,we can coordinate cooperative warehousing resources in Dalian to provide constant temperature or cold storage services.At the same time,we assist clients in organizing a complete import document chain,providing complete document support for subsequent domestic distribution,inspection by market regulatory authorities,and corporate financial accounting.

Food import at Dalian Port features multiple links,high professionalism and fast policy updates.With more than 20 years of industry accumulation,Zhongshen has developed a systematic risk control capability for the entire food import chain.From pre-import access consultation,to mid-term port customs clearance operation,and to post-clearance compliance support,what we provide is not simple document delivery,but professional solutions based on in-depth understanding of clients’ business and regulatory rules.This in-depth agency service essentially converts the compliance costs and time risks that enterprises are not familiar with into predictable and controllable process operations,so as to ensure the stable operation of import business.