Nantong Import Freight Forwarding Agency: Dual Guarantee of Import Process Compliance and Efficiency

Nantong Import Freight Forwarding: Practical Services Focusing on Import Pain Points

In 2026,as the core hub on the north wing of the Yangtze River Delta,Nantong Port’s import trade scale increased by 18% compared with 2023.Among them,imports of German mechanical and electrical equipment,Australian agricultural products,and Japanese chemical products account for more than 40%.However,many local enterprises in Nantong reported that they often suffer from time delay due to inconsistent documents and blocked commodity inspection procedures in the import process.Last year,a machinery manufacturing enterprise imported Japanese hydraulic equipment,failed to confirm the scope of 3C certification in advance,resulting in goods being detained at the port for more than 10 days,with a loss of nearly 200,000 RMB.

Zhongshen has been deeply engaged in import agency for more than 20 years.According to the import characteristics of Nantong Port,it provides full-process services from document pre-audit to subsequent warehousing and transportation,solving problems such as enterprises’ unfamiliarity with overseas compliance requirements and low port docking efficiency.

I.Document Pre-audit Before Import: Avoid Overseas Compliance Risks

Import enterprises in Nantong often make mistakes due to unclear understanding of document requirements of exporting countries.For example,German mechanical and electrical products need to provide CE Certification (2026 Updated Version),and Japanese agricultural products need to submit JAS Organic Certification.Zhongshen’s document pre-audit team will intervene 10-15 days before goods departure:

• Check whether the corresponding overseas certification of the product is valid.In 2026,German CE certification added new dynamic test requirements for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC),and the team will confirm in advance whether the certification provided by the enterprise covers this clause;
• Assist in sorting out the list of import documents required by Nantong Customs,including bill of lading,commercial invoice,packing list,certificate of origin,etc.to avoid customs clearance delay caused by missing documents;
• For chemical product import,confirm in advance whether the United Nations GHS Classification Report (2026 Version) meets China’s import standards for hazardous chemicals.

Case: At the end of 2025,a new energy enterprise in Nantong imported German photovoltaic inverters.As the person in charge of procurement,Mr.Peng initially provided the 2023 version of CE certification,which did not include the new low-temperature environment test clause added in 2026.Zhongshen found the problem during pre-audit and assisted the enterprise to contact the German supplier to update the certification,avoiding the return of goods after arrival due to non-compliant certification.

II.Port Customs Declaration: Dedicated Customs Clearance Channel Docking for Nantong Port

Import customs declaration at Nantong Port adopts the "local declaration,port inspection and release" mode,and enterprises are prone to declaration errors if they are not familiar with the process.Zhongshen’s customs declaration team adapts to the characteristics of Nantong Port as follows:

1.Data verification before declaration

Dock with Nantong Customs single window system in advance to verify whether the declaration elements (such as HS code,specification and model) are accurate.For example,for hydraulic pumps imported from Japan,HS code needs to distinguish between "hydraulic motor" and "hydraulic pump".Incorrect code will lead to deviation in tariff calculation.In 2026,the tariff rate for this type of product is 8%,and wrong code may lead to levy at 12%.

2.Port inspection coordination

For agricultural product import,Nantong Customs often conducts on-site quarantine sampling.Zhongshen will prepare sample containers required for quarantine in advance,and coordinate inspection time to avoid peak hours at the port.In March 2026,during the peak season of Australian beef import,Zhongshen assisted a food enterprise to arrange the inspection on a non-working day,reducing the detention time of goods at the port (from an average of 3 days to 1.5 days).

III.Commodity Inspection and Subsequent Links: Full-process Connection to Guarantee Timeliness

Nantong import commodity inspection involves the issuance of Entry Inspection and Quarantine Certificate,and the specific requirements for different products in 2026 vary significantly:

Case: In April 2026,a chemical enterprise in Nantong imported coatings from Japan.As the person in charge,Ms.Lu initially provided the 2024 version of hazard characteristic report,which did not include the newly added "acute inhalation toxicity test" clause in 2026.Zhongshen assisted the enterprise to contact a domestic testing institution to complete the test expeditedly,and obtained the updated report in only 7 days,avoiding container detention fee (about 5,000 RMB per day) caused by over-storage of goods at Nantong Port.

IV.Core Value of Zhongshen’s Import Agency Service

Targeting the pain points of Nantong import enterprises,Zhongshen’s service can achieve:

• Improved import timeliness: From goods departure to customs clearance completion,the average timeliness is shortened from the industry average of 12 days to 7 days;
• Reduced compliance risk: Among the 120 Nantong import enterprises served from 2025 to 2026,zero goods return caused by document or commodity inspection problems;
• Controlled cost: Through port channel coordination,it saves an average of about 15% of container detention fee and warehousing fee for enterprises.

Summary: The core of Nantong import freight forwarding agency is to solve the problems of enterprises’ unfamiliarity with overseas compliance requirements and low efficiency of port process docking.With 20 years of industry experience,Zhongshen provides full-process services according to the characteristics of Nantong Port,helping enterprises improve import efficiency and reduce risks.