According to the latest data from the General Administration of Customs, the total value of electromechanical equipment imports in the first half of 2025 reached 2.3 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8.7%. Against the backdrop of continuously expanding equipment import volumes, import enterprises face escalating risks in customs valuation, technical access, and logistics control. A real case where a medical equipment importer incurred over 800,000 yuan in demurrage fees due to HS code classification errors highlights the importance of professional agency services.
Key control points for the entire equipment import process
Pre - preparation Stage
Compliance review of equipment technical parameters (focusing on the 2025 edition of the Catalog of Imported Electromechanical Products)
Accurate HS code classification (31 new sub-categories added in 2025)
Formulation of dutiable value declaration strategies (including royalty payment declaration specifications)
Logistics delivery phase
Oversized equipment transportation plan design (including temporaryimport and exportpermit applications)
14-day free storage period warning management at destination ports
Three essential qualification document lists
Enterprise Basic Qualifications
Customs import/export consignee registration (valid until 2027)
Yesforeign tradeForeign Trade Operator Registration Form
Equipment access documents
Compulsory product certification (CCC catalog expanded to 48 categories in 2025)
Import licenses (covering 15 types of controlled equipment including CNC machine tools)
Agency service agreement
Clear clauses on responsibility division for customs declaration errors
Agreed mechanisms for demurrage cost allocation
Typical risk scenario response strategies
Scenario 1: Customs valuation disputes In 2025, customs fully implemented intelligent valuation systems. One company importing second-hand production lines faced 1.5 million yuan in additional tax payments due to incomplete foreign exchange records. The professional agency ultimately reduced the tax by 620,000 yuan by providing 13 supporting documents including contemporaneous import contracts, bank statements, and equipment depreciation calculation tables.
Scenario 2: Technical parameter non-compliance A semiconductor company faced a port return crisis when its imported lithography machines power parameters exceeded the filed range. The agency activated emergency channels, completing amendments to the Mechanical and Electrical Products Import Application Form and local customs filing within 72 hours, avoiding a 20 million yuan order breach.
Scenario 3: Transportation Delay Losses Adopted a sea-air combined transport + temporary storage solution, compressing precision instrument transportation cycle from 45 days to 28 days. By securing port operation windows in advance, avoided peak season port congestion risks.
Professional agency service value map
Cost Control Dimension
Tariff planning savings range: 5-18% (depending on equipment type and origin)
Case Study: Automotive Production Line Import Project
A certainNew energyAn automaker entrusted the import of a 280 million yuan welding robot production line. The agency completed:
Split equipment declaration (saved 410,000 yuan in tariffs)
Temporary import guarantee processing (released 18 million yuan deposit)
Coordinated nighttime port operations (saved 120,000 yuan in demurrage fees)
Ultimately completed equipment delivery 17 days ahead of schedule, ensuring new model production launch. This project was selected as one of Chinas Top 10 Classic Service Cases in Mechanical and Electrical Import-Export for 2025.