Business Background

A winery in Shanghai intended to import a batch of red wine from Spain. Through a friend's recommendation, they contacted Yunjing International Logistics. After initial consultations, the client commissioned our company to provide comprehensive services, including general trade import, international logistics, domestic customs clearance, and domestic distribution.

Business Process

  • Upon taking over the project, we reviewed the import contract negotiated between the client and the Spanish winery. While the general cargo terms were complete, there were no specific requirements regarding the customs clearance documents that the Spanish winery should provide.
  • To mitigate risks, we advised the client to add relevant clauses to the contract and provided a bilingual list of all necessary import documents. Consequently, we obtained the full set of clearance documents before the shipment arrived at Yangshan Port. Simultaneously, we completed the Importer Recordation in advance.
  • Once the cargo arrived at the port, we declared it immediately. The duty memo was issued and taxes were paid on the same day, leading to rapid customs release. Finally, the wine was delivered to the client’s designated location as requested.

Required Documents for Spanish Red Wine Import:

  • Certificate of Origin
  • Certificate of Free Sale / Health Certificate
  • Certificate of Analysis (issued by the winery/factory)
  • Bottling Date Certificate / Production Date Certificate (issued by the winery/factory)
  • Basic Customs Documents: Packing List, Invoice, and Contract (issued by the winery/factory)
  • Bill of Lading (provided by the importer)
  • Original Foreign Labels and Chinese Translations

Import Customs Clearance Workflow:

  • Preparation: Complete Filer Recordation (Shipper/Consignee), design Chinese labels, and prepare foreign documents while the goods are in transit. (Early preparation is vital to avoid high detention and demurrage fees).
  • Exchange of Documents: Exchange the Bill of Lading for the Delivery Order (D/O) upon arrival.
  • Inspection Declaration: Submit for inspection. This involves auditing the Chinese labels for national standard compliance and label recordation.
  • Customs Declaration: Includes electronic and manual review, price valuation, tax payment, physical inspection, and release.
  • Warehousing: Transfer goods to a CIQ-supervised warehouse, unpack, and schedule sampling for laboratory analysis.
  • Labeling: Once analysis passes, the warehouse staff applies the Chinese labels.
  • Final Inspection: CIQ personnel verify the labels and grant final release.
  • Domestic Delivery: Transport goods to the designated destination.
  • Certificate Issuance: The CIQ issues the Sanitary Certificate, after which the wine can be sold in supermarkets.

Key Takeaways & Experience

  • Label Consistency: Ensure information on the packaging labels matches the actual wine being imported as closely as possible.
  • Packaging Compliance: Specify the packaging material. Wooden packaging must undergo fumigation abroad and bear the IPPC mark. The total number of packages must be clearly stated on the Bill of Lading.
  • Document Logic: The Contract date must be earlier than the Invoice date. The Invoice and Packing List dates may be the same. The Contract must include: Trade terms (Incoterms), origin, amount, contract number, company names of both parties, and transaction clauses. The Packing List must detail liters, net weight, bottle count, case count, packaging specifications, and pallet information (if applicable).
  • Chinese Labeling: Chinese label information should align with the original label; avoid excessive decorative language. For the brand name, use direct translations, transliterations (homophones), or artistic interpretations of the original design to facilitate easier recordation approval.
  • Damage Prevention: Since most wine is bottled in glass, it is fragile. Utilizing appropriate cushioning materials is essential to prevent significant losses during transit.
  • Logistics Strategy: For mass-market wine, sea freight is recommended, while air freight is better for small batches of high-end or expensive wine. We suggest using constant-temperature containers (reefers) and full container loads (FCL). Additionally, purchasing cargo insurance is a mandatory step for wine imports.