CHEM
Shipping polymer granules and chemicals by truck from China to Iran
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Polymer granules, masterbatch and non-hazardous chemicals from China to Iran by road. Loaded in Xinjiang, then out through Wuqia or Khorgos on a TIR-sealed curtainsider. On the Wuqia line a direct truck transloads once, at Bukhara, and currently runs 21–23 days to Tehran West Customs — counted from the crossing. Hub-to-customs. A full 16-section MSDS is required before the truck is booked, not after it is sealed.
- 21–23 days Wuqia to Tehran West on a direct truck, currently (26–30 with transshipment); Mashhad 18–21 days direct
- Hub-to-customs · CPT / DAP · the consignee’s broker clears and pays duty
- Non-DG polymers and chemicals only on this curtainsider; Class 3 / 8 / 6.1 quoted separately or refused
- 16-section MSDS and UN number (or “not classified”) in the first line of the enquiry
The route
Origin hub → export clearance and sealing at Wuqia (TIR lock + electronic seal) → Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan under a single TIR carnet → entry into Iran at Sarakhs → the destination customs bonded warehouse, where a warehouse entry receipt (Ghabz-e Anbar) is issued to your broker. A direct truck transloads once, at Bukhara; a transshipment truck transloads at Osh and again at Bukhara, which costs less and takes longer. A TIR carnet keeps unsealings and transloads to a minimum — it does not remove them, and it changes neither the transit time nor the rate. On this line Kyrgyzstan levies 0.4% of the cargo-invoice value as a transit tax: a tax, not freight, excluded from the quotation and paid by the customer. The Khorgos line runs through Kazakhstan instead, never carries the 0.4%, and its transit time is quoted on request. Turgart and Alashankou are not operated.
MSDS, bags and what we will not load
PE, PP, PVC, ABS granules, masterbatch, plastic additives, and industrial chemicals that are not classified as dangerous goods for road. Jumbo bags (FIBC) and 25 kg sacks must sit on pallets; loose bags are refused at receiving because Bukhara is a forklift transload. Put the CAS / UN number, packing group, flash point and whether the goods are environmentally hazardous on the MSDS — “granules, not dangerous” is not enough. Class 3 flammable liquids, Class 8 corrosives, Class 6.1 toxics, and any goods that need a tank or an ADR-plated vehicle are not loaded on this general-cargo curtainsider. Lithium batteries (UN 3480 / 3481) are the exception: accepted as a separately declared booking with a 16-section MSDS and UN packaging documents, confirmed per shipment in the formal quote.
No published rates. To get a quote, send three things: the origin hub; the destination (Tehran West Customs on CPT / DAP, Aprin or Mashhad if the quote confirms it, or a destination terminal such as Sarakhs); and the cargo data — HS code, gross weight in kg, volume in CBM.
FAQ
How long does it take from the Wuqia crossing to Tehran Customs?
Counted from the Wuqia border crossing: a direct truck currently takes 21 to 23 calendar days to the Tehran West Customs bonded warehouse and a transshipment truck 26 to 30 days; to Mashhad it is 18 to 21 days direct and 24 to 28 days with transshipment. A direct truck transloads once, at Bukhara; a transshipment truck transloads at Osh and again at Bukhara. Cargo is loaded in Xinjiang; any inland China run to the gateway is counted separately. Transit time on the Khorgos line is quoted on request. These are current operating ranges, not a guaranteed transit.
Do you deliver door-to-door?
No. Two delivery options are quoted: CPT / DAP to the Tehran West Customs bonded warehouse (Mashhad or Aprin only where the formal quote confirms it), or terminal-to-terminal to the Iran border terminal at Sarakhs. Either way the consignee's licensed broker clears the goods and arranges local delivery; we do not offer DDP.
Do you take dangerous goods?
Only if the MSDS shows they are not classified for road, or we have already agreed a separate DG truck. Lithium batteries (UN 3480 / 3481) are accepted when declared at enquiry with a 16-section MSDS and UN packaging documents and confirmed in the formal quote. Do not mix a DG drum into a full-truck load (FTL) of granules. Undeclared DG is offloaded at the hub at the shipper’s cost.
Is the MSDS enough for Iranian import?
It is enough for us to load. Iranian clearance — registration, standards, and whether the HS heading needs a permit — is the consignee’s broker after the Ghabz-e Anbar. Send the same MSDS to the broker before the truck arrives.
Do you take LCL / groupage?
No. Road freight is FTL only. Cargo is loaded in Xinjiang. We do not run Yiwu or Shenzhen LCL sailings.
Related: How to pack cargo for a TIR curtainsider · Shipping lithium batteries by truck · Documents for China–Iran TIR road freight · Request a freight quote · China to Iran TIR road freight