Nhava Sheva (JNPT)
Highest container throughput; default West-coast port.
Metal Scrap Imports Supply Line to India
India is the world's second-largest importer of metal scrap after Turkey, taking in roughly 9 million tonnes of ferrous and over 2 million tonnes of non-ferrous scrap every year. The regulatory framework is mature but strict — and importers that get the documentation wrong lose weeks at the port and thousands of dollars in demurrage.
This page is the practical, exporter-side version of that import process. It is the same checklist we use internally before booking any container destined for an Indian buyer, written so your CHA, finance team and DGFT consultant can verify each step against their own playbook.
It is not legal advice — circulars change — but it is the working reality of moving non-ferrous scrap from Rotterdam to Nhava Sheva, Mundra and Chennai today.
For Indian first-time scrap importers, expanding recyclers, IEC consultants, CHAs and CFOs assessing the working-capital impact of a European scrap supply line.
India Importing Considerations
- DGFT — Importer Exporter Code (IEC) is mandatory for any scrap import.
- MoEFCC registration under the Hazardous & Other Wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules 2016 is required for the buyer of record.
- Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) by an MoEFCC-recognised agency (SGS, BV, Intertek, CCIC) is mandatory at the load port.
- BCD on most metal scrap is 2.5%; IGST at 18% is recoverable for registered manufacturers.
- Containers must show clean radiation readings; over-spec readings trigger automatic hold at the port.
HS / Tariff Codes
7204Ferrous waste and scrap
7404.00Copper waste and scrap
7602.00Aluminum waste and scrap
7902.00Zinc waste and scrap
7503.00Nickel waste and scrap
Common Discharge Ports in India
Mundra
Fastest CFS clearance for Gujarat buyers.
Chennai
Main South-India scrap gateway.
Kolkata / Haldia
East-India entry; longer transit but lower freight to North-East.
ICDs (Tughlakabad, Garhi Harsaru, Dadri, Loni)
Inland container depots for North-India buyers.
Logistics & Shipping
- Average sailing Rotterdam → Indian West coast: 21–24 days direct, 26–30 days transhipment.
- Average sailing Rotterdam → Chennai: 25–28 days.
- Standard free time at Indian CFS: 14 days; demurrage thereafter is steep — get your CHA briefed early.
- Insurance: 110% of CIF; non-ferrous shipments carry copper-grade cover.
- Document set: CI, PL, BL, COO, PSIC, weighing slip, radiation report, loading photos, container seal photos.
Quality Standards
- •All ISRI grades commonly accepted; Indian customs cross-references against the ISRI Scrap Specifications Circular.
- •Containers must be free of radioactive material, NMD-free, and free of municipal waste.
- •Moisture limits vary by grade — UBC below 1%, copper below 0.5%, extrusions below 0.5%.
- •Mixed-grade containers must declare grade-wise weight on the packing list.
- •Any deviation from declared grade requires reconciliation invoice before customs clearance.
Inspection Procedures
- •PSIC mandatory at load port; cost typically USD 350–500 per container.
- •Buyer may nominate inspection agency — accepted nominees are SGS, BV, Intertek, CCIC and TÜV.
- •PSIC must include radiation report, XRF chemistry, weighing slip and container seal photos.
- •Indian customs may re-inspect at destination — 100% scan is now standard at major ports.
- •Disputes resolved against the 5 kg sealed retention sample held by the exporter.
Packaging Specifications
- •Loose loading — cheapest, used for high-density grades (Tense, Tale, Millberry, Berry).
- •Big-bags (1 MT PP woven) — preferred for turnings, UBC and lighter grades.
- •Pressed bales — standard for UBC, Taldon, Millberry — improves payload.
- •Bundled and strapped — used for long extrusion offcuts.
- •Container floor lined with kraft paper for turnings; high-security bolt seals always.
Metal Scrap Imports in India — Frequently Asked Questions
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