Due to rigorous policies and complex processes, Russian cargo customs clearance has become a major challenge for enterprises exporting to Russia. When many enterprises operate independently, they often face problems such as cargo detention at ports, high costs, and even the risk of return due to unfamiliarity with the process, omissions in document preparation, and lack of local communication channels. In fact, the core value of a professional freight forwarder lies in helping enterprises avoid risks and achieve smooth customs clearance by virtue of precise process control and local resource advantages. Shanghai SBTG takes railway transportation as its main business, deeply engages in the field of Russian customs clearance, and deeply integrates the customs clearance process with railway transportation to form a set of standardized + customized service processes, helping you clarify the key points of customs clearance.
1. Pre-Customs Clearance: Dual Preparation of Goods and Documents
Smooth customs clearance starts with pre-preparation, which is the foundation for avoiding detours. Before the goods are shipped, SBTG will complete two core tasks: first, sorting out goods information. Relying on its local service network in Moscow, it synchronizes the latest Russian customs policies in real time, matches accurate HS codes for the goods, and clarifies access standards and restriction requirements.
Second, precise document preparation. A professional review team will check core documents such as commercial invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin, and railway waybills one by one to ensure complete consistency of information—especially for goods transported by railway, the consistency between waybill information and customs clearance documents directly affects the declaration pass rate. For special categories such as oil and gas equipment and medical devices, we connect with relevant Russian departments in advance to assist in handling exclusive permits and certifications, and reserve sufficient time for policy communication, fundamentally avoiding process stagnation caused by insufficient preparation.
2. Core Link 1: Pre-Declaration and Document Submission
Pre-declaration is an important link in Russian customs clearance and also a dividing line between professional freight forwarders and ordinary operators. Thanks to its good cooperative relations with Russian customs, SBTG adopts an electronic pre-declaration system and submits customs clearance documents for pre-review in advance before the goods arrive at the port via railway transportation.
This model of “declaration first, cargo arrival later” can identify and correct problems in the documents in advance, avoiding omissions after the goods arrive at the port. We accurately control the pre-declaration time based on the timeliness of railway transportation, ensuring that when the goods arrive, the pre-declaration process has been completed and directly enters the formal review link, greatly shortening the overall customs clearance cycle. All declaration operations are completed by a local team familiar with Russian and customs processes, avoiding declaration failures caused by language barriers or non-standard operations.
3. Core Link 2: Customs Review and Inspection Response
Customs review consists of two steps: document review and physical inspection. The advantages of professional freight forwarders are particularly prominent in inspection response. During the document review stage, SBTG’s local team will follow up the review progress throughout the process, respond to customs inquiries in a timely manner, and supplement relevant explanatory materials.
In case of physical inspection, enterprises do not need to conduct cross-border communication. Our local team can arrive at the scene immediately to assist customs in completing unpacking and verification, and clearly explain the nature, purpose, and packaging details of the goods. For over-dimensional goods such as the 388.49-ton large-scale liquid filling production line, we report detailed information such as the size and weight of the goods to the customs in advance, prepare over-dimensional transportation permits and reinforcement instructions, and cooperate with the inspection process to proceed in an orderly manner, minimizing the inspection time. Compared with enterprises handling it independently, the on-site coordination ability of professional teams can greatly reduce inspection risks and delay probabilities.
4. Closing Link: Tax Calculation and Release Handover
The closing link of customs clearance requires precise control of tax calculation and release handover to avoid failure due to detailed problems. SBTG will accurately calculate customs duties and value-added taxes according to the tax rates corresponding to the HS codes of the goods, and inform enterprises of the cost details in advance to avoid subsequent cost disputes.
After the tax payment is completed, we track the release progress in real time. After the goods are released, we immediately connect the railway transportation and domestic transit links—as a freight forwarder mainly engaged in railway transportation, we can realize the seamless connection of “customs clearance – transit”. After the customs clearance is completed, we immediately coordinate the transportation of goods from the port to the destination to avoid secondary detention of goods at the port. At the same time, we provide enterprises with complete customs clearance documents and release certificates to facilitate subsequent reconciliation and goods delivery.
Detours in Russian cargo customs clearance are essentially due to unfamiliarity with the process and lack of resources. The value of a professional freight forwarder is to use experience and resources to pave the way for enterprises’ customs clearance. Taking railway transportation as the core, Shanghai SBTG divides the customs clearance process into four links: pre-preparation, pre-declaration, review and inspection, and release handover. With local teams, precise document review, and efficient on-site coordination, we help enterprises avoid detours. We adhere to the core values of “reliability, quality, and accountability”, achieve 20 years of operation without major customs clearance accidents, and establish long-term cooperation with more than 400 China-Russia enterprises. Choosing SBTG means choosing a worry-free and stable customs clearance guarantee, allowing your goods to enter the Russian market smoothly.
