Colombia’s import formalities sit with a single authority, DIAN, which also publishes the tariff consultation that shows how a classification is treated. That matters before the order is placed, because the classification decides the treatment, and the treatment decides whether the landed price you were quoted still makes sense.
Colombia’s import procedures sit with a single authority – DIAN, the national tax and customs directorate – which also publishes the tariff consultation that tells you what a classification is treated as. That is useful before the order rather than after: the classification decides the treatment, and the treatment decides whether the landed price you were quoted still makes sense.
Mejor Steel is the export agent for the mills that make your material: one contract, one delivery date, and the mill named on the quotation. How we supply
We reply within one business day, Monday to Friday 09:00-18:00 CST. Or write to info@mejorsteel.com / WhatsApp.
What Colombian buyers order from China
- Line pipe to API 5L – Grade B and X42 to X70 – for gas, water and gathering lines.
- Seamless pipe to ASTM A106 / A53 for steam and process service.
- OCTG to API 5CT – J55, K55, N80, L80 and the hardness controlled grades.
- Large diameter welded pipe for water transmission and piling.
Trade terms, and the one thing buyers get wrong
The Incoterms® rules are published by the ICC: eleven three-letter terms allocating cost, risk and obligations. FOB, CFR and CIF apply to sea and inland waterway transport, which is how pipe normally moves into Cartagena, Buenaventura or Barranquilla.
| Term | Main carriage | Risk passes | What the buyer controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOB | Buyer books and pays | When goods are on board at the port of shipment | Freight, sailing schedule, insurance |
| CFR | Seller pays to the named destination port | When goods are on board at the port of shipment | Insurance from loading onwards |
| CIF | Seller pays carriage and insurance to destination | When goods are on board at the port of shipment | Nothing before arrival; the cover is the rules’ minimum |
The mistake is assuming CIF means the seller carries the risk to the discharge port. It does not: under CFR and CIF the risk passes when the pipe is on board in China, so the importer should hold its own cover from that point. For containerised cargo, ask the forwarder whether an “any mode” rule matches the handover better than a sea rule.
Who does what at the Colombian end
The importer or its customs broker: holds the tax registration the import declaration is filed under, classifies the goods, consults the tariff treatment for that classification with DIAN, files the declaration, and clears the cargo.
We, as the supplier: issue the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, mill test certificates and certificate of origin where a preferential treatment is claimed – all describing the same goods in the same terms.
The classification is the pivot. If the invoice describes the pipe loosely (“steel pipe”), the broker has to interpret it, and an interpretation that lands in a different classification changes the duty and can hold the declaration. Describe the goods the way the certificates describe them.
The documents have to agree with each other
- Invoice: grade, outside diameter, wall thickness, length, quantity, coating, matching the certificates.
- Packing list: bundle numbers and weights reconciling with the invoice and the certificates.
- Bill of lading: consistent with the term – on board for FOB, CFR and CIF.
- Mill test certificates: heat numbers traceable to the bundles.
- Certificate of origin: matching the invoice and shipping documents where a preferential rate is claimed.
What to send with the enquiry
- Grade and standard, with the edition the project works to.
- Outside diameter, wall thickness, length and end preparation.
- Coating or lining, and the intended service.
- Inspection scope, and whether a third party report is required.
- Trade term and port, and whether the cargo ships in containers or as breakbulk.
- Documents required, including whether a certificate of origin is needed.
- Quantity in tonnes and in lengths, and the delivery window.
Frequently asked questions
Can you clear Colombian customs for us?
No. The import declaration is filed in the importer’s name, under its registration, and the classification and tariff treatment are confirmed by the importer’s broker with DIAN. What we provide is a document set that describes the goods accurately and consistently, so the declaration is built on facts rather than on an interpretation.
Should we ask for FOB or CIF?
FOB when you want control of the freight and the sailing schedule; CIF when you want a single delivered-port price and do not want to manage the booking. Either way, arrange your own cargo insurance from the moment the pipe is on board, because that is where the risk transfers under both terms.
How do we avoid a classification dispute?
Describe the goods in the invoice exactly as they are: standard, grade, outside diameter, wall thickness, length, end finish and coating. Then have the broker confirm the classification before shipment. A vague description is what turns a routine declaration into an argument.
Where to go next
- Mill test certificate – what it must show and when it is not enough.
- Incoterms for steel pipe – the terms compared.
- Argentina – the same guide for the Argentine market.
- Guyana – the same guide for the Guyanese market.
- API 5L line pipe – grades and dimensions.
- Get a quote – send the specification, the port and the term.
- Venezuela – the same guide for the Venezuelan market.
Quoting into Colombia? Send the grade and standard, the diameter and wall, the length, the trade term and the port. We describe the goods exactly as the certificates do, so the declaration is built on facts.
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