When assessing a steel supplier, ask for evidence tied to the proposed order rather than relying on the phrase “licensed exporter.” A company profile, a product quality document and a shipment-specific export licence answer different questions.
This checklist focuses on supplier due diligence and document coordination. The 2026 steel export-rule explainer covers the underlying Chinese licensing change. Neither checklist replaces verification by the exporter, destination importer or relevant authority.
In this guide
- Parties and responsibilities
- Product and manufacturer evidence
- Export licensing
- Shipment evidence
- Close unresolved points
1. Identify the parties and their responsibilities
Record the legal entity that will sign the sale, issue the commercial invoice and coordinate export formalities. If an agent or another exporter is involved, ask for its identity, role and supporting arrangement. Do not equate all agency arrangements with “buying customs declarations,” or assume that payment currency alone establishes the legality of a transaction.
Before paying, check that the beneficiary information matches the agreed contractual arrangement. Resolve unexplained differences and independently verify changed banking instructions through a previously established contact channel.
2. Check the product and manufacturer evidence
| Evidence to request | What to compare |
|---|---|
| Item-by-item quotation | Order reference, exact standard and grade, dimensions, finish, quantity and any proposed deviation. |
| Manufacturer identity | The proposed producer for the supplied product and the issuer named on the quality records. |
| Quality and inspection records | Specified tests, results and traceability to the ordered material or batch; agree the required document type in the contract. |
| Product approvals, if required | The exact manufacturer, model, size and scope covered, rather than a general company-level claim. |
| Packing information | A clear link between physical package marks, quantities and the packing list. |
Ask when final documents become available and who will review them. An example document may help agree the format, but it is not evidence that the material for the new order has passed its required checks.
3. Separate export licensing from product acceptance
For goods covered by MOFCOM and GACC Announcement No. 79 of 2025, ask the exporter to confirm the applicable licence arrangements and the manufacturer-issued quality document for the goods. The official steel-export FAQ also explains that licence use depends on the trade mode.
Do not accept “we have exported before” as the complete answer for a new specification or destination. Equally, an export licence does not establish that the product meets the project design, holds a requested product approval or will clear destination customs without further requirements.
4. Review shipment evidence without over-reading it
Loading photographs can show packaging and handling. They do not by themselves verify the shipment date, customer, destination, product grade, transport booking or legal status. Ask for the records relevant to your order and agree what may be shared without exposing another customer’s confidential information.
CanHope’s container-loading page provides visual examples. Current availability, manufacturer documentation, inspection arrangements and shipment timing still need order-specific confirmation.
5. Close unresolved points before release
- Keep a list of missing documents, deviations and unanswered questions, with an owner for each item.
- Agree which items must be closed before production, inspection, payment or shipment.
- Have the destination importer or broker confirm the required import documents and product checks for the exact destination.
- Record any accepted change to specification, quantity, packing or commercial scope in the order documents.
To discuss a CanHope supply enquiry, send the BOQ, destination and required evidence list to info@canhopesteel.com. This makes the discussion specific: what is being supplied, what documents are available, and what still needs confirmation.