Rudders for ships or boats

Cast iron or steel rudders for ships or boats

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 7325 99 91 (Rudders for ships or boats) is subject to compulsory advance registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS), a customs overlay administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under Policy Condition No. 2 of Chapter 73 and DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020. The importer must obtain an automatic SIMS registration number by paying a fee of ₹500 before the consignment arrives, with the registration valid for 75 days from grant.

What this is

HSN code

7325 99 91

Chapter

73 · Articles of iron or steel

Primary regulator

SIMS · DGFT Policy Condition No. 2 of Chapter 73; DGFT Notification 33/2015-20

Customs documentation

SIMS registration number from DGFT
ITC (HS) policy compliance from DGFT

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Register the import in the Steel Import Monitoring System online portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival, paying the ₹500 registration fee to obtain an automatic SIMS registration number. The prior requirement of a minimum 15-day advance registration has been abolished.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022
2
Confirm that the SIMS registration number remains valid (75-day window) on the date of filing the bill of entry. If the registration has lapsed before arrival, a fresh SIMS registration must be obtained before out-of-charge; an expired registration number does not satisfy the Policy Condition No. 2 of Chapter 73 requirement.
DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · Policy Condition No. 2 of Chapter 73

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is misapplying the SIMS carve-outs: the exemption for re-import of steel for packaging purposes and the DTA-to-SEZ-to-DTA movement exemption (with or without value addition) are narrowly defined in DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022. Importers who treat these as a general-purpose exemption from SIMS registration face compulsory-registration enforcement at the bill-of-entry stage, with the consignment liable to detention until a valid registration number is produced.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7325 99 91 require BIS certification?

No. No BIS Quality Control Order covers cast iron or steel rudders for ships or boats. Import of this tariff line is governed by compulsory SIMS registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under Policy Condition No. 2 of Chapter 73.

How long is the SIMS registration number valid, and when can the importer apply?

The automatic SIMS registration number is valid for 75 days from the date of grant; the importer may apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival of the import consignment, per DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023.

Are re-imports of steel rudders for packaging or SEZ-DTA movements exempt from SIMS registration?

Yes, within defined limits: re-imports solely for packaging purposes and DTA-to-SEZ-to-DTA movements (whether or not value addition occurs) are exempt from SIMS registration per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022, but the exemption does not extend to standard commercial imports.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: SIMS / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.