This page describes standards, ports and documentation practice. It is not a claim of shipment history or of volume to this market — our published figures are only the ones we can evidence.
At a glance
| Standard cited | US drawings cite ASTM. ASTM B209 governs aluminum sheet and plate, ASTM B221 extruded tube and pipe, and ASTM B308/B309 the structural shapes — the specification on the drawing decides which one applies. |
|---|---|
| Main container ports | Los Angeles and Long Beach serve the west coast; Houston, Savannah, Charleston and the New York and New Jersey terminals serve the Gulf, southeast and northeast. |
| Grades usually called for | 6061-T6 and 6061-T651 dominate machined and structural work; 5052-H32 is the default for sheet metal fabrication, marine trim and tanks; 6063-T5 and T6 for architectural extrusion; 3003 for general formed work; 7075 and 2024 appear in machining stock where the strength justifies the cost. |
| Packaging & marking | A mill test report tied to the heat is standard expectation, and buyers in regulated sectors will read it closely. |
| Inland leg and packing | Confirm the Incoterm against your own customs arrangements; a CIF quote to a US port still leaves customs entry, duties and inland delivery on the buyer unless DDP was agreed. |
Each line above is the opening of the detail section below it — nothing here is stated anywhere else on the page.
Standards
Which standard the drawing cites
US drawings cite ASTM. ASTM B209 governs aluminum sheet and plate, ASTM B221 extruded tube and pipe, and ASTM B308/B309 the structural shapes — the specification on the drawing decides which one applies. Mechanical properties are commonly reported in ksi or in MPa depending on the customer, and the mill certificate should report against the cited standard so the numbers mean what the drawing says they mean.
Logistics
Ports and transit
Los Angeles and Long Beach serve the west coast; Houston, Savannah, Charleston and the New York and New Jersey terminals serve the Gulf, southeast and northeast. Choosing the discharge port against inland freight often moves the landed cost more than the material price does.
Handling
Inland leg and packing
Confirm the Incoterm against your own customs arrangements; a CIF quote to a US port still leaves customs entry, duties and inland delivery on the buyer unless DDP was agreed. Transit time and the inland leg should be stated separately so the landed cost can be compared against a domestic supplier.
Specification
Grades usually called for
6061-T6 and 6061-T651 dominate machined and structural work; 5052-H32 is the default for sheet metal fabrication, marine trim and tanks; 6063-T5 and T6 for architectural extrusion; 3003 for general formed work; 7075 and 2024 appear in machining stock where the strength justifies the cost.
Documentation
Certificates and compliance
A mill test report tied to the heat is standard expectation, and buyers in regulated sectors will read it closely. Timber packaging must comply with ISPM 15. Where a project sits under a code or a specification body, third-party inspection may be required — that has to be arranged during production, not added afterwards.
Cost of getting it wrong
Four things that go wrong here
Tariff and trade remedy measures on aluminum of Chinese origin apply and have changed repeatedly. Treat any specific rate as needing current confirmation rather than as a known constant.
Mixing imperial and metric units between drawing, order and certificate. State the unit system once and hold it.
Assuming "MTC" means a certificate with test values. Ask for the type and check that the heat number matches the material marking.
Quoting CIF and leaving the buyer to discover that entry, duty and inland freight were not included.
Send us the drawing
If you tell us which standard the drawing cites, we will say whether the quoted mill works to that table and whether the tolerance can be held — before you commit, not on the inspection report.
Trade measures and marking requirements change. We do not publish rates for that reason — we confirm the current position at quotation.
Before you ask
Aluminum into United States — Questions Buyers Ask
Which ASTM standard governs US aluminum sheet?
ASTM B209 for sheet and plate, ASTM B221 for extruded tube and pipe, and ASTM B308/B309 for structural shapes. The drawing decides which one applies.
Which ports serve the US?
Los Angeles and Long Beach for the west coast; Houston, Savannah, Charleston and the New York/New Jersey terminals for the Gulf, southeast and east coast.
Which grades dominate US demand?
6061-T6 and 6061-T651 for machined and structural work, 5052-H32 for sheet metal fabrication, marine trim and tanks, and 6063 for extrusion.
What does "MTC" mean to a US buyer?
Do not assume it means a certificate with test values. A mill test report tied to the heat is the standard expectation, and regulated buyers read it closely.
What unit mistake recurs on US orders?
Mixing imperial and metric units between drawing, order and certificate. The specification on the drawing decides the units.
What should I know about CIF into the US?
Entry, duty and tariff exposure are not the seller's problem on CIF — do not leave the buyer to discover them. Trade remedy measures on aluminum of Chinese origin can also apply.
Elsewhere
Other markets
Each page covers what actually differs: which standard the drawing usually cites, which ports the cargo moves through, and what the customs paperwork expects.