Aviation kerosene is now split into two lines
The 2026 adjustment deletes 27101911 and introduces two replacement subheadings. The official correspondence marks both with “ex,” indicating that each receives part of the predecessor’s scope. Annex 4 records the split on printed page 37.
| Previous classification | New classification | Product |
|---|---|---|
| ex 27101911 | 27101913 | Bio-aviation kerosene |
| ex 27101911 | 27101914 | Other aviation kerosene, including petroleum-derived aviation kerosene |
This creates a specific customs category that was not separately visible in the old aviation-kerosene total. It gives analysts a clearer starting point for examining exports of the newly named product, rather than using all aviation fuel exports as a proxy.
What this adds to SAF market research
Researchers investigating China’s sustainable aviation fuel trade often need to distinguish a bio-derived aviation product from the wider jet-fuel market. HS 27101913 can help narrow that search. Monthly values and destination records, where available, can show the scale and geographic distribution of trade declared under the new line.
However, this article uses the tariff table’s product name: bio-aviation kerosene. It does not treat the line as a certified inventory of all SAF. The adjustment table does not establish a shipment’s lifecycle emissions, feedstock, production pathway, certification status or eligibility under an airline’s procurement rules. Those questions require documentation beyond the eight-digit code.
The same restraint applies to market sizing. A customs export value is a cross-border flow, not Chinese production capacity or total output. Domestic use does not become an export because it belongs to the same fuel category. A destination in trade statistics does not necessarily identify the airline that ultimately consumes the fuel.
The first comparisons worth making
The September 2026 release changes the latest monthly comparison. Values use the same national eight-digit code and export flow.
| Product | September 2026 exports | MoM vs August | January–September 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| HS 27101913 | USD 376,287,170 | 33.1% | USD 1,739,339,593 |
Source: GACC customs data published by ChinaData, release 2026-10-22T155446Z, checked October 23, 2026. These codes began in 2026: missing 2025 history is not zero, and month-on-month changes are not year-on-year growth. Product values do not establish shipment quantities, market prices or final end use.
Begin with exports and imports separately. Their values and counterparties address different questions, and subtracting them into a net figure can hide substantial flows in both directions. Record the actual months covered before describing a result as first-half or year-to-date trade.
Next examine the new line alongside 27101914. With complete observations for the same period and direction, the value of 27101913 divided by the sum of the two replacement codes measures its share of that aviation-kerosene trade basket. It does not measure a physical blending percentage, carbon intensity or SAF’s share of fuel consumed by airlines.
Destination comparisons are useful for identifying recurring trade routes. Track both absolute value and share: a destination’s share may rise because its purchases increased, because other destinations declined, or both. These are distinct developments that a percentage alone conceals.
Unit values are not a fuel-price quotation
If consistent weight data are available, value divided by weight can provide an implied trade unit value. Keep units explicit and use the same trade direction. A dollars-per-kilogram measure should not be compared directly with a dollars-per-tonne quotation without conversion.
Even after conversion, the result remains a shipment-weighted customs measure. Product composition, timing and transaction terms can affect it. It should not be labelled a spot-market fuel price or a producer’s margin.
Why the old code cannot supply a SAF growth rate
The 2025 aviation-kerosene total includes products assigned to both new branches. Comparing 2026 bio-aviation kerosene alone with that predecessor would compare different baskets. A bridge using both new lines may help preserve the broader aviation-kerosene scope, after coverage checks, but cannot reveal the historical bio-aviation component.
For the parallel diesel split, read hydrocarbon-based biodiesel under HS 27101925. Both changes appear in the new China HS codes tracker.