Effective 5 November 2026, SLIHE has stopped issuing quotations for new refrigerant export orders intended for 2026 delivery. This is not a pricing decision and it is not a supply decision — it is a calendar one. Two administrative deadlines now sit closer together than the remaining weeks of the year can bridge.
Why we are pausing quotations
Two requirements apply to every HFC shipment leaving China, and both of them are measured in working days rather than money:
- Export approval takes up to 20 working days. Each export consignment requires an approval issued by China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE). The review window is up to 20 working days and it begins only once a complete application has been filed. It cannot be shortened by paying a premium, and it does not run on weekends or public holidays.
- The 2026 quota closes on 31 December. Quota allocated for 2026 has to be consumed inside the year: goods must be exported and customs-cleared before 31 December 2026. Unused quota lapses — there is no carry-over into the next year.
56 calendar days remain in 2026. Approval alone can consume 20 of them, leaving roughly four weeks for production, booking, ocean transit and destination clearance — a chain that normally takes 60 to 90 days end to end.
The arithmetic
For a typical FOB China shipment booked today, the sequence looks like this:
| Step | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| MEE export approval | up to 20 working days (≈ 4 calendar weeks) |
| Production and cylinder filling | 7–15 days |
| Booking, trucking and loading | 5–10 days |
| Ocean transit (Europe, Americas, Middle East) | 20–35 days |
| Destination customs clearance | 3–7 days |
| Total | 60–90 days, against 56 days left in the year |
Even in the best case the goods would reach the destination port after the quota deadline. A shipment that cannot be cleared before 31 December cannot be legally delivered against 2026 quota, so quoting it would only create an order neither side can complete.
What still ships in 2026
- Confirmed orders continue. Orders already backed by an approved export licence and remaining 2026 quota, confirmed before 5 November, keep their agreed schedule. Nothing that is already in process is being cancelled.
- If you hold remaining quota, contact us today. We will check residual licensed stock and confirm what can still be loaded before the cut-off. Availability is limited and allocated first come, first served.
- No new quotations for 2026 delivery. This applies to all products — R22, R32, R134a, R410A, R404A, R407C, R507A, R290, R600a and specialty gases alike.
Planning for 2027
Quotations resume as soon as the 2027 export quota is allocated and approval windows reopen. In practice, buyers who plan now get served first:
- Register your 2027 volume early. Tell us product, annual quantity and target ports; we will quote in the first batch once quota is issued.
- Consolidate shipments. Each consignment carries its own approval cycle, so fewer, larger shipments (full container or ISO tank) reduce the number of approval windows you depend on.
- Use the waiting period to lock specifications. Cylinder type, valve, labelling and packaging decisions made now shorten lead time in Q1.
- Watch the price side. Quota tightening has been the main driver of R22 through the second half of 2026 — our October price report and live price chart track that weekly.
FAQ
Are you out of stock?
No. Material is available. The constraint is administrative: export approval takes up to 20 working days, and quota allocated for 2026 must be exported and customs-cleared before 31 December 2026.
When will you resume quotations?
Once 2027 export quota is allocated and approval windows reopen. Buyers who register their 2027 volume now will be quoted in the first batch.
My order is already confirmed — will it still ship in 2026?
Orders covered by an approved export licence and remaining 2026 quota, confirmed before 5 November 2026, continue on the agreed schedule. Contact our sales team to confirm the loading plan.
Contact the SLIHE sales team
Related: October 2026 price report · Live price chart · R22 · R32 · R134a · R410A · R404A