HS Code 03.06 – Crustaceans; in shell or not, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine; smoked, cooked or not before or during smoking; in shell, steamed or boiled, whether or not chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine

HS code 0306 is a 4-digit heading in the Harmonized System that covers: Crustaceans; in shell or not, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine; smoked, cooked or not before or during smoking; in shell, steamed or boiled, whether or not chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine. Heading 0306 is a comprehensive classification for crustaceans, covering them in nearly every possible state for human consumption: live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted, brined, smoked, steamed, or boiled. A critical aspect is that it encompasses crustaceans 'in shell or not' and 'cooked or not before or during smoking,' and even 'in shell, steamed or boiled, whether or not chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine.' This broad scope includes high-value commodities like shrimp, prawns, lobsters, and crabs. The heading delineates its boundaries by excluding crustaceans that are prepared or preserved beyond these simple methods, which would typically fall under Chapter 16 (e.g., canned crab meat, shrimp cocktails with sauce). Key sub-categories reflect the various forms, from live lobsters for luxury markets to frozen shrimp for widespread culinary use, and dried krill for specialized applications. This classification is paramount for trade compliance due to the significant value and volume of crustacean trade, influencing tariffs, import quotas, and stringent sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regulations. Crustaceans represent a major segment of global seafood trade, impacting aquaculture, fisheries, and international logistics. As part of Chapter 3, this heading reinforces the focus on aquatic products in their raw or simply processed forms, prior to more complex culinary preparations.

Live lobsters, fresh prawns, frozen shrimp (peeled, unpeeled), chilled crab claws, dried krill, salted crayfish, brined shrimp, smoked prawns, cooked frozen king crab legs, steamed lobsters (chilled), frozen rock lobster tails, dried river shrimp, cooked frozen Dungeness crab, live blue crabs, fresh langoustines, cooked and chilled shrimp, smoked crayfish tails, frozen snow crab sections, live spiny lobsters, cooked frozen brown shrimp, dried shrimp paste (if not further processed), cooked frozen slipper lobsters, salted barnacles (edible), fresh shrimp, chilled prawns.

A common error in classifying crustaceans under HS 0306 is confusing them with more highly processed products. Traders frequently misclassify items under 1605, which covers 'prepared or preserved crustaceans' (e.g., canned shrimp, crab meat in brine, or shrimp cocktail with sauce). The critical distinction is that 0306 covers raw, simply preserved, or simply cooked crustaceans, while 1605 involves further preparation beyond these basic methods. Another mistake is classifying inedible crustacean waste as 0306 instead of 0511. Live crustaceans intended for purposes other than human consumption (e.g., scientific research) might be mistakenly placed here instead of 0106.

In 2025, the top exporters of HS code 0306 in UN Comtrade data were Ecuador ($8.4B, 24% of world exports), India ($5.1B) and Canada ($3.3B). World exports came to about $35.3B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

In 2025, the top importers of HS code 0306 in UN Comtrade data were China ($9.7B, 28% of world imports), the United States ($8.2B) and Japan ($1.9B). World imports came to about $34.9B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

HS code 0306 is a 4-digit heading under Chapter 03 of the Harmonized System. The first 2 digits (03) identify the chapter, and digits 3-4 (06) specify the heading. This code contains multiple 6-digit subheadings for precise product classification.