Among the cartons of provisions and spares that come aboard, a special category is handled differently from everything else: bonded stores. These are the duty-free goods — tobacco, alcohol, and certain consumables — that ships may carry for crew use without paying local import duties. The savings are real, but so are the rules. Mishandling bonded stores is one of the easier ways to attract a customs penalty.
What "Bonded" Actually Means
"Bonded" refers to goods held under customs control on which duty and tax have not yet been paid. Because a ship engaged in international trade is, in customs terms, leaving the country, it can take certain goods aboard duty-free — they are treated as exports. The goods move from a bonded warehouse directly to the vessel under customs supervision, sealed and documented.
What Counts as Bonded Stores
- Tobacco products — cigarettes, cigars, rolling tobacco.
- Alcoholic beverages — spirits, wine, beer for the slop chest / crew bar.
- Certain consumables — some perfumery, confectionery and similar goods, depending on the jurisdiction.
Quantities are not unlimited. Customs authorities set reasonable allowances based on crew size and voyage length to prevent bonded stores being diverted into the local market.
How the Process Works
- The vessel (or its agent) orders bonded items from a licensed bonded supplier.
- Goods are released from a bonded warehouse against customs documentation.
- They are delivered to the ship under customs control, often sealed, with a declaration of what is aboard.
- While in port, bonded stores may be required to remain sealed; the seal is broken only once the vessel sails.
Staying Compliant
- Declare accurately. Every bonded item must appear on the stores declaration. Under-declaration is smuggling, full stop.
- Respect seals. Do not break a customs seal while alongside unless authorised.
- Keep the paperwork. Retain delivery notes and declarations for inspection.
- Use licensed suppliers only. Bonded goods must come from a supplier authorised to operate under bond — not a regular retailer.
Why It Matters Commercially
Bonded stores are a meaningful crew-welfare benefit and a genuine saving, but they sit on a compliance knife-edge. A reliable bonded supplier protects the vessel by getting the documentation right the first time — sealed delivery, accurate declaration, clean paper trail — so the master is never the one explaining a discrepancy to a boarding officer.
The GDS platform connects vessels with licensed suppliers, including bonded-store providers, with documentation handled in a single workflow. Register your vessel to source bonded and ordinary stores from verified suppliers.
