You arrive in a new country on a Sunday, with a guest flight at 0900 Monday, a spare part in customs and a bond locker that a boarding officer wants to seal. The agent phones to say he needs the crew list, the last port of call and the stores declaration in twenty minutes. If the file is ready, this is routine. If it is not, the guests wait.
Clearing in and out
The purser prepares the clearance pack. The exact papers vary by country; the pattern does not.
- Crew list in the required format, with passport numbers and seafarer document numbers.
- Guest or passenger list, matching the actual persons aboard.
- Ship particulars: registry, tonnage, last port, next port.
- Stores declaration: bonded goods, alcohol, tobacco.
- Health declaration where required.
- Passports and any visas.
- Zarpe / clearance from the last port, where the region uses one.
- Insurance and financial security evidence.
Mismatched crew and guest lists are a classic cause of a fine.
Ship agents
A ship agent is your local hands: berth booking, clearance filing, immigration liaison, waste, bunkers, spares delivery, transport.
- Brief the agent in writing with dates, times, movements and requirements.
- Ask for a written quote and a pro forma disbursement account before the visit, and reconcile it against the final disbursement account afterwards, line by line.
- Agent charges are usually a charter cost and go to the APA where they relate to the charter. Code them consistently.
Importation of goods
Spares, provisions and guest deliveries crossing a border are an importation. Get the paperwork right in advance: commercial invoice, value, description, and whether the item is being imported permanently or temporarily (a ship spare under a temporary regime, or ship stores for a vessel in international traffic). Duty, VAT and temporary admission regimes vary by country and by the yacht status. Ask the agent and the management company; do not assume that what worked in one country works next door.
The bond
The ship bond is duty-free or tax-free stores — typically alcohol and tobacco — held under customs control. Customs may seal the bond locker in port and unseal it on departure. Run it like any other stock:
| Bond stock: spirits (bottles) | Qty |
|---|---|
| Opening balance | 240 |
| Issued to bar during period | 36 |
| Received | 0 |
| Closing balance (240 - 36) | 204 |
Serving bonded stock in port where it is prohibited is a customs offence, not an administrative slip.
Insurance, in outline
| Cover | Broadly what it responds to |
|---|---|
| Hull and machinery | Physical loss or damage to the yacht |
| P&I (protection and indemnity) | Third-party liabilities, crew liabilities, pollution, wreck removal |
| Crew medical / accident | Crew health, injury, repatriation costs |
| Guest and general liability | Injury or loss suffered by guests and visitors |
The purser holds the certificates, knows the notification deadlines, and reports incidents immediately. This is not insurance advice; cover, exclusions and claims are matters for the broker, the underwriters and the management company.
Onboard Notes
- Build a country file. Every port you clear, write down what was actually required and who to call. Next season, it is worth days.
- Never sign a disbursement account you have not read.
- Never move, open or serve from a sealed bond. If in doubt, the seal stays on.