Argentina

Update on customs fines

Members are reminded of the stringent rules that apply to customs declarations in Argentina. The Association has previously advised Members in its advisories of 2 November 2012 and 23 May 2013.

The Association would now like to advise further as follows:

Declare the lube oil in the sump tank of the main engine

While it may not be a global practice it appears necessary when calling in Argentina, to include a declaration of lube oil in the sump tank of the main engine.

There have apparently been some recent issues where vessels had not made such a declaration and were held to have been in violation of customs regulations.

These situations lead to not insignificant delay and expense.

Members should take care when calling at any Argentinian port to ensure all local laws and regulations are strictly complied with, and in particular when calling at San Nicholas.

Beware of Duplicate Declarations

In addition to this new advice, our Correspondents would also like to repeat the advice to take care not to duplicate the declaration of any stores on board. This is because, if checked, the "absence" of the erroneously duplicated stores can lead to further fines for customs infringements.

In any event, if a Members' vessel finds it is in a difficult situation, then the Master should not hesitate to contact the Association's Correspondents without delay.

In case of further query, Members are asked to contact the Association: lossprevention@skuld.com