I have a shipment of liquors in the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) pending transhipment. Can they be kept in the FTZ until the next available vessel arrives?
Dutiable goods, namely, liquor and tobacco products, may be temporarily stored in the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) for a period of up to 30 days, pending transhipment or removal to a licensed warehouse or licensed factory warehouse ("licensed premises"). If longer term storage is required, such high duty goods must be removed from the FTZ into the licensed premises.
Failure to deposit such high duty goods in the licensed premises is an offence. There is no storage restriction on high duty goods brought into the FTZ under "through" Bill of Lading or "through" Air WayBill.
To determine whether your goods' movements are considered as transhipment, please refer to here on Quick Guide for Transhipping Goods for more information on the various transhipment scenarios and permit requirements. You may also refer to Customs Circular No. 01/2020 on the storage of liquors and tobacco products in the FTZs.