"Yacht in Transit" - NO tax on new parts and equipment?

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dial-a-monkey

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Does anyone have any experience on importing parts and equipment for a "Yacht in transit" ? So a yacht registered in the EU and visiting Gibraltar or a non EU boat in the Med..thereby avoiding paying the >35 % tax and duty? which I will have to pay to get my equipment into Italy..

I know Rolly Tasker advertises that they can deliver sails to a yacht in Gibraltar tax free for EU boats under the "Yacht in Transit" scheme and to Spain for non EU boats.

Has anyone actually done this into Gibraltar or elsewhere?

Thanks
 
How the rules are applied, are different all over.
I once got parts delivered to Bonaire, to get them Tax free, you have to leave the island within 24 hrs of receiving the parts.
 
Gib you can, send it as usual but pay an agent there to accept and deliver it to the boat or if it's small you can collect it.

£75 on top of usual freight. 'Yacht in transit' on the box.
 
You may well be able to collect VAT free in those places, but if you are EU resident you will be liable to VAT as soon as you re-enter the EU. The risk you take is that you will not be questioned, but for obvious reasons boats entering the EU from those countries are likely to attract more attention from officials. It might make sense if, for example you stopped in Gibraltar as part of your round the world cruise because by the time you returned your sails will have lost much of their value. However, the returned goods rule specifically excludes value added by work done outside the EU.

The "yacht in transit" bit is meaningless in this context, it just means the consignee does not have an address in the state where the goods are being delivered.
 
Advice I received from staff at Marina Bay was to have goods addressed to owners name & boat name at Marina Bay and the owner would then have to visit customs to get the goods cleared for collection. No mention was made of an agent.
 
Before Portugal was in the EU, I looked after a biggish yacht registered in Panama. We had a new genset airfreighted out from Germany for her 'in transit'. No taxes, but had to use a handling agent and pay a customs footsoldier to come with us from the airport to the marina, to ensure it was for the boat.

It was a while back, but might fit the non EU boat in EU waters scenario?
 
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Had a sail delivered to Gib - it was picked up and delivered to us by a rep from the firm who only asked for a letter stating that we were "Yacht in Transit" and he was picking it up on our behalf. 1 day in customs, delivered to the boat, a test sail and off we went. This was in 2010.

Had a slightly different experience in Barbados when we had to track the delivery down to an office in the back of beyond and then argue that we were Yacht in Transit - as it said on the delivery - and that the 100% import duty was not applicable. Eventually settled for 10$ Barbados to get it out of customs hands after 2 hours and 2 visits. Ho hm.
 
My experience of recieving stuff through Gib is that for under about £3000 its more trouble than its worth and was about cost neutral vs paying VAT inside the EU. Shipping is more expensive to Gib and less frequent than to EU destinations, add in the agents fee and cost of a couple nights in Gib and you end up paying more than expected overall.
 
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