Key points
- Bonded premises include bonded warehouses, export supervised warehouses, bonded logistics centres and special customs supervision areas such as comprehensive bonded zones. Materials imported for processing trade are also subject to bonded supervision.
- Bonded goods are managed in electronic ledgers. Entry, exit and movements within an area are declared on documents such as bonded verification lists and gate passes, and checked at the checkpoint.
- When bonded goods are diverted to domestic sale, the import duty and import-stage taxes due must be paid.
In practice
Companies use bonded arrangements mainly to defer tax and free up working capital, or to run distribution, international transhipment, repair and exhibition businesses. For example, imported raw materials can be held in a bonded warehouse and released in batches – declared and taxed – as they are sold; or goods can be consolidated in a comprehensive bonded zone and then distributed to several countries.
The key to bonded operations is that the books match the stock: quantities in the electronic ledger must agree with physical inventory, every movement must have a corresponding verification list and gate pass, and each must be traceable to the contract, bill of lading and customs declaration. Companies inside an area also need to carry out regular stocktakes and support customs audits. Any gap in the data brings a high risk of back duties and penalties.
How Tranexio supports it
Tranexio expresses bonded logistics in the regulatory dimension of its trade model and provides bonded modules – bonded ledgers, verification lists, gate passes, first-line and second-line movements and transfers between areas – enabled per project. Data exchange with customs is supported via the integration hub. See Customs and the Single Window.