Ship’s report and customs clearance of ships

All data reported to Swedish Customs regarding arrival and departure of ships should be submitted electronically through Maritime Single Window (MSW) a national portal administered by the Swedish Maritime Administration.

Call at non-approved or non-designated ports

Please note that you need a permit to call at non-approved or non-designated ports. If you have a general permit, you need to ensure that it includes all non-approved or non-designated ports you use to call. Otherwise the arrival report will be rejected by MSW.  

Who should file a report?

The obligation to file a ship’s report applies to all vessels arriving in the Swedish customs territory. This means that all ferries arriving from third countries are required to file a ship’s report. The ship’s master is responsible for filing the report.

There are a few exemptions, for example vessels without cargo or passengers, government vessels, salvage vessels, pleasure craft and vessels in domestic traffic. Please note that these exemptions only apply under certain conditions.

Time limits

A prior notification must be filed

1. at least 24 hours before the ship arrives in a port or another authorised place in the Swedish customs territory, or
2. if the voyage time is less than 24 hours, at least at the time the ship leaves the previous port, or
3. if the port of call is not known or is changed during the voyage, as soon as this information is available.

If the vessel is going to call at several ports, a prior notification must be reported before the arrival in each port. The same time limits as above apply.

For outgoing vessels, the report should be made before the ship picks up passengers or cargo that are under customs supervision. If no passengers or cargo are picked up, the report should be made before the ship leaves the last place it visits before leaving the Swedish customs territory.

What information should be included?

The prior notification mentioned above should include:
All information included in the FAL forms 1–4:

1. FAL form 1 – General Declaration
2. FAL form 2 – Cargo Declaration
3. FAL form 3 – Ship’s Stores Declaration
4. FAL form 4 – Crew’s Effects Declaration

Detailed information regarding the cargo:

1. Reference to relevant Entry Summary Declarations
2. Reference to the temporary storage facilities or other place of unloading to which the goods are brought when unloaded
3. Reference to the customs declaration if the goods will be placed under a customs procedure
4. Quantity and unit regarding all goods that will be unloaded
5. Customs status of the goods as Union or non-Union goods
6. Enclosed T2L if you are unloading Union goods

Please note that the FAL forms 3 and 4 must be included in the prior notification.

If you want to apply for loading of victualling supplies on a certain occasion, or withdrawal from the ship's stores, these applications should also be sent via MSW. They can be included in the prior notification or sent at a later stage.

Please note that Entry Summary Declarations (ENS) should be submitted directly to Swedish Customs according to existing procedures. However, you need to include a reference to each ENS in the data sent to MSW.

It is important that you await and check the reply from Customs. If any information is lacking, preventing Customs from making a decision, we will send a request for additional information.

Attached files

All data reported to Swedish Customs regarding arrival and departure of ships should be submitted electronically through MSW. Most information should be submitted as structured data, that is in a machine-readable format. Some information may however be sent as attached files:

1. The cargo declaration (FAL for 2) should, in principle, be provided as structured data. However, for the time being we will not require that you communicate large cargo manifests this way. Instead you may provide summary data on the cargo and send the cargo manifest as an attached file.
2. T2L. If you are going to unload Union goods, the filed data should include a reference to a T2L document proving the Union status of the goods. The T2L document may be sent as an attached file.
3. An application for loading of victualling supplies on a certain occasion, as well as an application for withdrawal from the ship's stores should also be sent via MSW as attached files.

For all questions regarding how you file the report in the portal, we refer to the Swedish Maritime Administration

Customs decisions in several steps

Customs decisions will be communicated in several steps. The decisions will be transmitted via MSW. To receive the different messages you must have provided all relevant information.

1. Arrival in port To be granted permission to call at a port, a prior notification must have been filed within the above mentioned time limits. The permission will be communicated electronically through MSW. After receiving  this message you may call at the port.
2. Permission to unload When you have arrived at the port, you will receive permission to unload. To receive such permission you must have lodged Entry Summary Declarations for all goods carried on board.
3. Cargo declaration approved For the cargo declaration to be approved, all goods must have been presented to Customs. In addition to the ENS mentioned above, you must provide a reference to the subsequent treatment of the goods. You must also state the Customs status of all goods, and enclose a T2L document for any Union goods to be unloaded.
4. Ship’s store If you have filed an application for victualling supplies on a certain occasion, the permission is communicated through MSW. The same applies if you have applied for withdrawal of supplies from the ship's stores.
5. Departure permission Departure permission is communicated through MSW. You must receive this message before the ship departs from the port.

Further information

MSW Support, a user support service for MSW, answers questions about how to access and use the portal and handles error reports.

Telephone: +46 771 40 00 50
Email: support@mswreportal.se

Swedish Customs answers question about time limits and what information the report should include.

Daytime telephone number: +46 771 520 520
Outside office hours, contact the clearance of shipping office on +46 8 456 65 60