Shipping to and from Tunisia

Personal Effects:

Import shipments for personal effects are accepted.

Freight Acceptance:

Both prepaid and collect freight are acceptable in USD / EUR /GBP.

45’ containers:

Import in 45’ containers is accepted.

Break Bulk B/B:

Accepted, Subject to standard Maersk Line approval procedures. For any further info about B/B pls contact Operation team mohamedamine.mezgar@maersk.com and radhouen.ben.zaid@lns.maersk.com.

OOG:

Accepted, Subject to standard Maersk Line approval procedures. For any further info about B/B pls contact Operation team mohamedamine.mezgar@maersk.com and radhouen.ben.zaid@lns.maersk.com.

IMO:

Accepted except imports of IMO CLASS1 & CLASS 7 are not acceptable.
As there is no Fire park in Tunisian ports, IMO units are subject to direct delivery (direct pick up from vessel) and immediate evacuation out of the port.
IMO cargo subject to prior approval by Tunisia customer service import department.
Consignee's written confirmation must be obtained before booking is accepted/confirmed (LOE). For LOE Format, please contact tn.import@maersk.com.
If IMO tanks are not directly released by consignees upon arrival for immediate evacuation out of the port, they will be re-stowed on account of customer.
It is not allowed under any circumstances to combine IMO shipments with non-IMO shipments, for goods destined to Tunisia, as per local customs restriction.

Special Equipment:

Accepted.

Inland Haulage:

Accepted, All inland delivery can be arranged either as merchant haulage or carrier haulage. In case, of carrier haulage, please take due note that local charges & port storage are to be paid by consignee (Free out principle).

Country: Tunisia
Direction: Import
Effective Date: 01/01/2025
Expiry Date: Until further notice
Free time: Calendar days (public holidays are counted as standard calendar days)
Currency: TND
Invoiced: Per container, per calendar days, per container type & size
Application: The free time & charges applied will be those in place on the origin price calculation (PCD) which is equal to BL date

FREE TIME: “Free Time” is the period agreed between the Carrier and the Merchant for which Demurrage & Detention and Terminal Storage shall not be paid by the Merchant.

COMBINED D&D: Compensation payable when the Merchant holds Carrier’s Container beyond the agreed amount of Free Time for the combined period of inside and outside the terminal, port or depot.

• Non-operating reefer (NOR) will be charged as DRY equipment.
• Reefer demurrage includes plug-in/electricity charges.
• Shipper's own containers (SOC) are not subject to Combined DnD and are subject to Terminal Storage.
• Special equipment: Flat and Open Tops
• After the Free Time we will apply a progressive calculation: in case free days are exceeded, lying costs are invoiced according to the Tier-group where the days used fall.

Useful links:

• SPOT terms are those accepted at the time the booking is confirmed and are not necessarily aligned with the standard tariff. For details how to extend your DnD Free time at destination, click here.
• DnD Tariff information can be found via Instant Price Search or during booking process. 
• D&D Calculator, to know more about it, please click here
• Terms for Detention and Demurrage, please click here

Note: Storages is not included and is handled between terminal and customers directly. (And plugging charges for reefer cargo)

TARIFF COMBINED D&D: ALL LOCATION (In TND)

Import - DRY containers (in TND)

Import - REEF Containers (in TND)

Country: Tunisia
Direction: Import
Effective Date: 01/06/2017
Expiry Date: Until further notice
Free time: Calendar days (public holidays are counted as standard calendar days)
Currency: TND
Invoiced: Per container, per calendar days, per container type & size
Application: The free time & charges applied will be those in place on the origin price calculation (PCD)

FREE TIME: “Free Time” is the period agreed between the Carrier and the Merchant for which Demurrage & Detention and Terminal Storage shall not be paid by the Merchant.

COMBINED D&D: Compensation payable when the Merchant holds Carrier’s Container beyond the agreed amount of Free Time for the combined period of inside and outside the terminal, port or depot.

• Non-operating reefer (NOR) will be charged as DRY equipment.
• Reefer demurrage includes plug-in/electricity charges.
• Shipper's own containers (SOC) are not subject to Combined DnD and are subject to Terminal Storage.
• Special equipment: Flat and Open Tops
• After the Free Time we will apply a progressive calculation: in case free days are exceeded, lying costs are invoiced according to the Tier-group where the days used fall.

Useful links:

• SPOT terms are those accepted at the time the booking is confirmed and are not necessarily aligned with the standard tariff. For details how to extend your DnD Free time at destination, click here. DnD Tariff information can be found via Instant Price Search or during booking process. 
• D&D Calculator, to know more about it, please click here
• Terms for Detention and Demurrage, please click here

Note: Storages is not included and is handled between terminal and customers directly. (And plugging charges for reefer cargo)

Import - DRY containers

Import - REEF Containers

Country page content owner and Managing Director:

Ruben Evaristo Moratinos Collantes: ruben.moratinos@lns.maersk.com

Customer Experience Manager:

Hanene Elhmili: hanene.elhmili@lns.maersk.com

Sales Manager:

Redouane Zaidi: redouane.zaidi@maersk.com

Operations Manager:

Ali Yazidi: Ali.Yazidi@lns.maersk.com

Charges:

Luciana Pestana Bonelli: Luciana.Pestana@maersk.com

Bill of Lading(BOL) clausing, documentation:

All inbound bills of lading should be updated with the following clause : Free OUT - "All Discharging costs & other costs up to / including loading empty is for account & risk of merchant"

Special customs requirements

• All consignments bound to Tunisia must have a Tunisian recipient otherwise cargo will be subject to a customs fine that can reach USD 500
• Deadline for any amendment in the bill of lading, cargo destination, cargo weight etc...is 3 days prior to vessel arrival to avoid customs fines
• For consignee or notify name amendment the 3 origin BL’s should be returned to Maersk office.
• Longstanding Import Process: in case of longstanding a notification is sent to Port of Loading in order to inform shipper that cargo will be auctioned by customs after 4 Months and 15 days from discharge date.
• No acceptance of cargo ""In transit to Libya"" or consigned to Libyan consignees. Cargo In-Transit to Libya clause: is not acceptable and has been banned by the Libyan/Tunisian authorities.

Manifest requirements

After discharge and when a customs amendment required, as perTunisian port authorities rules: Consignee name Amendment not accepted to read: TO ORDER Consignee name should read the final receiver instead

Documentation Requirements:

All import bookings into Tunisia must include a Tunisian party in the consignee field. A Tunisian customer should be mentioned on the BL as a consignee or notify, otherwise container will be maintained on board and returned to transshipment port and all charges will be invoiced to the booked by. A foreign customers is not allowed by customs as per our legal Tunisian customs.
As it is a legal requirement, Origin office must ensure full details (Name, address phone and e-mail of contact person) are specified on the documentation.
Bookings with missing mandatory information will be rejected by documentation team.
Maersk is under obligation to send arrival notice 48 hours upon berthing of vessel.

Special Customs requirement:

All consignments bound to Tunisia must have a Tunisian recipient otherwise cargo will be ROB and all charges will be billed to POL.
Deadline for any amendment in the bill of lading, cargo destination, cargo weight etc...is 3 days prior to vessel arrival to avoid customs fines.
Manifest Requirement: Mandatory requirement / clause for Tunisia Import Amendment. After discharge and when a customs amendment required as per Tunisian Port Authorities rules: Consignee name amendment not accepted to read: TO ORDER. Consignee name should read the final receiver instead.

Inland Haulage Import Charge:

IHI charge should be prepaid for the import SD.

Currency:

All local charges are payable in TND

Port Definition:

Ports Rades and Tunis are the same port.
In adherence to LC requirements that impose Rades as discharge port on a CY/CY mode, in GCSS pls use TNTUN on POD screen in order to have a correct pricing. For L/C purpose, you can choose Rades port on translated values windows.

Empty Container Return:

Empty containers for imports should be returned to Maersk container yard in same city than discharge port: Tunis/Rades imports to be returned to Tunis/Rades Container yard and Sfax imports to be returned to Sfax container yard.
Any exception to above should be approved by Customer Experience Manager approval (Hanene Elhmili).

Port Storage, Watching and Plugging Fees:

Port charges are paid directly by shipper directly to port authorities with no involvement from shipping line (even when shipment is moving under EXW terms).

Through Bill of Lading:

In Tunisia, Through Bill of lading is allowed both on the export and import side, the Inland haulage in theses case are arranged as carrier haulage. However, pls note that the through Bill of Lading in Tunisia is on the inland leg from free under tackle Tunis / Sfax port or free on truck at discharge port to free on truck at final destination, THC in Tunis /Sfax port not included, not discharged, Port storage charges not paid, not unstuffed, customs clearance not included, customs duties and taxes not paid, insurance not included.
Any delay in executing through bills of lading at destination directly related to final consignee's failure (e.g. supply of required documents, belated settlement of dues, etc.) that results in additional charges (demurrage, storage, etc.) falls directly under the scope of responsibility of the consignee (on top of standard inland rates) and there is no involvement at all from us as carrier neither on terms of risk nor financial responsibility.

Rate Of Exchange:

ROE used is the ROE at the date of vessel berthing at Tunisian Ports.

Congestion Fee:

Destination should always follow freight terms. If freight is prepaid, congestion-destination must be prepaid as well.

Car BL Import Requirment:

We accept only 3 cars by BL, otherwise BL will be rejected by local customs.

Weight Limit For All Containers:

Payload as mentioned on the container CSC plate affixed in the door.

Used clothes:

Bookings to Tunisia with commodity used clothes, garments, textiles, apparels, and the likes are NOT accepted for all kind of bookings (non-SPOT, SPOT, cross-trades, etc.). Bookings with such commodity will be cancelled regardless of the business unit.
The acceptance of used clothes bookings is subject to Country Customer Experience Manager approval (Hanene Elhmili).
Freight collect for second hand clothing is not accepted.

Origin Local Charges:

Origin local charges are not accepted as collect unless approved by Customer Experience Manager or Managing Director.

Bank Transfer:

Due to  tight local exchange regulation, only Import freight charges & Demurrage & Detention collected in Tunisia can be transferred and only to Maersk Line HQ.
Cross Trade shipments (where Tunisia is not appearing neither as origin nor as destination) are subject to extremely tight regulation. Before accepting any payment in Tunisia, please contact Customer Experience Manager or Sales Manager.

Terms of Payment of Local Charges in Tunisia:

Due to strict local regulation, all below Tunisia import local charges should be on prepaid basis in GCSS and paid in Tunisia.

Bananas - Booking Acceptance:

Due to container abandoning exposure, Bananas bookings into Tunisia for any new customer shipping for the 1st time to Tunisia requires pre-approval before confirmation from either Sales Manager or Customer Experience Manager.
Equipment to be used, Bananas are accepted only if shipped in STAR CARE boxes.

Chilled (Non-Frozen) Cargo to Tunis Port:

All import reefer bookings for non-frozen (chilled) cargo to Tunis / Rades port are no more accepted.

Reefer Cargo Change of Destination into Tunisia:

Change of destination is identified as among main reasons for reefer cargo abandoned, therefore COD from a destination to a Tunisian port is not allowed unless approved by Sales Manager or Customer Experience Manager.

Routing

For general routing guidelines please contact your local Maersk Line office.

Commodity

No restrictions except for:

Second hand clothing

Freight collect is not accepted for second hand clothing unless approved by Country Sales Manager or Commercial Planning desk

Personnel effect

Freight collect is not accepted for personnel effect unless approved by Country Sales Manager or customer service manager.

Weight and measurement

• Breakbulk is not accepted
• OOG: Unitized OOG subject to prior approval by Tunisia Operations department
• IMO: Imports of IMO CLASS1 & CLASS 7 are not acceptable
  • As there is no Fire park in Tunisian ports, IMO units are subject to direct delivery (direct pick up from vessel) and immediate evacuation out of the port.
  • As there is no Fire park in Tunisian ports, IMO units are subject to direct delivery (direct pick up from vessel) and immediate evacuation out of the port.
  • IMO cargo subject to prior approval by Tunisia customer service import department.
  • Consignee's written confirmation must be obtained before booking is accepted/confirmed (LOE) (for LOE Format, please contact (tuncsigen@maersk.com). If IMO tanks are not directly released by consignees upon arrival for immediate evacuation out of the port, they will be re-stowed on account of customer

For general information on weight / measurement restrictions please contact your local Maersk Line office.

Currency

All local charges are payable in TND as well as detention and demurrage charges, since it’s a local income they should be kept and paid locally. Both prepaid and collect freight are acceptable in USD / EUR /GBP.

Below are the most common local charges we have in Tunisia, they are all subject to change and valid until further notice.
Please also visit our global Surcharge Definition Glossary