Organizational foundations of customs clearance of international maritime vessels in Ukraine

Abstract

The article investigates the specifics of customs clearance for the arrival and departure of foreign-flagged sea and river vessels in Ukrainian ports under current legislation. The relevance of the work is driven by the strategic role of water transport in ensuring Ukraine's foreign economic activity and the need to optimize control procedures. The article considers the regulatory acts governing the procedure for customs formalities in maritime transport. The legal nature of the Bill of Lading as a transport and document of title is studied, along with its functional role in the procedure for completing customs clearance. The problem of delays in the actual departure of vessels from ports due to the duration of Bill of Lading coordination, particularly within letter of credit frameworks and complex trade finance chains, is analyzed. The possibility of improving regulatory frameworks by introducing an alternative mechanism for clearing vessel departure based on a Mate's Receipt as a document confirming the acceptance of cargo for carriage is considered. The issues of digitalization of documentary support through the implementation of the Electronic Bill of Lading based on blockchain technology are described. The prospects for adapting Ukrainian legislation to global initiatives for a full transition to electronic document circulation by 2030 are investigated. It is expressed that modernizing approaches to customs formalities and integrating into international digital ecosystems will improve the utilization of port capacities, fleet processing speed, and the accuracy of state foreign trade statistics of Ukraine.