The China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone has launched the country's first bonded marine lubricants supply under a new "supply-first and declare-later" model, marking a significant expansion of customs innovation in bonded goods.

A total of 21.91 metric tons of bonded marine lubricants were supplied to the international vessel Bruch's Merchant on May 10. Following completion of the supply, the enterprise filed the customs declaration with Zhoushan Customs, pioneering the model's application beyond bonded fuel oil.

Marine lubricants are critical for the safety and performance of international ships, used to protect and optimize engines and transmission systems. Consumption levels are closely tied to fuel usage.

Zhoushan Port, the world's fourth-largest and China's top port for bonded bunker fuel, has an annual demand exceeding 20,000 metric tons for marine lubricants.

Under previous customs rules, bonded lubricants could only be supplied after completing declaration procedures. This often caused delays and complications in case of discrepancies between declared and actual quantities or sudden order cancellations.

The new model allows bonded lubricants stored in customs-supervised warehouses to be released and supplied first, with customs declarations submitted post-delivery based on actual volumes. The change enables same-day order and supply, streamlining operations and strengthening the free trade zone's maritime service capabilities.

Zhoushan Customs has conducted in-depth research to support eligible suppliers, helping them navigate the new procedures and improve supply efficiency.