Vessel transfer & clearing
Arriving in Barbados, leaving Barbados, or moving the vessel somewhere else entirely — the paperwork and the passage, handled by someone who has done both.
Clearing in & out
Inward and outward clearance handled on your behalf: pre-arrival registration, the forms, the offices, the fees and the timings. You concentrate on the boat and the crew.
- SailClear pre-arrival registration
- Customs, Immigration and Health formalities
- Berth and arrival coordination
- Cruising permits for coastal movement
- Outward clearance and departure timing
Transfer & delivery
Moving a vessel with a licensed captain aboard — between berths, around the island, or on passage — with the vessel checked over before she goes anywhere.
- Delivery under own keel with a qualified skipper
- Pre-departure inspection and defect rectification
- Berth-to-berth and yard transfers
- Owner or broker kept informed throughout
Cruiser guide
Clearing into Barbados by yacht: the complete guide
Barbados sits roughly 90 miles east of the island chain, which makes it the first Caribbean landfall for a great many boats crossing the Atlantic — and the last place a lot of crews expect to have to think about paperwork. The official guidance exists but reads like a customs manual. Here it is in plain English.
1. Barbados has two ports of entry — and only two
Bridgetown (the Deep Water Harbour) and Port St Charles on the north-west coast. You cannot clear in anywhere else. Carlisle Bay is a lovely anchorage but it is not a port of entry — you must clear first, then move there.
2. Call the Signal Station on VHF Channel 12
On approach, contact the Signal Station — call sign 8 Papa Bravo — and state your intention to enter. They monitor Channel 12 and Channel 16, 24 hours a day. Do not enter harbour limits without speaking to them first.
3. Fly the Q flag
The yellow quarantine flag flies from the moment you enter harbour limits until the vessel has been cleared by all three authorities. It is not a formality — it tells everyone watching that you have not yet been cleared.
4. Have the paperwork ready before you tie up
Three separate authorities, three separate sets of documents. Having them counted out in advance turns a long morning into a short one.
| Authority | What they want |
|---|---|
| Customs | Three copies of form C61 · clearance from your previous port · one crew list |
| Immigration | Two crew lists · passports for everyone aboard |
| Health | One health report |
Health, Customs and Immigration officers are on duty at the Passenger Terminal, Bridgetown Harbour, 06:00–22:00, seven days a week. Clearing inside those hours attracts no additional fee. Arriving outside them can, so if you have a choice about your landfall timing, aim to arrive in daylight and inside that window.
SailClear — useful, but not a substitute
SailClear is the Caribbean regional pre-arrival system. Registering and submitting your crew and voyage details in advance can speed things up, and it is worth doing if you are cruising the region. But it is optional, Barbados’ own published procedure does not depend on it, and it does not remove the requirement to present yourself and your papers in person on arrival.
5. Where to lie
The Careenage — the inner basin in the middle of Bridgetown, stern-to moorings, water and power, and about as central as a berth gets anywhere in the Caribbean. Contact Marine Services / the Harbour Master. Note the bridge needs notice to lift.
Carlisle Bay — the main anchorage, clear water and wreck diving, a short dinghy ride from town. Once cleared, foreign yachts anchor in the area north of the Bandstand, near the Boat Yard.
Port St Charles — marina berths on the north-west coast with Customs, Immigration, Coast Guard and Police on site. Port Ferdinand lies adjacent.
6. Indicative fees
From Barbados Port Inc’s published rates at the time of writing. Treat these as a guide and confirm current rates on arrival — they change, and public holidays carry a 50% surcharge.
| Item | Indicative rate (BBD) |
|---|---|
| Mooring, vessels up to 50m — first two days | $412.50 |
| Mooring, vessels up to 50m — each further 24 hours | $110.00 |
| Carlisle Bay anchorage, under 50m | $110.00 |
| Outward clearance / anchorage fee | $100.00 |
| Water | $12.00 per ton |
| Waste removal | $540.00 per skip |
7. Want to move around the coast? Get a cruising permit
Clearing in does not give you freedom to hop between anchorages. Coastal cruising needs permission from the Customs Boarding Officer and the Harbour Master’s office, and it is far easier to ask for it on arrival than to go back for it later. This is the single thing visiting crews are most often caught out by.
8. You cannot work the boat while you are here
Visiting yachts are prohibited from chartering, renting out or engaging in any activity for monetary gain while in Barbados. Worth knowing before someone on the dock offers you a day charter.
9. Clearing out — and the 24-hour rule
Outward clearance is issued by Barbados Port Inc after payment of the clearance fee through the Mooring Gang Supervisor. You will need the Port clearance, Customs outward clearance, a crew list and all passports.
Outward clearance is valid for 24 hours and the vessel is expected to proceed directly to sea. Do not clear out and then decide to stay another two days — plan the paperwork around your actual departure, not the other way round.
Useful numbers
| Signal Station | VHF 12 or 16 — call sign 8 Papa Bravo — monitored 24/7 |
|---|---|
| Customs Boarding Officer | VHF 16 |
| Barbados Coast Guard | VHF 16 — call sign 8 Papa Zulu |
| Harbour Master / Marine Services | For Careenage berthing and cruising permits |
Or simply hand it to us
Everything above is what we do for clients as a matter of routine. Message us while you are still on passage with your ETA, vessel details and crew list, and we will have the clearance lined up, a berth arranged and any work you need scoped before the anchor goes down.
Questions
Clearance FAQs
Where can I clear into Barbados?
Barbados has two ports of entry: Bridgetown (the Deep Water Harbour / Shallow Draught area) and Port St Charles on the north-west coast, which has Customs, Immigration, Coast Guard and Police on site.
Do I have to pre-register before arriving?
Not obligatory. SailClear, the Caribbean regional pre-arrival system, is optional and can speed things up, but Barbados’ own procedure does not depend on it and you still present your papers in person. What matters is calling the Signal Station on VHF 12 before you enter, and having the C61 forms, crew lists and passports ready.
What do I do on approach?
Call the Signal Station on VHF Channel 12 for authorisation to enter, and fly the yellow Q flag until the vessel has been cleared. Customs, Immigration and Health formalities are completed on arrival at the designated berth.
Can I move around the coast once cleared?
Coastal cruising between anchorages requires permission — a cruising permit from Customs and the Harbour Master. It is straightforward, but it is not automatic, and it is one of the things visitors are most often caught out by.
Can you deliver my vessel?
Yes. Delivery under her own keel with a licensed captain aboard, or management of a transfer, can be arranged.
Arriving in Barbados?
Message us before you make landfall. We will line up the clearance and have any work you need scoped before the anchor is down.