Maritime accountants in Dubai handle voyage-by-voyage books, VAT on international transport and port services, and Corporate Tax for shipping agencies, charterers, ship chandlers and crew managers. Many of your services can be zero-rated for VAT, but only when the documents prove the international element. Free-zone Corporate Tax relief depends on qualifying income rather than on the address. We file all of it at a fixed price, with Zero Penalty Assurance in writing.

What do maritime accountants in Dubai do for a shipping business?

Whether your office is near Jebel Ali or Port Rashid, your books look different from a trading company’s. Revenue arrives in several currencies. Costs land in the wrong month. A single voyage can involve port dues, agency fees, bunkers, provisions, crew wages and a charter hire. A general bookkeeper often groups these into one “sales” and one “expenses” line, which hides the VAT and Corporate Tax answers you need.

We set up books for ship agents, charterers, ship chandlers and crew-management firms. The aim is a ledger where every voyage or vessel can be read on its own, and every VAT decision has a document behind it.

VAT on international transport and related services

Under Article 45 of Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017 and its Executive Regulation (Cabinet Decision No. 52 of 2017), international transport of goods and passengers is zero-rated, and so are certain services directly connected to it. Zero-rated is not the same as exempt. You still register, still file, and still recover input VAT on your costs. Our guide to zero-rated versus VAT exempt explains why that difference matters to your cash.

The mechanism is simple and strict. Zero rating applies when the supply meets the conditions in the law. For shipping, that usually means evidence of the international leg: a bill of lading or charter party, vessel and voyage details, and the customer’s details. If the file is incomplete, the FTA can treat the supply as standard-rated at 5% (Article 3 of Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017), and you owe the VAT from your own pocket. Local services, such as a port agent’s domestic handling for a vessel calling at a UAE port, need a separate decision for each service. Do not assume that one label covers a whole invoice.

Designated zones, bonded supplies and ship supply

Ship chandlers and bunker suppliers work in the space between mainland, free zone and the sea. The rules depend on where the goods are, who receives them and whether the area is a designated zone under Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017. Goods supplied to a vessel for use on an international voyage can qualify for zero rating, but goods sold from a designated zone to a UAE mainland customer follow import rules instead. Many owners are surprised by a myth here, which we cover in designated free zone VAT relief.

Exports of goods sold outside the country follow their own proof rules. See whether you charge VAT on exports for the supporting documents the FTA looks for.

What the FTA expects from a maritime business

• VAT treatment: Every zero-rated supply backed by shipping documents. Domestic services priced with VAT unless a specific rule applies. A clear split between zero-rated, standard-rated and out-of-scope income on each return.
• Record-keeping: Tax invoices, credit notes, contracts, charter parties, bills of lading, port and customs documents. Records are kept as the Tax Procedures Law requires, so keep your voyage files in order.
• Multi-currency: Foreign-currency invoices converted into dirhams for VAT, using the rate rules in the law. Your books must keep both the original currency and the dirham value.
• Typical volume: Count every port bill, bank line and supplier invoice. A busy agency often lands in our 250 to 300 transaction band, a quieter one in 150 to 180, and we confirm the band after counting your real documents.

Multi-currency voyage accounting

We record each voyage or vessel as its own cost centre. Revenue, port charges, disbursements paid on behalf of principals, and crew costs are all tagged to it. Foreign-exchange differences are posted separately, so you can see whether a voyage made money on the work or on the rate. Bank reconciliation runs monthly, which catches the common problem of a principal’s remittance arriving short after bank charges.

Agents often pay port costs on behalf of an owner and recharge them. Whether those are disbursements or part of your fee changes the VAT. We decide the treatment per invoice and document why.

Not sure how your voyages and recharges should sit in the books? Message us on WhatsApp at +971 54 1721 823 with one sample voyage file and we will tell you how we would record it.

Corporate Tax for free-zone and mainland shipping firms

A free-zone company can reach the 0% rate only on qualifying income, and only when it meets the conditions in the Corporate Tax law, including adequate substance and keeping the required records. Which shipping activities qualify is set out in Cabinet Decision No. 100 of 2023 and Ministerial Decision No. 265 of 2023. Income outside those lists can be taxed at the standard rate. We will not promise you 0%. We read the activity list against your actual income and tell you where you stand. Our article on the free zone 0% tax myth covers the basics.

Free-zone companies still file a Corporate Tax return every year, even when no tax is due. Late filing is penalised monthly: AED 500 per month for the first 12 months, then AED 1,000 per month, per Cabinet Decision No. 75 of 2023.

Why owners in shipping pick a fixed-price firm

Voyage work is lumpy. A busy month does not mean a bigger accounting bill with us. You get one number for books, VAT, Corporate Tax and audit assistance, so a quiet quarter or a sudden charter does not change the fee. Our team is CA-led, and we are not hourly billers who treat a port invoice as an upsell.

What this costs

From a small agency or consultant to a busy agency, the price is fixed in advance and set by the number of transactions you post each month, never by the hours we spend. Two or three companies, for example a UAE agency and a free-zone chartering entity, are quoted together, and groups with more entities or vessel-level reporting are quoted on request.

Our Zero Penalty Assurance, in writing, says that where your data reaches us by the agreed cut-off dates, no FTA penalty arises from late or incorrect filing, and if a penalty arises from a mistake in our submission, we bear it.

Next step

Tell us your vessel count, your currencies and your monthly transaction count, and we will quote the right package. Send it on WhatsApp +971 54 1721 823. We work Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM, and visit offices across the UAE.

Frequently asked questions

Is shipping zero-rated for VAT in the UAE?

International transport of goods and passengers, and certain directly connected services, can be zero-rated under Article 45 of Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017, if the conditions and evidence are met. Domestic services need a separate check.

Do ship chandlers charge VAT on supplies to vessels?

It depends on whether the goods go to a vessel on an international voyage, where they are supplied from, and who receives them. Supplies from a designated zone follow different rules.

Do maritime free-zone companies pay 0% Corporate Tax?

Only on qualifying income, and only when the free-zone conditions are met. Other income can be taxed at the standard rate, and an annual return is still required.

How much does a maritime accountant cost in Dubai?

One fixed price, agreed in advance and set by your monthly transaction volume, with Zero Penalty Assurance in writing. Send us your approximate monthly transaction count and we reply with the price.

Related reading

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• Accounting Firms in Dubai: How They Price and What You Should Pay
• Zero Penalty Assurance: How It Works, Cut-Offs, Who Pays
• FTA Approved Accounting Software in the UAE: What It Means