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Compliance
USDA ship stores rules for beef
What paperwork beef needs when it goes aboard a ship at a US port, and how Beef2Ship handles it on every order.
| Requirement | When it applies | How we handle it |
|---|---|---|
| FSIS Form 9060-5, marked "Ship Stores" | Beef delivered to foreign-flag vessels | Prepared with each foreign-flag order |
| Destination requirements | Some countries set their own rules for ship stores; Korea, for example, requires its regular import certificates | We check the vessel's next ports in the FSIS Export Library before shipping |
| USDA mark of inspection | All beef | We buy only from federally inspected plants |
| TWIC card | Unescorted access to secure areas of port terminals and vessels | Our drivers carry TWIC cards and register with each terminal |
| Cold chain records | Every delivery | Data loggers in storage and in the truck; a temperature photo on the signed receipt |
| Halal and kosher certification | Certified ranges | Sealed packer cases, stored apart, certificate on file for every lot |
| Customs bond | Not needed for beef; applies only to duty-free alcohol and tobacco | No action needed |
Foreign-flag and US-flag vessels
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service treats beef delivered to a foreign-flag ship as an export. In most cases, the export certificate of wholesomeness, FSIS Form 9060-5, marked "Ship Stores", is all the vessel needs.
Some destinations are stricter. Korea, for example, requires ship stores to carry the same export certificates it requires for regular imports. Before every foreign-flag order, we check the vessel's next ports in the FSIS Export Library.
US-flag vessels in domestic service, such as tugs, barges and offshore supply boats, need no export certificate.
Terminal access
Anyone entering secure areas of a port terminal or vessel without an escort needs a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). Our drivers carry TWIC cards and register in advance with each terminal's gate system, so deliveries don't stall at the gate.
This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Rules change; see FSIS export guidance for the current requirements.
Questions
Ship stores FAQ
Is beef for a foreign ship an export?
Yes. USDA FSIS treats meat delivered to a foreign-flag vessel as an export. It normally travels on an FSIS export certificate of wholesomeness (Form 9060-5) marked "Ship Stores".
Do US-flag vessels need a certificate?
No export certificate is needed for US-flag vessels in domestic service, such as tugs, barges and supply boats.
Do I need a customs bond to buy beef as ship stores?
No. Customs bonds and bonded warehouses apply to duty-free items such as alcohol and tobacco, not to beef.
Send us your beef order
Quotes in kg or lb with IMPA codes. Tell us the vessel, the port and the ETA.
Standards on every order
- USDA-inspected beefFederally inspected plants only
- KosherCertified packers, sealed cases
- HalalCertified packers, sealed cases
- FSIS certificatesExport and ship-stores paperwork
- Logged cold chainTemperature photo on every receipt
- IMPA-codedQuotes match the requisition
- TWIC driversUnescorted terminal access
- Mexico-readyExport papers for SENASICA
- Panama CanalDelivery by launch at anchor
- Cruise linesPalletized for turnaround day
Kosher and halal certification comes from our packers; we sell their certified product in sealed cases. Badges are descriptive, not third-party marks.