Pitcairn: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 0 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Pitcairn.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Pitcairn in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Pitcairn may still be on a list.

Check a shipment to Pitcairn →

On the sanctions lists

No entry on the 7 lists Sanctioni screens names Pitcairn.

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Pitcairn recorded yet.

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Logistics profile

Pitcairn: logistics and trade

Remote small island territory; supplied by chartered ship

The Pitcairn Islands (ISO code: PN) are a British Overseas Territory in the South Pacific comprising Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno; only Pitcairn is inhabited. Its roughly fifty residents are mostly descendants of the HMAV Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. The main settlement is Adamstown above Bounty Bay, while part of the administration sits in Auckland, New Zealand, around 5,300 km away. The climate is tropical-maritime. The economy rests on subsistence farming, beekeeping (honey), fishing, handicrafts and limited tourism; significant revenue comes from UK budgetary aid, .pn domain registrations and postage stamps. Logistically it is one of the most remote places on earth: there is neither an airport nor a deep-water port. Supplies arrive via the chartered MV Silver Supporter from Tauranga (New Zealand) and through Mangareva in French Polynesia, with cargo and passengers landed by longboat at Bounty Bay. There is no VAT and no income tax. The national currency is the New Zealand Dollar (NZD).

Capital: Adamstown
Population: 50
Area: 47 km²
Currency: New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
Continent: Oceania
Region: Polynesia / Pacific
Economic area: British Overseas Territory (no customs union)
Religions: Christianity
Access to the sea: Yes

Current situation: Status 2025/2026: MV Silver Supporter operates between Mangareva and Pitcairn, with quarterly cargo voyages from Tauranga (NZ). Travel via Tahiti-Mangareva plus ship.
Seasonal conditions: Tropical maritime climate; occasional cyclones and heavy swell can prevent longboat landing in Bounty Bay and delay supplies.

Road corridors

Unpaved island tracks, including The Hill of Difficulty (Bounty Bay - Adamstown)

Main trade lanes

Pitcairn - Mangareva (French Polynesia)
Pitcairn - Tauranga / New Zealand
Pitcairn - worldwide (honey, handicrafts, .pn domains, stamps)

Customs and import

Customs authority Pitcairn Islands Government (import and biosecurity control via the island administration)Official website ↗

Import customs system: No electronic customs system. Goods arrive by chartered ship MV Silver Supporter from Tauranga (NZ) or via Mangareva (French Polynesia); manual clearance by the island administration.
Export customs system: Small exports (honey, handicrafts, souvenir stamps) by MV Silver Supporter towards New Zealand; manual processing by the island administration.
Import VAT: No VAT and no income, capital or corporate tax. Revenue mainly from UK budget aid, landing fees, .pn domains, philately, and sales of honey and handicrafts.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: No own free trade network and not part of the UK customs territory. Origin of goods depends on the supplying country, usually New Zealand or French Polynesia.
Restricted and prohibited goods: Strict biosecurity (Biosecurity Ordinance 2024): import of bees, honey, plants and animals heavily regulated or prohibited. Weapons and alcohol require a permit (Sale and Use of Liquor Ordinance).

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Transport document (B/L supply ship)
Biosecurity clearance (Biosecurity Ordinance)
If applicable, import permit (weapons, alcohol)

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Transport document (B/L supply ship)
If applicable, certificate of origin of the supplying country

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium
Port congestion: Low
Dangerous goods relevance: Low
Pharma and cold chain relevance: Low
E-commerce relevance: Low

Trade

Top import partners

New Zealand Australia

Top export partners

New Zealand

Top import goods

Food
Fuels
Consumer goods

Top export goods

Honey
Handicrafts

Typical cargo

Food (import)
Fuel (import)
Construction and consumer goods (import)
Honey (export)
Handicrafts and souvenirs (export)

Logistics questions

Are there customs duties or VAT in the Pitcairn Islands?

The Pitcairn Islands levy no VAT and no income tax. Imports are checked manually by the island administration; the focus is on biosecurity and permit requirements rather than a classic customs tariff system.

How do goods reach the Pitcairn Islands?

Via the chartered vessel MV Silver Supporter: it sails quarterly with cargo from Tauranga (New Zealand) and shuttles between Mangareva (French Polynesia) and Pitcairn in between. There is no airport and no port.

Why is there no port?

Pitcairn is a steep volcanic rock without a natural deep-water harbour. Ships anchor offshore; cargo and passengers are brought into Bounty Bay by traditional longboats. In heavy swell, landing is not possible.

Which currency is used in the Pitcairn Islands?

The legal tender is the New Zealand Dollar (NZD).

What do the Pitcairn Islands export?

The main exports are honey (PIPCO) and handicrafts. Further income comes from the sale of postage stamps and the registration of .pn domain names.

Which import restrictions matter most?

The Biosecurity Ordinance 2024 strictly regulates or bans the import of plants, animals, bees and honey. Weapons and alcohol require a permit. The aim is to protect the fragile island ecosystem.

How do you travel to the Pitcairn Islands?

By air from Tahiti to Mangareva (Gambier Islands), then about 32 hours aboard the MV Silver Supporter to Pitcairn. Visitors need a licence; a visa fee of NZD 300 per person applies.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗