HTS Chapter 89: Ships, boats and floating structures
HTS Chapter 89 covers Ships, boats and floating structures. Browse 5 published headings, then narrow to the active product line that matches the goods.
2026 HTS Rev 19 Synced Rules verified Operational
Written to help non-specialists understand this page. Rates, dates, and legal facts come from the official records above and on the linked source.
HTS Chapter 89 covers ships, boats, and certain other floating structures. It includes vessels used to transport people or goods, pleasure and sports craft, specialized vessels such as dredgers and floating cranes, warships and lifeboats, and structures such as rafts, floating tanks, cofferdams, landing-stages, buoys, and beacons. The correct heading usually depends on the vessel’s design, principal function, and whether it is navigable—not simply on its material or marketing name.
The HTS is organized from broad to specific: chapter, heading, subheading, and the complete 10-digit statistical reporting number. In Chapter 89, begin with the headings that describe the vessel’s primary purpose, such as transport, pleasure or sport, a specialized non-navigation function, or another type of vessel or floating structure. Then read the subheading text, legal notes, exclusions, and any unit-of-quantity instructions before selecting the 10-digit code. Classification can require technical specifications and customs-broker judgment, especially for unusual vessels, incomplete vessels, converted platforms, or equipment supplied with a vessel.
What to check
- Identify the article’s design, principal function, navigability, and status at import; do not classify it from its trade name alone.
- Compare the product with the heading and subheading descriptions, and apply the HTS General Rules of Interpretation and relevant section or chapter notes.
- Check whether the item is a vessel or floating structure itself, rather than a part, accessory, component, or separately imported equipment that may be classified elsewhere.
- Review exclusions and special provisions for categories such as pleasure craft, specialized vessels, lifeboats, warships, and floating platforms; obtain professional advice when the facts are ambiguous.
- After finding the 10-digit code, check current statistical notes, units of quantity, origin-based measures, and any applicable Chapter 99 provisions or additional duties before entry.
How to use this chapter
A chapter is the first classification level, not a duty rate. Choose the heading that describes the product, narrow by material, construction, use, or other legal distinctions, and verify the final line against the official HTS notes.
Heading list
| HTS code | Description | Linked 8-digit entries |
|---|---|---|
| 8901 | Cruise ships, excursion boats, ferry boats, cargo ships, barges and similar vessels for the transport of persons or goods: | 0 |
| 8903 | Yachts and other vessels for pleasure or sports; row boats and canoes: | 8 |
| 8905 | Light-vessels, fire-floats, dredgers, floating cranes, and other vessels the navigability of which is subsidiary to their main function; floating docks; floating or submersible drilling or production platforms: | 0 |
| 8906 | Other vessels, including warships and lifeboats other than row boats: | 1 |
| 8907 | Other floating structures (for example, rafts, tanks, cofferdams, landing-stages, buoys and beacons): | 1 |
Linked measures
0 linked measure entries in the current snapshot.
Questions about HTS Chapter 89
What does HTS Chapter 89 cover?
HTS Chapter 89 covers Ships, boats and floating structures. This page groups the chapter’s 4-digit headings; a shipment still needs the most specific active 8- or 10-digit line supported by the product facts.
Is HTS Chapter 89 a final product classification?
No. A chapter is a broad 2-digit category. Narrow it to the applicable heading and the most specific active statistical line before estimating duty or filing an entry.