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Promote:Marshall Islands

Export from the Marshall Islands

A short guide for companies selling from the Marshall Islands: the export figures, the agreements and their limits, the main steps and who can help, each with its source.

1. What the Marshall Islands sells, and who buys it

Top goods exports

2025

  1. 1. Wooden building joinery (HS 4418)US$2.14 million
  2. 2. X-ray and radiation apparatus (HS 9022)US$2.1 million
  3. 3. Dried beans and peas (HS 0713)US$2.07 million
  4. 4. Live fish (HS 0301)US$1.6 million
  5. 5. Passenger cars (HS 8703)US$1.31 million
  6. 6. Wheat flour (HS 1101)US$1.18 million
  7. 7. Aircraft parts (HS 8807)US$1.06 million
  8. 8. Engine parts (HS 8409)US$848,645
Show 12 more products
  1. 9. Halogenated hydrocarbons (HS 2903)US$819,446
  2. 10. Sunflower and cottonseed oil (HS 1512)US$811,000
  3. 11. Harvesting machinery (HS 8433)US$697,810
  4. 12. Transmission shafts and gears (HS 8483)US$693,102
  5. 13. Computers (HS 8471)US$595,526
  6. 14. Trucks (HS 8704)US$581,206
  7. 15. Iron and steel scrap (HS 7204)US$505,889
  8. 16. Copper scrap (HS 7404)US$495,894
  9. 17. Warp-knit fabrics (HS 6005)US$492,496
  10. 18. Valves and taps (HS 8481)US$480,526
  11. 19. Pasta (HS 1902)US$454,012
  12. 20. Stainless steel wire (HS 7223)US$399,114
  • Partners reported US$1,368,799,979 in 2025: ships 73.0 percent, fuels 17.0 percent, unspecified goods (chapter 99) 1.9 percent and fish 5.9 percent; all are excluded from the total shown. Source⁠ (opens in a new tab)
  • Most listed lines are reported by one or two importing countries and may be returned goods or re-exports, not Marshallese production. Source⁠ (opens in a new tab)
  • The Marine Resources Authority says it exports fish to the United States, Thailand and Taiwan, but no national source values its own fish exports, so partners' fish lines stay out. Source⁠ (opens in a new tab)

Source: UN Comtrade, partners' imports from Marshall Islands by product, 2025⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025

Where the goods go

2025, share of goods exports

  • Philippines34.4%
  • Seychelles8.9%
  • Cyprus6.9%
  • South Korea6.7%
  • Germany6.3%
  • Denmark5.9%
  • Ghana5.1%
  • Angola3.9%
  • Reported by the buying countries as imports, valued by each importing country (CIF or FOB, as each reports it), not at export. Source⁠ (opens in a new tab)
  • In 2025 ships were over 98 percent of the Philippines', Seychelles', Cyprus', Germany's and Denmark's reports, fuels of Ghana's, Angola's and Rwanda's, and fish 93.0 percent of Thailand's. Source⁠ (opens in a new tab)
  • Destination shares are of partners' full reported total of US$1,368,799,979, not of the merchandise total shown. Source⁠ (opens in a new tab)
  • The 2025 ranking uses 78 reporting countries and the 2024 total uses 84; Pakistan reported US$47,143,037 in 2024 and nothing in 2025. Source⁠ (opens in a new tab)

Source: UN Comtrade, partners' imports from Marshall Islands by destination, 2025⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025

2. What to look into next

Our reading

Promote:Global’s reading of the figures above, not a source’s statement, and not advice.

3. Trade agreements

What each arrangement can mean for a seller, and its limits. A preference is conditional: check the rules of origin before you quote.

  • Compact of Free Association, as amended, between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands

    Section 242 exempts articles from the Marshall Islands from United States duty, subject to listed exclusions and the Trade Act's origin limits.

    As of 2026-11-01, United States tariff actions since 2025 are not confirmed here; check current treatment with United States customs before you quote.

    Source: Public Law 108-188, Compact of Free Association, Article IV⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of December 17, 2003

  • South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (SPARTECA)

    Australia applies preferential customs duty to goods made in Forum Island Countries, and the Marshall Islands is a listed party.

    Rules-based preference, not unconditional market access; confirm the rules of origin with Australian customs before you claim it.

    Source: Australian Border Force, SPARTECA parties, read November 2026⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026

  • Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus)

    The Marshall Islands is not among the parties the Implementation Unit lists, so a seller cannot claim its tariff cuts.

    A state can join later, so check the parties list again before you quote.

    Source: PACER Plus Implementation Unit, parties list, 2026⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of July 31, 2026

  • Generalised Scheme of Tariff Preferences (European Union)

    Annex I of Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 lists the Marshall Islands as an eligible country, but no arrangement applies, so no preference can be claimed.

    Regulation (EU) 2026/1395 also lists it with no arrangement; check its status again before you quote.

    Source: European Union, generalised preferences Regulation 978/2012, version January 2025⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of January 1, 2025

Show 2 more agreements

4. Steps to export

The main steps, in order, each with the body responsible and its official page.

Exporting from the Marshall Islands

  1. Apply for a Taxpayer Identification Number within 15 days of starting to trade.Division of Customs, Treasury, Revenue and TaxationWithin 15 daysOfficial page⁠ (opens in a new tab)

    Source: Nitijela, Tax Administration Act 2025⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of October 7, 2025

  2. If you export fish, apply for a Fish Export License before you ship.Marshall Islands Marine Resources AuthorityUS$100 application fee; valid 12 monthsOfficial page⁠ (opens in a new tab)

    Source: MIMRA, Fish Harvest Regulations 2020⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of 2020

  3. Have your fish health certificate and product validated before export.Marshall Islands Marine Resources AuthorityOfficial page⁠ (opens in a new tab)

    Source: MIMRA, Competent Authority staff terms of reference⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026

  4. Complete an export declaration form that names the contents and destination of the shipment.Division of Customs, Treasury, Revenue and TaxationOfficial page⁠ (opens in a new tab)

    Source: OCIT, National Investment Policy Statement, July 2023⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026

Show 1 more export step
  1. If you are registered for consumption tax, keep the documents that support zero-rating your export.Division of Customs, Treasury, Revenue and TaxationRegistration threshold US$300,000 a yearOfficial page⁠ (opens in a new tab)

    Source: Nitijela, Consumption Tax Act 2025⁠ (opens in a new tab) · as of October 7, 2025

5. Organizations that help exporters

Start with MoFBPS and EPPSO. Each card links to the organization’s own site.

Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets

  • This guide lists every national body found with evidence dated 2025 or later; fewer than twelve qualify, and each of the five needs has one. Source⁠ (opens in a new tab)

Export development and market information

Show 2 more organizations

Customs and tax

Standards and sector requirements

Chambers and industry associations

6. Worth knowing

7. How Promote:Global helps

  • Compare potential export marketsSee which markets import what you sell, ranked on public trade data, and read each country before you commit.
  • Check duties and document requirementsCheck the duty, the origin conditions for a preferential rate and the documents a shipment needs.
  • Find advisors and service firmsAsk an advisory firm a scoped, paid question, or browse firms that list their own services, from legal work to logistics.
  • Organize your next stepsKeep each product and market in a project, with a roadmap of steps you work through.

Turn this guide into your Marshall Islands project.

Use Promote:Global to explore markets, understand requirements and organize your next steps.

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Promote:Marshall Islands is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.

Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of November 1, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.