|
Gonzi & Associates Advocates are geared to assist you throughout all registration formalities and offer tailor made solutions for all your needs with regards to registering any ship or vessel, be it pleasure yacht or oil tankers, cruise ships or oil rigs, under one of the eight largest ship registers in the world, the Malta ship registry.
Requirements
All types of vessels may be registered, even if still under construction, provided that they are wholly owned by corporate bodies or entities irrespective or nationality or by EU citizens. As a rule trading ships of 25 years and over are not registered. For ships of 15 years an inspection by authorized inspectors is to be carried out before or within one month of provisional registration.
A vessel is first granted a provisional registration for a period of 6 months (with a possible further extension of another 6 months) during which period all documentation needs to be finalized. A certificate issued by the Malta registry is valid for 1 year and is subject to renewal on the anniversary of the Maltese registration.
Documents required
In order for a ship to be registered the following documents are to be submitted and finalised during the provisional registration period:
- In case of applicant being the first owner, a builder’s certificate in the name of the applicant;
- In case of previous ownership, any document to attest the transfer to the applicant;
- A cancellation of registry certificate by the competent authority (where applicable);
- In case of SOLAS ships, copy of the last updated Continuous Synopsis Record issued by the Administration where the ship was last documented;
- Certificate of Survey and a copy of the International Tonnage Certificate issued by an approved surveyor of ships;
- Evidence that the vessel has been marked in accordance to law.
Costs of registration
According to the Malta Merchant Shipping Act in order to register a ship a first fee on registration and an annual fee as specified are to be paid. The fees are listed hereunder:
|
A. The Fee on Registration and the annual fee for all ships
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Ship
|
Fee on Registration (€)
|
Annual
|
|
Basic Fee (€)
|
Tonnage Fee (€)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Ships less than 24 m length overall
|
|
|
|
Fishing vessels of category A, B and C
|
70
|
25
|
36
|
|
Commercial Yachts
|
115
|
105
|
175
|
| |
|
|
|
|
All other ships less than 24 m length overall
|
|
|
|
less than 50 gross tonnage
|
115
|
25
|
175
|
|
of 50 gross tonnage or more
|
105
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Ships of 24 m length overall or more
|
|
|
|
Pleasure Yachts
|
€0.23 per net tonnage subject to minimum of €172.50
|
220
|
€0.35 per net tonnage subject to minimum of €350
|
|
Commercial yachts which do not fall under *
|
Rates as appear in B
|
€590 for year of registration
|
Rates as appear in B
|
|
€1060 thereafter
|
|
* Non-propelled barges, bareboat charter registered in a foreign country, laid up or under construction
|
Rates as appear in B subject to reduction as appear in C
|
115
|
Rates as appear in B subject to reduction as appear in C
|
|
Commercial vessels and fishing vessels less than 2500 gross tonnage not mentioned above
|
220
|
|
Ships less than 300 gross tonnage
|
Rates as appear in B subject to reduction as appear in C
|
€335 for year of registration
|
Rates as appear in B subject to reduction as appear in C
|
|
€805 thereafter
|
|
Ships of 300 gross tonnage
|
€590 for year of registration
|
|
€1060 thereafter
|
|
B. Rates per net tonnage payable on registration and annual tonnage tax when referred to in A
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Ship of Net Tonnage (NT)
|
Fee on Registration
|
Annual Tonnage Tax
|
|
|
Exceeding
|
Not Exceeding
|
|
|
0
|
2,500
|
€ 575
|
€ 875
|
|
|
2,500
|
8,000
|
€575 plus €0.23 for every NT in excess of 2,500 NT
|
€ 875 plus €0.35 for every NT in excess of 2,500 NT
|
|
|
8,000
|
10,000
|
€1,840 plus €0.07 for every NT in excess of 8,000 NT
|
€2,800 plus €0.19 for every NT in excess of 8,000 NT
|
|
|
10,000
|
15,000
|
€1,980 plus €0.07 for every NT in excess of 10,000 NT
|
€3,180 plus €0.14 for every NT in excess of 10,000 NT
|
|
|
15,000
|
20,000
|
€2,330 plus €0.07 for every NT in excess of 15,000 NT
|
€3,880 plus €0.12 for every NT in excess of 15,000 NT
|
|
|
20,000
|
30,000
|
€2,680 plus €0.07 for every NT in excess of 20,000 NT
|
€4,480 plus €0.09 for every NT in excess of 20,000 NT
|
|
|
30,000
|
50,000
|
€ 3,380 plus €0.07 for every NT in excess of 30,000 NT
|
€5,380 plus €0.07 for every NT in excess of 30,000 NT
|
|
|
Exceeding 50,000
|
€4,780 plus €0.07 for every NT in excess of 50,000 NT
|
€6,780 plus €0.05 for every NT in excess of 50,000 NT
|
|
|
C. Reduction or increase on the rates per net tonnage on registration and annual tonnage tax, when referred to in A
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Age of Ship
|
Reduction on Fee on Registration %
|
Reduction or Increase on Annual Tonnage Tax %
|
|
|
Equal or exceeding
|
Less than
|
|
|
Years
|
|
|
0
|
5
|
50
|
-30
|
|
|
5
|
10
|
25
|
-15
|
|
|
10
|
15
|
-
|
-
|
|
|
15
|
20
|
-
|
5
|
|
|
20
|
25
|
-
|
10
|
Subject to minimum increase of €1,164.69
|
|
25
|
30
|
-
|
25
|
|
Equal or exceeding to 30
|
-
|
50
|
|