Cyprus is a major international shipping centre because the island offers considerable incentives. As a result, many international shipping companies are urged to establish their operations in Cyprus. In this article, I present the basic information concerning ship registration procedures in Cyprus. Generally, the Policy and procedures for ship registration intend to facilitate the achievement of safe, secure and efficient shipping.
Eligibility
Ships and vessels of any type or size, except 중국배대지 for those listed below, may be registered in the Register of Cyprus Ships or the Special Book of Parallel Registration, given that they satisfy age-related and type-related requirements.
Ships and vessels that are NOT qualified for registration:
- At the time of the application for their registration, are banned on port State control by a country member of any one of the Memoranda of Understanding on port State control, from entering the ports of the Countries party to that memorandum or that have been disqualified by a State from entering its ports;
- Have been detained on port State control grounds on more than three times within two years period before the submission of application for registration by States of the Paris or the Tokyo or the Mediterranean Memoranda of Understanding on port State control or by the US Coast Guard;
- Have been constructed exclusively for the use on inland navigation or that are to be utilized exclusively on inland navigation, i.e. internal waters, rivers, inland waterways, canals, natural or artificial lakes, water reservoir or dams.
Types of Registration:
There are three types of ship registration: provisional, permanent and parallel registration.
A1. Provisional Registration:
Many ship owners choose the option of provisional registration because it will provide them with the necessary time frame to proceed with the administrative procedures for permanent registration. A local lawyer must pursue the application for registration of a ship under the Cyprus flag. Moreover, the Registrar of Ships accepts applications on behalf of companies under formation. Nonetheless, the company should be incorporated before the registration of the ship.
A vessel could be provisionally registered under the Cyprus flag in Limassol by the Registrar of Cyprus Ships, or at any diplomatic mission or consulate of the Republic of Cyprus abroad that will proceed in accordance with the instructions issued by the Registrar of Cyprus Ships. During the provisional registration under the Cyprus flag, the vessel must be at a port to be surveyed and certified on behalf of the Cyprus government. However, the presence of the ship at the port or place where the provisional registration will be held is not obligatory.
In case the provisional registration is held at a diplomatic mission or consulate of Cyprus abroad, some of the documents can be submitted there based on the Registrar’s written instructions. Following the receipt of the necessary documentation, the Registrar or the consular officer of the Republic of Cyprus may proceed with the provisional registration of the ship.