Yacht Registration

The Malta Shipping Registry is now the largest superyachts register in the world, with 850 yachts over 24 meters registered in Malta. Transport Malta, the administrator of the Malta Shipping Registry, continues to build a world class yachting registry drawing on its vast experience, confidence and international reputation. By way of an overview of yacht registration in Malta, a yacht may be registered in Malta in the name of a foreign legal entity or a Maltese shipping organization. British, EEA and Swiss citizens are also eligible to register yachts in Malta. whenever yachts are registered in Malta in the name of a foreign legal entity or eligible foreign residents, the registered owner must appoint a resident agent in Malta. The primary role of the resident agent is to act as a channel of communication between the owners and/or managers and the Malta Flag as well as to sign documents for the registration of yachts and maintenance of her registration in Malta. 

The registration procedure follows the British model. A yacht is first registered in Malta on a provisional basis which is valid for a period of six months extendable further by up to one year.
Provisional registration entitles the owner to use his yacht and hoist the Malta Flag. The registration procedure is straightforward provided the correct administrative procedures are followed with the Administration and the documentation is in good order. The yacht need not physically visit Malta for registration purposes. Government appointed surveyors as well as Recognized Organizations may be authorized to survey and inspect a yacht located in a foreign port as well as to issue the relative survey certification on behalf of the Malta Flag. A provisional certificate of Malta registry is issued in Malta upon the provisional registration.

A yacht may be registered in Malta on a commercial, or non-commercial basis for private use. 

The Commercial Yacht Code was developed in line with international regulations and other industry standards and caters for both small yachts and superyachts. The Code has been proving very
successful with leading IACS Class Societies and major yacht and superyacht builders alike, with the number of commercial yachts certified in compliance with the Malta Code increasing considerably during the past years. The concept behind the Malta Commercial Yacht Code is to offer a proposition to those owners and superyacht operators who require very specific interpretation to their design, operational and safety requirements within the framework of international regulation. The Malta Flag offers yacht owners and builders comprehensive support during the build process to ensure compliance from the very early design stages through to completion. 

A commercially registered yacht is considered to be a yacht, of 15 metres in length or more, which do not carry cargo, carries not more than 12 passengers and operated by the owner or body corporate owning the yacht for commercial use.

The following classes of yachts will be considered for commercial registration:

Yachts in commercial use of not less than 15 metres in length and not more than 24 metres.

  • Superyachts in commercial use of more than 24 metres in length and less than 500 gross tonnes.
  • Superyachts in commercial use of more than 24 metres in length and 500 gross tonnes and over. 

Commercial Yachts certified in accordance with the Commercial Yacht Code may be granted one of three Navigation Notations as follows: (a) Navigation within 60 miles from a safehaven (Short Range), or (b) Navigation within 150 miles from a safehaven or (c) Unrestricted Navigation. Different certification and manning requirements apply depending on the Navigation Notation assigned to the particular yacht upon her registration in Malta. Upon satisfactory review of the survey reports and related documentation, the yacht will  be issued with a 5 year validity COC. The COC will clearly indicate the yacht’s operational range and maximum number of passengers and is issued only by the Malta Flag.

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