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The Virgin
Islands Shipping
Registry is
classified as a
Category 1
registry under
the UK Red
Ensign Group of
registries,
however its
status is
limited to
General Cargo
Ships. The types
of vessels that
can be
registered
include:
-
General
cargo
ships
of
unlimited
tonnage;
and
-
Yachts
of
up
to
3000
gross
tons;
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In addition,
vessels
previously
covered under
the previous
Category 2
status which
includes,
recreational
craft and yachts
of up to 400
gross tons
(about 45m in
length), Cargo
and commercial
craft of up to
150 gross tons
(roughly 24m in
length); and
Domestic
passenger ships
on domestic
voyages are
still covered.
We stand ready
to assist you
with the entire
ship
registration
process. However
standard due
diligence
procedures
apply. If you do
not have a
pre-existing
relationship
with CCP you
will be required
to complete and
submit your
information for
verification
before we can
provide services
to you. The
applicable due
diligence form
can be found
here.
Step by step
guidelines for
application to
register under
the BVI Merchant
Shipping - Act
2001
1.1 There must
be an
application to
the Registrar of
Shipping for
registration of
all vessels.
Applicants may
use the
prescribed Forms
which can be
obtained from
the Registry.
Copies of the
forms used most
frequently are
also located on
our website.
The complete
listing of forms
can be accessed
and downloaded
here.
2.0 SHIP
NAME – APPROVAL
2.1 The name of
the vessel must
be officially
approved. The
appropriate form
(SR101-01),
obtainable from
the Registrar,
is to be
completed and
returned. This
ensures no
duplication/confusion
of names on the
Register. A copy
of the for
3.0
SURVEYS:
PRE-REGISTRATION
CERTIFICATE OF
SURVEY/TONNAGE
CERTIFICATE
3.1 The vessel
must be surveyed
and measured to
obtain details
of size, and
other
descriptive
particulars
necessary for
the registration
of British Ships
under the
Merchant
Shipping Acts.
This is carried
out by a
Surveyor of one
of the approved
Classification
Societies (see
paragraph 10),
or a Surveyor
appointed or
authorized by
the Registry.
The Surveyor
issues a
Certificate of
Survey and a
Tonnage
Certificate
(British or
International).
A simplified
procedure
whereby a
combined
Certificate of
Survey/Tonnage
Measurement is
issued, is
applicable to
vessels of under
24 Meters, in
Load Line
Length.
3.2 In the case
of pleasure
vessels, the
owner must
ensure that the
vessel is
equipped in
accordance with
the Safety
Matrix. The
owner or master
completes
relevant parts
the Safety
Matrix and
forwards a copy
to the Registry.
3.3 Additional
Survey
requirements for
safety etc, in
respect of
Commercial
Vessels are
summarized in
paragraph 10 of
this document.
4.0
OWNERSHIP -
QUALIFIED
CATEGORIES:
INDIVIDUAL OR
BODY CORPORATE
4.1 Citizens of
and, Bodies
Corporate
registered in
the BVI or, any
of the following
countries, are
qualified to own
a Virgin Islands
vessel:
-
United
Kingdom
and
its
Crown
Dependencies
and
Overseas
Territories.
-
Nationals
of
and
bodies
corporate
incorporated
in;
-
Member
State
of
the
European
Community
(EC)
or
European
Economic
Area
(EEA).
Overseas
Territories
of
the
Members
of
EC
or
EEA.
(Bodies
corporate
must
have
a
place
of
business
in
such
MemberState
or
OverseasTerritory)
-
Bodies
corporate
incorporated
in a
MemberState
of
the
Caribbean
Community
(CARICOM)
or
the
Organization
of
Eastern
Caribbean
States
(OECS)
(and
registered
in
the
BVI)
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4.2 A Body
Corporate must
submit a valid
Certificate of
Incorporation
issued by the
respective
Registrar of
Companies.
Individuals must
provide
certified proof
of nationality
(Passport etc.)
5.0
TITLE: EVIDENCE
OF OWNERSHIP
5.1 The Owner(s)
must produce
satisfactory
evidence of
title to
ownership in the
form of:
-
Builder's
Certificate;
with
descriptive
details
of
the
vessel,
showing
quite
clearly
the
full
name(s)
and
address
of
the
person(s)
or
body
corporate
on
whose
account
the
vessel
has
been
built
and/or,
-
Document
/Bill
of
Sale
or
Transfer
(prior
to
registry)
if
the
vessel
has
passed
through
more
than
one
owner's
hand
before
registry.
Forms
for
Bill
of
Sale
can
be
obtained
from
the
Registrar
of
Shipping
in
the
Virgin
Islands
or
at
any
British
Registry
of
Ships.
-
In
case
of
vessels
condemned
by a
competent
court,
a
Bill
of
Sale
given
by
the
Admiralty
Marshall
or
such
other
competent
person
may
be
accepted
as
foundation
of
title.
-
With
the
documents
produced
as
evidence
of
title
to
ownership,
every
owner
is
required
to
make
a
Declaration
of
Eligibility.
Such
declaration
can
only
be
made
after
the
vessel
has
been
acquired
by
the
applicant.
Therefore,
the
date
must
not
precede
the
date
in
the
Builders
Certificate
or
the
Bill
of
Sale.
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A
form
entitled
“Appointment
of
Authorized
Officer”
(SR101-03)
which
enables
naming
of
an
Individual
to
sign
Declaration
of
Eligibility
etc.,
is
required
in
respect
of
Body
Corporate.
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Bodies
Corporate
or
Individuals
not
resident
in
the
BVI
are
required
to
appoint
a
company,
or
individual
residing
in
BVI
as
its
Representative.
This
facilitates
ready
correspondence
between
the
Registry
and
the
vessel's
owner.
-
Pursuant
to
our
“Know
Your
Customer”
principles,
a
form
entitled
‘Undertaking
to
Act
as
Representative
Person’
(RP),
to
be
completed
by
the
RP
and
submitted
with
every
application.
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5.2 The various
types of forms
for Declaration
of Eligibility,
Appointment of
Authorized
Officer,
Appointment of
BVI Resident
Representative
Person and
undertaking by
RP are
obtainable from
the Registrar of
Shipping in the
VISR.
6.0
OFFICIAL NUMBER
6.1 When all
required
documents are
provided, and
found to be in
order, the
vessel is given
an Official
Number, by which
it may be known
and recognized
irrespective of
its name and
other
description.
6.2 Official
Number may in
certain
circumstances be
issued upon
submission of
duly completed
and satisfactory
Certificate of
Survey. This
will facilitate
marking of the
boat at the same
time as other
papers are being
processed.
7.0
CARVING AND
MARKING NOTE
7.1 When the
Registrar is
satisfied that
the vessel is
eligible to be
registered, a
Carving and
Marking Note is
issued. It shows
the vessel's
Name, Port of
Registry,
Official Number
and Registered
Tonnage which
are to be carved
/marked on the
vessel and
contains
relevant
instruction for
doing so.
7.2 The Port of
Registry for
Virgin Islands
Ships is
“RoadHarbour”
8.0
CERTIFICATE OF
REGISTRY
8.1 When the
Carving and
Marking Note is
returned and the
fees have been
paid, the vessel
is formally
registered and a
Certificate of
British Registry
issued. It
contains details
about the ship
and its Owners.
8.2 Certificate
of British
Registry may be
issued within 24
hours of
receiving the
certified Caring
and Marking
Note.
8.3 This
Certificate only
establishes the
vessel's
Nationality,
Owner(s),
Description and
Tonnage. It does
not prove
Ownership or
show mortgages,
liens or any
encumbrances.
These may be
obtained from
the Registrar,
in the form of a
Transcript of
the Register,
upon payment of
the prescribed
fee.
8.4 In
circumstances
where relevant
documents have
been received to
the satisfaction
of the
Registrar, and a
Carving and
Marking Note has
been issued, a
‘Provisional
Certificate of
British
Registry’ may be
issued.
9.0 FEES
9.1 Fees for
Registry
services must be
paid before a
Certificate of
British
Registry, or a
Transcript of
the Register is
issued. Other
services such
as, issue of a
Provisional
Certificate of
Registry,
Recording of
Mortgage Intent,
Registration of
Mortgages,
Transfer or
Discharge of
Mortgages,
Change
(Transfer) of
Ownerships,
Change of Name
are available
upon request;
depending on
satisfactory
documentation
and payment of
prescribed fee.
The payment
should accompany
all
applications.
Cheques and
Money Orders
must be made
payable to
“Accountant
General” - BVI.
9.2 The Schedule
of Fees for
registration and
survey services
is obtainable
from the
Registry in
Tortola (BVI)
10.0
GENERAL
CONDITIONS
10.1 STATUTORY
SURVEYS
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All
commercial
vessels
are
subject
to
statutory
certification
and
must
be
surveyed
prior
to
acceptance
for
registration,
in
order
to
ensure
that
they
comply
with
the
provisions
of
the
applicable
International
Conventions,
Codes
and
legislation.
These
surveys
may
be
carried
out
by
surveyors
from
the
VISR
or
surveyors
appointed
by
an
authorized
Classification
Society.
Also,
surveyors
from
the
MCA
or
any
of
the
Red
Ensign
Group
Registries
may
be
engaged
if
necessary.
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The
following
seven
Classification
Societies
are
authorized
by
the
VISR
for
undertaking
statutory
surveys
on
behalf
of
the
British
Virgin
Islands:
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• American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
• Bureau of Veritas (BV)
• Det Norske Veritias (DNV)
• Germanischer Lloyds (GL)
• Lloyds Register of Shipping (LR)
• ClassNK (NK)
• Registro Italiano Navale (RINA) |
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Yachts
under
24
metres
(79
feet)
in
load
line
length,
engaged
in
commercial
use:
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• These vessels must hold a ‘Certificate of Compliance’ issued under the relevant MCA Code of Practice (Blue Code, Yellow Code or MGN 280) to operate as commercial vessels. The survey/examination necessary to issue such a certificate may be conducted by surveyors from VISR, Classification Societies or a Certifying Authorities approved by the MCA. Other surveyors may be appointed by the VISR, if required, on a case by case basis. |
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In
order
to
initiate
a
Statutory
Survey
an
application
must
be
made
to
VISR
in
writing.
On
receiving
the
application,
the
Chief
Marine
Surveyor
will
contact
the
Owner
or
his
representative
to
discuss
the
survey
procedures,
and
make
the
necessary
arrangements
to
carry
out
the
survey
and
issue
the
required
statutory
certificates.
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COSTS
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All
costs
connected
with
the
survey
and
certification
of a
vessel
are
for
owners
account.
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10.2
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
DOCUMENTS ETC.
Radio Station,
Radio Licence,
Call Sign, MMSI
Number and other
Ships Radio and
Telecommunication
Licenses /
Certificates
(Including
INMARSAT) are
regulated and
issued by the
Telecommunication
Regulatory
Commission of
the BVI.
10.3 Contact
details are
provided at the
end of the
documentWe stand
read
DOCUMENTS AND
FORMS
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the items to see
the document in
PDF format:
Ship
Registration
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