Offshore Only: Yacht, Catamaran & Ship Registration Under The Seychelles Flag

Seychelles is an offshore only center if you own the vessel via a Seychelles IBC company.

Seychelles Boat Registrations

A. Eligibility

B. Advantages of Registering a vessel under Seychelles Flag

C. Recognized Classification Societies

D. Procedures for Provisional Registration

E. Particulars for Provisional Registration

F. Registration Forms

G. Permanent Registration

H. Statutory Certificates

A. Eligibility

Vessels eligible for the registration under the Seychelles flag must be wholly owned by:

• Either a Seychelles citizen or
• A Seychelles Body Corporate established either as an offshore only  International Business Company (IBC) with the Seychelles International Business Authority (SIBA), or as a Domestic company with the Registrar of Companies.

As a rule, to safeguard the image of the Seychelles and to prevent substandard ships from entering the Seychelles Register, a policy has been adopted that the ship must be not older than 15 years.

However, if the vessel is older than that age limit, usually an absolute limit of 25 years, the vessel will be considered to be able to register if the vessel owner can produce necessary builders certificates and documentation that proves that the ship has been serviced, repaired and maintained according to international standards.

A ship is usually registered for an initial period of 90 days, extendable for another 90 days. Once all documents have been submitted and all requirements met, as will be described below, the ship can be provisionally registered. During this period the vessel owner may wish to permanently register the vessel via a Seychelles offshore only company.

No other fees will have to be paid if such registration is done in the 90-day period that the vessel is registered provisionally. Only annual fees are then payable.

B. Recognized Classification Societies

The present recognized and authorized Classification societies by the Seychelles Ship Registrar are listed below:

• Lloyd's register of Shipping (UK)
• Bureau Veritas (France)
• Nippon Kaiji Ryokai (Japan)
• Det Norske Veritas (Norway)
• America Bureau of Shipping (USA)
• Germanischer Lloyd (Germany
 

C. Advantages of Registering a vessel under Seychelles Flag

D. Procedures for Provisional Registration
 

• If the ship is registered under a  body corporate, a certified copy of the Certificate of Incorporation is required. Such incorporation can either be done as an offshore only  IBC or as a domestic company from whom the necessary documents can be procured.

• The vessel owners, or companies managing the vessel will represent additional information that is required by the Ship Registrar in the various forms that have to be filled out

 
E. Particulars Required for Provisional Registration

• Application for  Registration of Ship as a Seychelles Ship, official number and call sign.

• A certificate signed by the builder of the ship and containing:

    i) a description of the ship;

    ii) the estimated tonnage of the ship;

    iii) the date and place of construction of the ship; and

    iv) the name of the person, if any, on whose account the ship was built

• Where the vessel has been registered under the law of a foreign country, a Certificate of Deletion as evidence that registration in that country has ceased.

• Evidence that the applicant is the owner of the ship, through a Declaration of Ownership

• A list of not less than three alternative names, numbered and order of performance, under which the ship is proposed to be registered.

• Radio license, which requires to be approved by the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications, and which the Seychelles Licensing Authority licenses.

• Certificate of Incorporation if a  Seychelles Body Corporate, domestic or offshore only, owns the vessel.

F. The forms required for Provisional registration of the Vessel

1. Application for Registration of Ship as Seychelles Ship, Official Number and Call Sign.
2. Declaration of Ownership.
3. Application for a Telecoms/Radio License.
4. Application for activation of Maritime Mobile Earth Station.

Note: We will complete the application forms for you.

G. Permanent Registration

After the 90-day period, or after the expiry of the extension of the registration certificate, the vessel can be permanently registered at no extra cost. The vessel owner must submit the following statutory certificates and documents.

• Certificate of class
• Cargo ship safety equipment certificate
• Cargo ship safety construction certificate
• International oil pollution certificate
• Minimum safe manning certificate
• Load line certificate
• GMDSS safety radio certificate
• Declaration of transfer
• Bill of sale

There are different rates for the different weight classification for larger vessels. For yachts and catamarans the rates are fixed. Please fill in the box below so that we can contact you with more information.

H. Statutory Certificates

Once all the documents have been submitted and fees have been paid for provisional registration, the Ship registrar will issue the following certificates, depending on the type of vessel:

• Certificate of Provisional Registration
• International Tonnage Certificate (if Applicable)
• Minimum Safe Manning Certificate
• Ships carving and marking Note
• Change of Name Certificate (if applicable)
• Certificate of Parallel Registry (if applicable)
• Provisional Certificate of Registry
• International Load line Certificate (if applicable)
• International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate (if applicable)
• International Fishing Safety Certificate (if applicable)
• Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate (if applicable)
• Deletion Certificate (if applicable)

An IBC company acts as your offshore only solution for the ownership of your vessel in a country where no government levies apply.

Are you looking for more information on living abroad in a offshore haven, or retiring early because of savings offshore? Or are you an expat looking for ways to build your wealth?

Or if you want more specific information to register your yacht, catamaran or ship,please fill in the form below and send it to us.

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