What is a ship's registry and why is it important?

Question

What is a ship's registry and why is it important?

Answer 1

just like a car registry, it identifies the ship and it';s owners to a country who's flag it can them fly, like getting a plate for a car from a state.

The importance is that:

each countries rules for crew pay and living conditions vary widely..cruise ships are registered in the Bahamas, for example, because the crew can then be paid a fraction of what a US ship wages would be.

Taxes also vary widely from country to country.

Most importantly: there are international regulations for equipment and safety gear which everyone is supposed to follow. Each country sets it's own inspections, and some countries are notorious for dong little or no safety inspections.

This saves money for the owners and puts the crew's and passengers lives in jeopardy and threatens the  environment when one of these rust buckets sinks.

Some nations....St Vincent and Equitorial Guinea as examples..... aren't even allowed in US waters without a THOROUGH inspection by the USCG which frequently gets the ship "arrested" until problems are solved.

Answer 2

The main reason for registering a ship has always been to prove its nationality.  By law, all commercial vessels sailing in International waters must be registered.  Exceptions are smaller commercial fishing vessels and charter services that do not call on International ports.

For Pleasure Vessels, the ships registry is optional... though many feel a need to do it for identification purposes, and in larger "yachts" where the value of the yacht itself is substantial... it is usually required by the mortgage or lienholder, and / or insurer.  

The vessel "registration" itself is used as the ships security to obtain a marine mortgage which in turn is also registered. Ownership details are fully investigated and purchasers of registered ships can obtain a "Transcript of Registry" which shows the registered owners of a ship and whether there are any outstanding Mortgages, or liens lodged against the vessel.

The bottom line is that "registering a vessel" is very much like having an "International Title and Title insurance" on the vessel... It provides proof of ownership and proof of a clear title.

For the average boater... even the average pleasure passage maker, most do not register their boats, it is not required, and there is not really any benefit.  Many boaters used to think it would give them exclusive rights to a boat name, and / or boat name protection... but is does not.  

So... if you are buying a boat, and getting a loan, and your bank does not require registration... you don't need to worry about it.  It is only important to commercial vessels and Merchant marine fleets...    

Happy & Safe boating!

Answer 3

A ship's registry is a title of ownership, registered by a country. Ship's owners pay taxes on the ship to the country of registry, and the fly the flag of that country.

The country of registry can have laws that effect the operation of the ship, the crew and the owner. For example, American registered ships must be crewed 100% by American citizens.

Regards,

Dan