Closure of Registration

The purpose of this page is to outline the process of closing the registration of a ship. Details of closure requirements may be found in sections 58, 66, 67, 92 and 93 of the Shipping Registration Act 1981 and in Shipping Registration Regulations 32 and 33.

Introduction

The Shipping Registration Act 1981 requires a ship's owner or registered agent to notify the Registrar of Ships immediately if a ship ceases to be entitled to be Australian registered or if the ship is lost, broken up or taken by an enemy. The documentation that is to be lodged is described below.

Ship Ceases to be Entitled

Notice by the owner that the ship has ceased to be entitled to be registered, together with details of the circumstances (e.g. the name, address and nationality of the buyer), and
A certified or notarised copy of the bill of sale or other document that transferred ownership

The Australian Registration Certificate must be returned to the Shipping Registration Office as soon as possible.

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Ship is lost, etc.

Notice by the owner describing the event that has occurred.

The Australian Registration Certificate must be returned to the Shipping Registration Office as soon as possible.

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Voluntary Closure

Ships that belong to a class that is not required to be registered, may be deregistered upon lodgement of an application for closure made by the owner. Voluntary closure applies only to:

pleasure craft,
fishing vessels,
government-owned ships,
foreign-owned ship that are on demise (bare boat) charter to Australian operators, and
ships that are less than 24 metres in overall length.

The owner must lodge the following documentation:

an application for closure of registration, and
the Australian Registration Certificate.

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Effect of Closure on Registered Mortgages

If the ship is subject to a registered mortgage, the Registrar is obliged to give the mortgagee notice of the closure. The registration in relation to the mortgage is not deemed to be closed until 60 days after the mortgagee receives the Registrar's notice. However, the Shipping Registration Act 1981 provides that the mortgagee may apply to the Supreme Court of an Australian State or Territory in relation to this time limit, to the disposal of the ship, the distribution of proceeds of sale, and to the registration of the ship.

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Deletion Certificates

Upon receipt of a written request together with the fee of $A50, a deletion certificate can be granted relating to a ship whose registration is closed. There is no provisional deletion certificate.

The deletion certificate comprises three documents:

a certificate stating that the ship is not Australian registered and stating the circumstances of its closure of registration,
a statement of the registered ownership and mortgages in force at the time of closure, and
the registered description of the ship at the time of closure.

Deletion certificates can be granted immediately after closure of registration, if the Registrar has received a written request and the fee.

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Payment

The GST does not apply to services supplied by the Shipping Registration Office

Cheques should be made payable to: AUSTRALIAN MARITIME SAFETY AUTHORITY

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Address

Australian Shipping Registration Office
Level 2, Alan Woods Building
25 Constitution Avenue
Canberra City ACT 2601
Australia

GPO Box 2181
Canberra City ACT 2601
Australia

Tel: (02) 6279 5921
Fax: (02) 6279 5922

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last updated: 22 June 2000