This guide defines the ships that may be registered on the Australian General Shipping register. It outlines the conditions of registration, the assessment process and costs.
Under the Shipping Registration Act 1981 (the Act), all Australian owned or operated ships, 24 metres and over in tonnage length, and capable of navigating the high seas, must be registered. Any ship sailing to a foreign port must also be registered, regardless of size. All other craft, including Government ships, fishing and pleasure craft need not be registered, but may be if the owners desire.
Registered ships receive legally recognisable Australian nationality, which provides advantages both at home and abroad. An Australian registered vessel is granted Australian protection on the high seas and in foreign ports. The proof of ownership that registration provides is recognised internationally, while at home it can facilitate the arrangement of mortgages and other forms of finance, and the sale of the vessel.
When registering a vessel, please refer to the Shipping Registration Act 1981 and Shipping Registration Regulations 2019.
Additional Information is available on the AMSA shipping registration website.
A ship operating in Australian waters may also be required to be registered under state or territory law. Details of the requirements can be obtained from the relevant government authority.
Note: The information in this document is provided as guidance only. This document has been developed to help ship owners better understand their responsibilities under the Shipping Registration Act 1981. This document should be read in conjunction with the legislation and supporting regulations. This document does not constitute legal advice and is not a substitute for independent professional advice.
Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2020
This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission.
This is an AMSA policy document.
Cover image: ©2006 Colin & Linda McKie
Use of the Coat of Arms: The terms under which the Coat of Arms can be used are detailed at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet website [1].
Contact us
Enquiries regarding this document or use of this document are welcome at Australian Maritime Safety Authority
Ship Inspection and Registration
PO Box 255
Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
sro@amsa.gov.au [2]
Document Name: Guide to registering your ship on the Australian General Shipping Register Document No: P200810
Drafted by: Ship Inspection and Registration Unit, AMSA
Approved by: Head of Registration and Certification
Version | Date | Author | Nature of changes | Approved by | Next review date |
1.0 | September 2020 | Ship Inspection and Registration unit | New layout, address details updated |
Head of Registration and Certification | August 2021 |
Please note that the application process must be completed within 6 months. It is possible for the applicant to apply for an extension if this timeframe cannot be met. An extension fee is payable.
A ship is required to be registered if it is an:
A ship is permitted to be registered if:
There are a total of 64 shares in a ship. Applicants will declare the number of shares they own in the vessel as part of the application process.
The Shipping Registration Office (SRO) is located in Coffs Harbour. The addresses are:
Postal address
GPO Box 255
Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
Australia
Business address
Level 2, 28 Gordon Street
Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
Australia
Australian Shipping Registration Office:
Telephone: (02) 6279 5925 (International +61-2-6279 5925)
Email: sro@amsa.gov.au [2]
The conditions of registration on the Australian General Shipping Register are specified in the Shipping Registration Act 1981 (the Act).
A ship which is more than 24 metres in tonnage length and intending to go on an international voyage must be in possession of an international Tonnage Certificate before registration. Tonnage measurement can be arranged through one of the following recognised Classification Societies:
Australian owned vessels, less than 24 metres in tonnage length, government ships, fishing vessels and pleasure craft, are exempt from the requirement to be registered, but may be registered on the Australian General Shipping Register. Foreign-owned ships on demise charter to Australian operators may also be registered.
Section 12 of the Act details the obligation for certain Australian-owned ships to be registered on the Australian General Shipping Register. In circumstances where a valid application is made under section 15 of the Act, where there is an appropriate certificate relating to the tonnage measurement of the ship (section 16 of the Act) and the ship is not otherwise registered (section 17 of the Act) then the Registrar is obliged to register the ship on the Australian General Shipping Register.
The demise charter party is only required if the ship is a foreign ship and operated under a demise (or bare boat) charter by an Australian whose principal place of business is Australia.
Demise charter means the demise, letting, hire or delivery of the ship to the charterer under a charter party, whereby the charterer has whole possession and control of the ship (including the right to appoint the master and crew of the ship).
If the ship is operated under a demise charter, the charterer must also provide an extra declaration called ‘Declaration by Charterer’, to be submitted with their application for registration.
Shipping registration fees are paid as a one-off application fee for each service provided.
You must pay the non-refundable fee when lodging your application.
See shipping registration fees and payment options [11] for a list of the current fees and details on how to pay.
All forms can be downloaded from our forms page [12].
An application for registration must be accompanied by all required documentation and the stipulated lodgement fee. Documentation required for the registration of a vessel will include:
Other documents that may be required:
Note: * If the ship is foreign-owned and under demise charter to an Australian, these forms must be signed by the charterer.
Generally original application forms are required, however in some circumstances, certified copies may be submitted. Contact the SRO for further details.
The documentation required to describe the ship varies, depending on the registration history of the vessel.
Ship not previously registered (in Australia or elsewhere)
The following is required:
Note: If the ship was built in stages by different builders, or was subject to a major alteration or conversion after building, you may provide a separate certificate describing the subsequent work.
Where the ship was previously registered in Australia on the Australian General Shipping Register a Statutory Declaration is required, by a person acquainted with the facts, specifying any changes in the description of the ship since it was last registered.
The following is required:
It is also necessary that evidence of closure of foreign registration will (or suspension under a demise charter) be provided before registration can be granted.
Under the Act there are 64 shares in a ship and the majority of these must be owned by an Australian national or an Australian incorporated company with an ACN. The documentation required as evidence of ownership will vary depending on the ship’s registration history. Transfer of registration cannot be effected without an original Bill of Sale completed by the seller and in a format compliant with the Shipping Registration Regulations 2019.
For a new build ship, the ownership document is a builder’s certificate that is dated on or after the date of handover, or a Bill of Sale, or a builder’s certificate that is dated prior to handover and accompanied by a certificate of handover.
The owner/operator should provide the builder’s certificate, together with documents relating to any changes of ownership since building.
If the ship was built outside Australia and acquired by the owner outside Australia and those documents are not available, then the owner/operator is to provide the document by which the owner acquired the ship.
The full ownership history is required In order to register a vessel. This is from the time it was built through to when you purchased it. You may provide:
If you are unable to provide the full ownership history, a statutory declaration must be provided stating:
Where the ship was previously registered in Australia on the General Shipping Register the owner/operator is required to provide the ownership history, as above, but from the time it was last registered.
Where the ship was previously registered under a foreign flag the following must be provided:
Evidence of ownership or changes of ownership can be provided by means of bills of sale or evidence of transmission of ownership by operation of law (e.g. probate, letters or administration, court orders). As ownership can change in several ways evidence provided may vary. Generally the following documents will be accepted as evidence of changes:
If no Bill of Sale was made at the time of sale, or it has since been lost, the owner/operator should have the seller prepare a new Bill of Sale with the information detailed and a statement of the actual date of sale. The AMSA template for Bill of Sale [18] is recommended.
An agreement for sale is acceptable if it is supported by proof that the sale was finalised.
In these cases, ownership or power to dispose of the ship passes to the deceased owner’s legal personal representative or to the beneficiary under a will, depending on the case.
Where gaps remain in the ownership history the owner/operator can provide a statutory declaration, made by a person acquainted with the facts of the case setting out particulars of the history of the ownership of the ship. Where the owner/operator cannot provide a statutory declaration that effectively addresses all gaps in the ship’s ownership history then a further statutory declaration is to be provided and a Notice of intention to apply for ship registration [20] published as detailed in Part 7.0 of this Guide.
Note: Commonwealth of Australia statutory declarations must be witnessed by an authorised person, with a connection to Australia. The full list of authorised witnesses is available from the Attorney-General's Department [21].
Demise charter means the demise, letting, hire or delivery of the ship to the charterer under a charter party, by virtue of which the charterer has whole possession and control of the ship (including the right to appoint the master and crew of the ship).
Evidence of a demise charter (the demise charter party) is only required if the ship is a foreign ship and operated under a demise (or bare boat) charter by an Australian-based operator whose principal place of business is Australia. If the ship is operated under a demise charter, the charterer should also complete an extra declaration titled ‘Declaration by Charterer’ using AMSA Form 169.
All ships over 24 metres in tonnage length and intending to go on an international voyage must have an international tonnage certificate before registration can be completed. Tonnage measurement and the issue of the tonnage certification must be undertaken by one of the recognised Classification Societies referred to in Section 3 of this guide.
Radio licences and call signs are issued by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Web: www.acma.gov.au/apparatus-licences [22]
Contact details are as follows:
Tel: 1300 850 115
Fax: +61 2 6219 5353
Email: info@acma.gov.au [23]
Web: Australian Communications and Media Authority [24]
Maritime Mobile Service Identities, or MMSI numbers, are issued by AMSA’s Rescue Coordination Centre.
If your vessel has changed from foreign to Australian flag and you have Digital Selective Calling radios or AIS on board you will need to apply for a new Australian MMSI number and have your equipment reprogrammed by a certified technician.
Find MMSI information and application [25] details.
When traveling on an international voyage all ships should carry a 406 MHz Distress Beacon on board. The applicant or the buyer should fill out and submit a 406 MHz Distress Beacon registration form.
If your vessel is changing from a foreign flag to Australian flag and has a foreign coded 406 MHz Distress Beacon on board, it must be reprogrammed with the Australian country code and then registered on the Australian Beacon Register. Once the EPIRB is reprogrammed by the manufacturer it will have a new HEX ID to register. Ensure you deregister the foreign 406 MHz Distress Beacon HEX ID.
Beacons may be registered by completing the form and sending it to Australian Beacons. Beacons may also be registered online as indicated in the contact details below. Further information on registering distress beacons can be found on the beacons website [26].
Contact Beacons:
Correspondence related to MMSI numbers or beacon registration should be directed to:
Australian 406 Distress Beacon Register
Australian Maritime Safety Authority
GPO Box 2181
Canberra ACT 2601
AUSTRALIA
The evidence that a ship has been marked as required under the Act and Regulations is a signed and witnessed Marking Note. The Marking Note is sent to the owner/ operator detailing the ship’s registration particulars which must be permanently marked on the ship. These particulars include the:
The name of the ship must be marked on each of the ship’s bows and the ship’s name and home port on the stern, or as close to the stern as possible where stern markings are not possible.
The official number and the net tonnage or length overall (where the ship is not measured for tonnage) shall be cut into the main beam or affixed by way of a plate to a main structural member or other integral part under the upper deck.
Where an owner/operator is seeking registration of a ship last registered under a foreign law they are to provide evidence from the foreign registration authority showing that the registration has been closed. This must be done before a registration certificate can be issued.
Examples of the sort of documents that may be accepted for this purpose are a Certificate of Deletion or a certified copy of the foreign register showing the closing entry.
To be provided to the Registrar as evidence of incorporation if the owner/operator, charterer or agent is a body corporate under the Corporations Act 2001.
To be provided to the Registrar with any document that has been signed under a Power of Attorney.
To be provided to the Registrar with any document that has been signed by an agent on behalf of a person.
1 Where the ship was already an Australian registered ship the bill of sale should be made on AMSA form 159.
Where the owner/operator is in the situation where some parts of the ship ownership history are not known, the person who signs the application for registration should:
Download the Notice of intention to apply for ship registration [20].
The information provided below is an indicative list of the documents mentioned in this Guide.
Links
[1] https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/commonwealth-coat-arms
[2] mailto:sro@amsa.gov.au
[3] http://www.eagle.org
[4] http://www.veristar.com
[5] http://www.ccs.org.cn
[6] http://www.dnvgl.com
[7] http://www.krs.co.kr
[8] http://www.lr.org
[9] http://www.classnk.or.jp
[10] http://www.rina.org
[11] https://www.amsa.gov.au/vessels-operators/ship-registration/shipping-registration-fees
[12] https://www.amsa.gov.au/forms
[13] https://www.amsa.gov.au/forms/application-registration
[14] https://www.amsa.gov.au/forms/declaration-ownership-and-nationality
[15] https://www.amsa.gov.au/forms/notice-appointment-registered-agent
[16] https://www.amsa.gov.au/forms/builders-certificate
[17] https://www.amsa.gov.au/forms/statutory-declaration-builders-certificate
[18] https://www.amsa.gov.au/forms/bill-sale
[19] https://www.amsa.gov.au/vessels-operators/ship-registration/tonnage-certificate
[20] https://www.amsa.gov.au/forms/notice-intention-register-ship
[21] https://www.ag.gov.au/
[22] http://www.acma.gov.au/apparatus-licences
[23] mailto:info@acma.gov.au
[24] https://www.acma.gov.au/online-enquiries
[25] https://www.amsa.gov.au/safety-navigation/distress-beacons/about-maritime-mobile-service-identity-information
[26] http://beacons.amsa.gov.au/
[27] mailto:ausbeacon@amsa.gov.au
[28] http://beacons.amsa.gov.au