Shipping

The Malta Flag Administration has recently informed operators of Malta-flagged vessels that as from May 2021, requests from ship owners for closure of their Malta registry (i.e. requests for the deletion of a vessel from the Malta flag) requires a “declaration” from ship owners that essentially states that the ship owner acknowledges that “liability will ensue under the laws of Malta should the vessel be recycled in breach of the Ship Recycling Regulation while registered under the Maltese flag”.

The said declaration needs to be included in the request to delete itself or, if the vessel is being deleted because it is going for scrap/recycling, in the owner’s instructions to the Malta Flag Administration in this sense. This applies for all vessels/yacht with a gross tonnage exceeding 500.

For further information about ship recycling in Malta, please click here.  Please contact Jotham Scerri-Diacono or any other member of the shipping team at Ganado Advocates for any enquiries concerning this matter.