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What is the National Ship Register?
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Type of containers used in maritime transport
Ship Register
The Ship Register has a public administrative nature. It is accessed for the purpose of ship’s registration, loss, change of category and name. Afterwards at the Public Company Register all incidents and events that have private legal effects and are related to the ship will be recorded. Events such as property transfer, ship mortgage, taxes or others must be recorded at the Company Register.
Entering a ship into the Company Register must be done at the corresponding maritime district as per number plate. Any entry at one register must be reflected at the other in order to achieve coordination and complete, up-to-date information.
General information on ship registration in Spain
In Spain, ship registration grants protection under Spanish law and provides all related benefits and guarantees.
All ships must be registered at one of the several maritime district registries that answer to the Administration of the Merchant Navy.
Each maritime district has its own Ship Register answering to the corresponding local maritime Authority. These are public and administrative registrations.
Categories make the organizing system where ships, boats and any other vessel appear arranged in relation to their tonnage and the type of activity they carry out. For example, 6th Category (Lista 6ª) comprises vessels used for sport, leisure, or recreational activities that have a lucrative purpose. 7th Category (Lista 7ª) registers ships or vessels used for sport or recreational activities with no lucrative aim.
Which ships need to be registered?
Ship registrations are tied to an entry on the Open Ship Register. However, there are significant differences if the ship is a recreational vessel. In the case of a foreing or newly built ship, it must be registered and awarded a license allowing it to fly the national flag on the ship. Any recreational ship under 12 metres in length and CE marked can be registered.
The CE marking is a mandatory requirement, and to authenticate it, a document sanctioned by an official organization must be provided. It is also mandatory that the manufacturer provides the Spanish Maritime Register all the information related to the vessel specifications.
A vessel’s number plate is an alphanumeric code that proves its registration at the Spanish Ship Registry. This process is mandatory for a vessel sailing international waters. It is also worth noting that any ship over 2.5 metres in length must have its own number plate, with the exception of beach recreational crafts and other floating devices.