YACHT REGISTRATION

Transport Malta’s Merchant Shipping Directorate considers a private registered yacht to be any pleasure yacht, of 6 metres in length or more, which does not carry passengers for reward and is not engaged in trade but is used for the sole purpose of the owner.  Under the Malta Flag a yacht may be registered as a Private yacht or a Commercial yacht.

A commercially registered yacht is considered a yacht, of 15 metres in length or more, which do not carry cargo, carries not more than 12 passengers and operated by the owner or body corporate owning the yacht for commercial use.

The following classes of yachts will be considered for commercial registration: 

  • Yachts in commercial use of not less than 15 metres in length and not more than 24 metres.
  • Superyachts in commercial use of more than 24 metres in length and less than 500 gross tonnes.
  • Superyachts in commercial use of more than 24 metres in length and 500 gross tonnes and over.

Yacht registration whether private or commercial is a very simple and straightforward process subject that all documentation is in order. Yachts are first registered provisionally under the Malta Flag for six months (extendible for a further period, or periods not exceeding taken together six months) during which period all documentation needs to be finalised.