Vessel Registration Application Procedure
San Marino Merchant vessel registration – application procedure
Persons or companies not resident in San Marino who want to register their vessels must appoint a “Resident Agent” in San Marino.
Possible Resident Agents are listed here
The procedure consists in the signature of the relevant form (Form 02 as detailed below).
The deal with the resident agent is direct between the owner and the resident agent itself.
For persons and companies resident in San Marino, the appointment of a resident agent and related form 2 are not required.
Application form, resident agent appointment form, and ship radio station license application, filled out in all their sections and accompanied by all required supporting documents shall be submitted as follows:
- Vessel name (and IMO number where available) in the e-mail subject;
- The complete documentation attached in a single e-mail;
- All documents, in particular application forms 01, 02, and 03, submitted in separate .pdf files: one document per file, renamed with each document name;
- All forms and supporting documents must be filled out in their entirety, with full names of signatories, dates, and signatures (the application forms are editable .pdf files, to be filled out electronically);
- Complete company and UBO documentation, and company register extract (not older than six months) shall be submitted with the application, and authenticated where required;
- All sections concerning vessel specifics and equipment details must be filled out in their entirety;
- A deletion certificate from the previous flag is required to proceed with registration; a copy of the application to delete as well as an open transcript/non-encumbrance certificate, may be accepted by the Administration as an alternative;
- A copy of all survey reports and statutory certificates (or, where applicable, a self-assessment form or a CE certificate not older than one year) shall be submitted with the application to register.
Incomplete applications shall not be proceeded with.
Applications to register which fulfil the requirements will receive a proforma invoice for the payment of the registration fees.
The registration will be processed once the registration fees have been settled.
Additional supporting documents or further clarifications may be requested by the Administration during the registration process where necessary.
Documents in languages other than the Registry’s working languages (ENG-ITA), shall be submitted in translation by a certified translator with stamp, including any notary declarations or stamps not in English or Italian.
Please feel free to contact us at registration@smsr.sm for further details or clarifications.
1 Application for registration – supporting documents
All correspondence and documentation must be made available in English, the working language of the Registry. Should a different working language be used on board, documents in this language can be appended to the English text wherever necessary.
1.1 Ownership details
Legal title:
i. Signed application for registration, or online application form;
ii. Proof of title: Bill of Sale or Builder’s Certificate;
iii. Power of Attorney, where applicable;
iv. Mortgage deeds or other instruments against the vessel;
v. Copies of passports of all applicants;
vi. For individual/company resident in San Marino:
– San Marino ID; or
– San Marino company registration extract (vigenza) and applicants’ passport;
vii. For individual/company not resident in San Marino:
– San Marino Resident Agent appointment form and applicants’ passport; or
– Extract from the registry of a foreign company and San Marino Resident Agent appointment form.
1.2 Mortgage registration -Transfer and Discharge
SMSR’s online Register allows for real-time mortgage registration, transfer, and discharge. Transcripts from the Register, reflecting encumbrances registered against the vessel, can be requested by contacting the Registrar, or via the online application available on the Register portal here.
The mortgage deed must indicate:
i. the name and registration number of the vessel;
ii. the name and residence, if natural person, or the company name and registered office, if legal person, of the owner and of the encumbrancer;
iii. the title, the amount of credit guaranteed and the due date of credit;
iv. the maximum guaranteed amount.
However, in relation to security rights in ships, the right of the parties to agree on a law different from that of San Marino remains unaffected, provided that the relevant safety agreement is not contrary to imperative principles, public order and good customs of the State in whose register the vessel is registered.
1.3 Vessel details
i. Where applicable, an IMO identification number must be requested on the website https://imonumbers.ihs.com/if not already available [1] ;
ii. Pre-registration inspection in the cases defined by the Administration;
iii. Closure of any major non-conformity by an RO prior to proceeding with provisional registration;
iv. Carving and Marking Note;
v. Deletion from previous Register;
Moreover, where applicable:
i. Certificate of class;
ii. Previous International Tonnage Certificate (ITC), or simplified calculation by a Recognised Organisation;
iii. Any existing statements of equivalence or exemption certificates issued against the vessel;
iv. Copy of P&I insurance policy with details on MLC 2.5, 4.2 [2] , issued by a member of the International Group of P&I Clubs;
v. Copies of insurance policies for BCC, CLC, WRC [3] ;
vi. Copies of all previous Continuous Synopsis Record certificates (CSR) [4] ;
vii. Copies of previous statutory certificates may be requested where necessary;
viii. Certificate of Survey issued by a Recognised Organisation;
ix. STCW Endorsement applications for officers;
x. An IMO identification number for management companies must be requested on the website https://imonumbers.ihs.com/ if not already available;
xi. Copy of valid ISM Document of Compliance issued by a San Marino authorised RO;
xii. ISM management company letter of appointment and Designated Person Ashore (DPA) contact details (ISM Code 3.1);
xiii. Company Security Officer (CSO) letter of appointment (ISPS Code 11.1);
xiv. Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) Conformance Test Report (CTR) [5] .
1.4 Documentation for bareboat charter registration of a foreign vessel
i. Copy of Bareboat Charter Agreement;
ii. Transcript from the Register of the underlying flag;
iii. Copy of suspension or letter of approval by the underlying flag.
Please refer to our PL SMPL – 2021-REG-001 for more info
[1] IHS Maritime & Trade, Sentinel House 163 Brighton Road Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 2YH United Kingdom.
Email: ship.imo@ihs.com, Tel: +44 (0)1334 328300.
[2] Where not applicable, a copy of third-party liability insurance is to be submitted to the application for registration, as per art. 69, Maritime Law no. 120/2019.
[3] Civil Liability for Oil Pollution (CLC), Wreck Removal Certificate (WRC), Civil liability for Bunker Oil Pollution (BCC).
[4] SOLAS XI‐1, reg. 5.
[5] Test to be carried out by a San Marino Authorised ASP (Application Service Provider).
