Transport Malta has recently published the Commercial Yacht - Pleasure Yacht Changeover Guidelines, which are in line with the requirements of the Malta Commercial Yacht Code.
With particular importance, these Guidelines note that:
- For Malta Registered Yachts there is no limit as to the number of changes and the change duration.
- A change from Pleasure Yacht to Commercial Yacht is subject to the fees and provisions of the First Schedule of the Merchant Shipping Act (CAP.234) Para A.iii. In the event of multiple changeovers during a single year (linked to the Certificate of Registry expiry date), the relevant fees shall be paid only once and not during each changeover.
- It is strongly recommended that in the case of Yachts that change from Commercial to Pleasure, these Yachts should continue with the same survey and certification regime as required for Commercial Yachts.
- Prior to applying for a changeover, the local Maltese representative shall always receive an undertaking from the yacht's owners/managers confirming that the current Certificate of Registry will be returned to the Administration once the new certificate of Registry is received onboard. A copy of the undertaking shall be attached to such an application.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.