Formalities and Fees

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Ships & Oil Registration

Learn more about the Formalities and Fees of registering your vessel in Madeira’s International Ship Registry.

Ship & Oil Registration

Formalities and Fees

Learn more about all the benefits, requirements, obligations and more of the ship & oil registration.

Vessel's Documents

Various documents and information on the vessel are submitted to the Technical Commission of MAR for analysis and initiation of the registration process:

  • Owner and/ or operator’s contracts, mortgages or other liens relating to the vessel;
  • Purchase certificate of the vessel (bill of sale);
  • Vessel’s name and two other alternative names;
  • Application for the attribution of a call sign, as well as description of communication equipment;
  • Certified copy of the register Tonnage Certificate;
  • Name of classification society;
  • Vessel’s characteristics and propulsion system;
  • Shipyard and year of construction;
  • Copies of the vessel’s certificates including those of the classification society;
  • Copy of the ship Station Licence;
  • Tonnage measurement data;

The Technical Commission of MAR will decide, according to the ship’s records, age and detention history, if a survey will be carried out before registration. A survey is also carried out in the absence of any of the following recognised certificates:

  • Transcript of registry (from any previous registration);
  • Deletion certificate.
Technical Documents

The following technical documentation is required for the permanent registration of a vessel in MAR:

  • Passenger Ship Safety Certificate
  • Cargo Ship Equipment Certificate
  • Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate
  • Exemption Certificate
  • Ship Station License (Radio Station)
  • List of Radio Equipment and to Other Auxiliary Navigation Equipment
  • Name of the Entity Responsible for the Payment of Radio Accounts
  • Cargo Safety Construction Certificate
  • International Load Certificate (1996)
  • International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate (IOPP)
  • International Pollution Prevention Certificate for the Carriage of Liquid Substances in Bulk
  • International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk
  • Certificate of Class (Hull and Machinery)
  • International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Liquefied Gases in Bulk
  • Certificate of Insurance or the Financial Security in Respect of Civil Liability for Oil
  • Pollution Damage (C.L.C.)
  • Declaration of P&I Inscription (Blue Card)
  • International Tonnage Certificate (1996)
  • Manning Certificate
  • Statement of Compliance with ILO 92 and 133
  • Ship’s General Arrangement Plan
  • Fire Control And Life Saving Appliances Plan
  • Approved Stability Booklet
  • Mark Model of the Automatic Pilot
  • Communications System, Mark and Model (Bridge/Prow; Bridge/Stern)
  • Winches, Capstans, Etc. (Mooring Devices)/Mark And Model (Quantity Prow; Quantity Stern)
  • Main Engine (Place, Year of Construction and Name of the Shipbuilder; Quantity; Type; Model; Series Number; Maximum Power)
  • Auxiliary Engines/Generators (Quantity; Type; Model; Series Number; Maximum Power)

We advise any applicant to contact us before producing the above mentioned documents.

Legal Documents

The following legal documentation is required for the permanent registration of a vessel in MAR:

  • A power of attorney is to be granted by the applicant to a local representative in case the domicile or the head office of the applicant is located outside the Autonomous Region of Madeira;
  • Bill of sale
  • Certificate issued by the previous registry.
  • Deletion certificate
  • Permission granted by the mortgagee(s)

We advise any applicant to contact us before producing the above mentioned documents.

Permanent Registration

Vessels must deliver proof of the deletion of the previous registration, if applicable. However, a document issued by the competent maritime authorities, stating that the deletion of the previous registration was requested, may be initially accepted by MAR.

Ship Registration Annual Fees

Vessels

Upon registration, vessels will be subject to a fixed fee in the amount of 1,800 euros plus a variable fee calculated according to the net tonnage:

ScaleFee per Scale
Up to 250 NT225 Euros
From 250 NT up to 2.500 NT0.90 euros per NT
From 2,500 NT up to 10.000 NT0.70 euros per NT
From 10,000 NT up to 20.000 NT0.50 euros per NT
From 20,000 NT up to 30.000 NT0.30 euros per NT
Above 30,000 NT0.10 euros per NT

NT = Net tonnage

The annual fee comprises a fixed fee of 1,400 euros plus a variable fee calculated according to the following scale:

ScaleFee per Scale
Up to 250 NT200 Euros
From 250 NT up to 2.500 NT0.80 euros per NT
From 2,500 NT up to 20.000 NT0.40 euros per NT
Above 20.000 NT0.25 euros per NT

NT = Net tonnage

The fees due for passenger’s vessels, tug boats and other auxiliary embarkations are those stated above, increased by 15% and 30% on the registration and annual fees, respectively.

Other fees will be applicable on the issue, recognition or renewal by the Technical Commission of MAR of various documents, declarations and certificates, as well as for the carrying out of inspections aboard vessels registered in MAR.

Shipping Companies

Licence application for shipping companies

All types of companies, Portuguese or foreign and their forms of corporate representation, such as branches, may apply to register ships in RIN-MAR to carry out maritime transport activities.

A licence application must be submitted to S.D.M., in duplicate, addressed to the Cabinet of the Regional Secretary of Finance and Public Administration of the Regional Government of Madeira. The licence may be requested by an existing company, in Portugal or abroad, or by a company to be incorporated.

In case a new shipping company is formed, no minimum share capital requirements will apply. The incorporation procedures are similar to those applicable to any other Portuguese company.

Foreign ship owners without any form of representation in Madeira can also register ships in RIN-MAR provided they appoint a Portuguese representative.

MCS is prepared to act as representative under power of attorney.

Tax Incentives
Madeira Shipping and Madeira branches of foreign shipping companies enjoy the full range of tax incentives granted to MIBC entities namely but not limited to a 5% corporate tax rate and exemption of withholding tax on outbound dividends.

Register Your Vessel in Madeira

Whether it is an oil rig or a ship, Madeira (Portugal) offers the best conditions among the European Vessel registries.