Flag Registration
Whether you are registering a newly acquired vessel, planning a change of flag or keeping annual registry obligations on schedule, we run the flag registration file from first document to final certificate. One Istanbul-based team handles applications, paperwork and correspondence with the administrations of Panama, Palau, Liberia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and Belize.
What we handle
- Provisional and permanent registration
- Change of flag, from deletion in the old registry to entry in the new one
- Bareboat-in and bareboat-out registration, and single voyage registration
- Mortgage registration and Certificate of Non-Encumbrance
- Deletion Certificate
- Change of ownership, change of name and other vessel particulars
- Annual tonnage tax payments and renewal of flag certificates
- Issuing and closing the Continuous Synopsis Record (CSR)
- Ship Station Licence, Minimum Safe Manning Certificate, CLC and Bunker Convention certificates
- Exemption certificates, extension and authorisation letters, STCW endorsement applications
How it works
Choosing the flag
We compare suitable flags with you based on the ship's type, age, class, trading area and financing. The flag's Paris and Tokyo MoU port state control record weighs heavily in the choice.
Document checklist
You receive a checklist specific to the chosen flag and transaction, and we close the gaps with you. Documents that need notarisation or an apostille are flagged from the start.
Application and provisional registration
We file the application with the flag administration and follow up fees and the call sign allocation. Once the provisional certificate of registry is issued, the ship can trade under its new flag.
Deletion from the previous registry
We follow up the Deletion Certificate from the previous flag and the update of the CSR. For mortgaged ships, the mortgagee's consent is built into this stage.
Permanent registration
Once the originals reach the administration, the permanent certificate of registry is issued. Other flag certificates such as Minimum Safe Manning, Ship Station Licence, CLC and Bunker Convention are completed alongside.
Annual follow-up
We keep track of annual tax and certificate renewal dates and remind you before anything lapses.
Documents required
- Bill of Sale, or Builder's Certificate for a newbuilding
- Deletion Certificate from the previous flag, or an undertaking to delete
- Class certificates and International Tonnage Certificate
- Owning company's incorporation documents and a Power of Attorney
- The administration's application form and declaration of ownership
- Technical particulars: IMO number and radio equipment details for call sign and MMSI
- Management company details for ships under the ISM and ISPS Codes
- For mortgaged ships, the mortgage deed and the mortgagee's consent
Why Liva Marine
Eight flags, one contact
Panama, Palau, Liberia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and Belize are handled by the same team, so comparing flags does not mean briefing a different agent for each.
250+ ships since 2014
Since 2014 we have worked on more than 250 ships for over 50 clients from our Istanbul office, so the usual document and correspondence snags in flag work are familiar ground.
Flag and class under one roof
Liva Marine is the exclusive agent of Phoenix Register of Shipping (PHRS). If a change of class comes with the change of flag, both sides of the file are handled by the same people.
Flags we serve
Panama
Palau
Liberia
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Comoros
Guinea-Bissau
Sierra Leone
Belize
Frequently asked questions
How does a change of flag work?
You choose the new flag and gather the flag-specific documents, then the application is filed and a provisional certificate of registry is issued, after which the ship can trade under the new flag. Permanent registration follows once the Deletion Certificate from the old registry and the original documents reach the administration.
Which flag is right for my ship?
There is no single answer: the ship's age and type, trading area, mortgage position and budget all matter. The flag's standing on the Paris and Tokyo MoU lists also affects how the ship is treated in port state control. We compare the options among the eight flags we work with against those criteria.
How long does ship flag registration take?
It depends on the flag, the type of transaction and how complete the documents are. The ship can trade as soon as the provisional certificate of registry is issued, while permanent registration waits for the originals to reach the administration. When we send the document checklist, we also set out the steps for the chosen flag.
What is the difference between provisional and permanent registration?
A provisional certificate of registry is issued on copies of the documents and is valid for a limited period. Within that period the originals and the Deletion Certificate from the previous flag are submitted, and the permanent certificate of registry is then issued.
Can a mortgaged ship change flag?
Yes, but the mortgagee has to consent, and the old registry will normally not delete the ship without that consent. We handle registration of the mortgage in the new registry as part of the change of flag.
What is bareboat registration?
Under bareboat registration the ship stays on its underlying registry but flies the charterer's chosen flag for the duration of the bareboat charter. The underlying registry and any mortgagee must consent. We handle both bareboat-in and bareboat-out.
What happens if annual tonnage taxes are paid late?
Most flags charge late fees, and longer delays can block certificate renewals and put the registration itself at risk. With our annual follow-up we track tax and renewal dates for you.
Write to us
Send us the ship's name, IMO number and the flag you have in mind, and we will reply with the flag-specific document checklist and the steps involved.
- Phone
- +90 216 451 39 39
- info@livamarine.com