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A shipowner may Bareboat Charter a ship into or out from SKANReg or allow it to remain within SKANReg. Bareboat chartering is available to ships provisionally or permanently registered.

Primarily, Ships are to be over 1500 GRT, however a waiver of this requirement can be granted by the International Registrar of Shipping and Seamen, and the bareboat charter period must be for a minimum of 2 years. For provisionally registered ships, a maximum of 2 years is allowed although this period can be extended once the ship completes Permanent Registration.

Smaller ships and a shorter or longer bareboat charter period may be allowed on a case-by-case basis. Apply to the International Registrar for permission in these cases.

Permission for a Bareboat Charter will normally be granted within 24 hours if all documents are in order.

Application forms are on this website and brief details of the application process are shown below.

Shipowners should familiarise themselves with sections 28 to 35 of the Merchant Shipping Act dealing with Bareboat Charters before making an application.

BAREBOAT CHARTER OUT

Apply using Application Form A7 and submitting the documents requested on these application forms.

We encourage and prefer that the BIMCO Standard Bareboat Form (currently BARECON 2001) is used when an Owner seeks permission for his ship to be registered outside of St. Kitts & Nevis International Ship Registry. This Form can be obtained from www.bimco.org

When this is used, it is essential that the appropriate sections/box (currently Sections 43,44 & 45) dealing with bareboat and underlying registries and showing St Kitts and Nevis as the underlying registry are completed.

It must also be clear that ‘Part II, section 10 (a) & (b) of Barecon 2001’ applies to satisfy the requirements of sections 28(2)(c) & 33(2)(a) of the Merchant Shipping Act which relates to the bareboat charterers assuming management, operation & control of the ship

If any other form of Bareboat Charter Agreement is used, then it must contain wording to the effect that St. Kitts & Nevis is the underlying registry and that the bareboat charterer (disponent owner) assumes the responsibility for the management, operation & control of the ship for the period of the bareboat charter. See sections 28(2)(c) sections 33(2)(a) & of the Act.

If these conditions are not shown, permission to bareboat charter the ship out from St Kitts and Nevis International Ship Registry may not be granted.

BAREBOAT CHARTER IN

Apply using Application Form A1 and submitting the documents requested on Registration Procedure RP16.

The Bareboat Charter Agreement must contain wording to the effect that the bareboat charterer assumes the responsibility for the management, operation & control of the ship for the period of the bareboat charter. See section 28 (2)(c) of the Act.

If this is not shown, permission to bareboat charter the ship may not be granted.

BAREBOAT CHARTER WITHIN SKANREG

Proceed as per ‘Bareboat Charter In’ above. Where a ship is to be Bareboat Chartered within St Kitts and Nevis flag, the ship normally has to be permanently registered before being allowed to be bareboat chartered.