Cayman registered vessel owned by a Cayman company enjoys all the privileges afforded to the British Flag and full international recognition while benefiting from the tax free status and confidentiality laws of the Cayman Islands. 

The Cayman Islands offers important advantages to larger vessels. Pleasure craft of any size are exempt from requirement of recurrent surveys on vessels over 13.7m and 24m and exempt of strict laws affecting manning of vessels over 80 GRT.

Private chartering is acceptable. With respect to larger vessels, the Cayman Islands will be endorsing the MCA mega yacht code for vessels over 24m, engaged in chartering but carrying 12 or less passengers. The Cayman Islands Shipping Registry provide support to help with the implementation of the regulations.

Requirements

For a Ship to be registered in the Cayman Islands the following conditions must be complied with:

• The owner must be British or EC citizen or be an individual or company in specified British dependencies e.g. Cayman, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Bermuda, etc. Ownership requires only 33/64 or more to be "British". It should be noted that a Cayman company regardless of nationality of its beneficial owners would qualify as a "British"  owner.

• The owners are required to appoint a local representative agent as a point of contact with the Registrar of Ships.

• The ship is subject to survey by the Marine survey department to ensure compliance with international standards.

• The ship requires a Safe Manning Certificate and the three senior officers (Master, Chief Officer and Chief  Engineer) require either British certificates or appropriate certificates considered the equivalent - certificates  from certain Commonwealth countries or from NATO or EEC countries.

UK and other EC citizens are able to register yachts in the Cayman Islands in their own names. This avoids the expense of forming and maintaining a yacht owning company. However, incorporation of a company does secure limited liability whereas an individual owner risks the consequences of unlimited liability. Limitation of owner's liability is especially important where the yacht is to carry passengers, either as guests or by charter. A limited liability company is the normal structure used. Its effectiveness, however, is determined by the governing law of the companies.

If privacy is likely to be required, either now or in the future, then shares in ordinary companies should be held by our nominee company from the outset. We, in turn, issue a nominee agreement giving beneficial owners access to their shares on demand. In this way, the register of members (shareholders of record) will not disclose the names of the beneficial owners, should someone wish to invoke a discovery of assets.

Cayman Benefits

The benefits of registering in the Cayman Islands are as follows:

• Manning restrictions are less onerous than for other British dependencies, while still providing the benefits of 
  flying under the Red Ensign Flag.

• Red ensign flag entitles ships to the protection of the Royal Navy.

• Full assistance of the British consular service worldwide, which is especially useful in connection with crew matters.

• Absence of exchange controls.

• No income, corporate or capital gains taxes exist in the Cayman islands. (i) Political stability and full British

Registration

Documents which require to be submitted for registration are as follows:

• Appointment of authorized officers.

• Form GSR 342 - approval of the ship's name.

• Application to register, either by the owner or his agent, who is authorized in writing, and under the company seal in the case of company ownership.

• Title documents

• Certificate of survey - to be organized through the Marine Survey department, using classification societies, if necessary, in the short term. Survey fees are US$80 per hour plus surveyors traveling expenses.

• Declaration of ownership.

On registration the Registrar allocates an official number to the vessel and issues a carving and Marking Note to the surveyor. Where required the Registrar will also assign the international call sign. 

FEE SCHEDULE

YACHT REGISTRATION:

         Annual tonnage fees are pro-rated quarterly for the balance of first calendar year of registration.

COMPANY REGISTRATION

Only the Registration fee is paid during the first calendar year of registration. Annual Fees are payable in January of each subsequent year. It is not necessary to issue all shares authorized. However, some owners prefer to limit authorized share capital to, say, US$2,000 and issue all shares. All classes of company listed above can own yachts. Exempted companies
offer more privacy than ordinary companies.

 OUR FEES