BVI CATEGORY I RED ENSIGN SHIPPING REGISTRY
The BVI recently reached another historic milestone upon Order in Council in the United Kingdom Parliament promoting the territory to a Category One Red Ensign ship registry
Generally, Category One administrations may register ships of unlimited tonnage, type and size. The BVI will be register all types of yachts, including mega yachts and super yachts up to 3000 gross tons (GT) and general cargo ships of unlimited tonnage. The Director of Shipping, Captain Sallah, has stated that “over 95% of yachts presently in operation around the world are less than 3000 GT”. For the time being the BVI will not register specialist vessels such as oil tankers, ore carriers and cruise-liners.
Blenheim has many years experience in the registration of yachts in Road Harbour and the BVI is one of the preferred jurisdictions worldwide. UK persons, (including crown dependencies and overseas territories), may register a vessel in the BVI hence foreign nationals typically form a BVI Business Company for this purpose and also to provide a limited liability vehicle and owner of perpetual existence for the vessel.
The application requirements are minimal and the cost is negligible involving only a small annual registration fee and initial costs such as a the survey and carving and marking note.
Please do not hesitate to contact the ship registration professionals at Blenheim who will be pleased to assist with the registration process and obtain your owners “blue book” for vessels registered in "Road Harbour".
Note: The Red Ensign Group is comprised of the United Kingdom and it Crown Dependencies of the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey and UK Overseas Territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena and the Turks & Caicos Islands.
The BVI boasts the largest charter industry in the world and an active cruise ship and yacht racing industry - the Queen Mary II is a frequent visitor to Road Harbour.
