Montserrat Maritime Services – Pharaohs Marine Consultants

One country, one working guide

Routes, requirements, timing and expected documents.

How to use this page

Montserrat operates a statutory ship register through the Montserrat Maritime Administration and Registrar of Montserrat Ships. The official Red Ensign Group profile describes a Category Two register for commercial ships up to 150 GT and non-commercial pleasure vessels up to 400 GT. Pharaohs Marine can assist with file preparation and coordination only; the Registrar, administration, authorized organization or other competent issuer decides and issues.

01

MontserratVerified

Ship Registration

The reviewed Act and Regulations verify ordinary, small-ship, provisional-while-abroad, bareboat-charter and bareboat-out routes, with route-specific ownership, title, survey, marking and certificate rules. The REG profile supplies the Category Two tonnage description. Pharaohs Marine provides practical file review, checklist preparation, Registrar coordination, tracking and delivery; the Registrar remains decision-maker and issuer.

Service routes

Registration types

Ordinary/full registration — Part 1

Use this route for: Register an eligible Montserrat ship through the ordinary Part 1 route.

Requirements for Ordinary/full registration — Part 1

Form 15 prescribed registration application.
Form 2 individual-owner or Form 3 corporate-owner declaration of eligibility.
Builder's certificate for a new vessel, or route-specific bill(s) of sale/title evidence; certified previous-register extract where applicable.
Surveyor's certificate of tonnage, build and identity particulars.
Completed carving-and-marking note after the Registrar allocates the official number.
Certificate of incorporation and Montserrat overseas-company certificate where applicable.
Representative-person name and address where section 14 makes it a registration condition.

Validity

Certificate of Registry: five years from the registration date unless terminated earlier.
Renewal: Form 20 with eligibility and no-unnotified-change declarations.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

Certificate of Registry issued by the Registrar of Montserrat Ships.
Official number and carving-and-marking note issued through the Registrar.

Important conditions

Fishing vessels are excluded from Part 2 registration.
REG profile: commercial ships up to 150 GT and non-commercial pleasure vessels up to 400 GT; confirm vessel-specific scope with the Registrar.
The statutory 33-of-64-share majority-interest and representative-person rules may apply.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

We review the vessel and ownership file, prepare the route checklist, coordinate submission with the Registrar, track queries and delivery, and deliver the Registrar-issued documents.

Request Ordinary/full registration — Part 1 support →

Small-ship registration — Part 2 of the Register

Use this route for: Register a qualifying small ship in Part 2 of the Montserrat Register.

Requirements for Small-ship registration — Part 2 of the Register

Form 15 prescribed registration application.
Small-ship description, overall length, proposed name, owner details and eligibility declaration.
Evidence that the owner(s) are ordinarily resident in Montserrat and qualified under the Act.
Builder's certificate or applicable bill of sale/title evidence.
Survey, measurement and marking evidence requested by the Registrar.

Validity

Not published in the reviewed official route.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

Part 2 Certificate of Registry issued by the Registrar of Montserrat Ships.

Important conditions

Vessel must be less than 24 metres and must not be a fishing or submersible vessel.
The Registrar must accept the proposed name and be satisfied that the vessel may properly be registered.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

We review the vessel and ownership file, prepare the route checklist, coordinate submission with the Registrar, track queries and delivery, and deliver the Registrar-issued documents.

Request Small-ship registration — Part 2 of the Register support →

Provisional certificate while the vessel is abroad

Use this route for: Obtain temporary Montserrat registration evidence while an otherwise eligible vessel is outside Montserrat.

Requirements for Provisional certificate while the vessel is abroad

Form 15 prescribed registration application, or evidence that the Registration of Ships Regulations application is intended.
Purchase/title evidence and available vessel particulars for name, build, tonnage and description.
Ownership eligibility declaration and prior-register evidence where available.
Surveyor or measurement information available for the proper officer.

Validity

Provisional Certificate: no more than three months from issue or until the vessel reaches Little Bay, whichever occurs first.
A further provisional certificate within one year requires Ministerial consent.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

Provisional Certificate issued by the proper officer under section 36.

Important conditions

The vessel must be at a port outside Montserrat and the proper officer must be satisfied that the full application has been made or is intended.
The provisional document does not replace completion of the full registration file.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

We review the vessel and ownership file, prepare the route checklist, coordinate submission with the Registrar, track queries and delivery, and deliver the Registrar-issued documents.

Request Provisional certificate while the vessel is abroad support →

Bareboat-charter registration — Part 3 of the Register

Use this route for: Register a vessel operated under a qualifying bareboat charter in Montserrat Part 3.

Requirements for Bareboat-charter registration — Part 3 of the Register

Written bareboat charter and certified copy of the charter.
Charterer's eligibility declaration and evidence of qualification to own a Montserrat ship.
Primary-register owner, mortgage and previous-name particulars required for the Part 3 entry.
Owner and registered-mortgagee consent evidence where requested.
International Tonnage Certificate (1969) in force where it is used for the statutory tonnage exception.

Validity

Certificate of Bareboat Charter Registry: charter expiry or five years from registration, whichever is earlier.
Renewal: during the last three calendar months with Form 15, eligibility declaration and the certificate.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

Certificate of Bareboat Charter Registry issued by the Registrar of Montserrat Ships.

Important conditions

The charter must vest operation, management and control, including engagement or employment of master and crew, in the charterer.
The charter period is normally at least two years unless the Minister allows a shorter period; statutory ownership and consent conditions apply.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

We review the vessel and ownership file, prepare the route checklist, coordinate submission with the Registrar, track queries and delivery, and deliver the Registrar-issued documents.

Request Bareboat-charter registration — Part 3 of the Register support →

Bareboat-charter-out dispensation

Use this route for: Request a case-specific dispensation for a Montserrat-registered vessel bareboat chartered out and registered under another country.

Requirements for Bareboat-charter-out dispensation

Bareboat charter copy.
Montserrat Certificate of Registry and relevant vessel certificates.
Registered mortgagee consent.
Foreign administration's confirmation of the vessel's outside registration.
Evidence that the foreign administration applies the specified maritime conventions.
Evidence that the registered owner is not responsible for management, operation or control during the charter.

Validity

Dispensation terminates if the named outside registration or bareboat charter terminates.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

Ministerial bareboat-charter-out dispensation or related Registrar record, if granted.

Important conditions

This is a case-specific Ministerial decision, not an alternative promise of ordinary Montserrat registration.
The vessel must also be registered outside Montserrat and satisfy the statutory owner, mortgage and convention conditions.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

We review the charter-out and foreign-registration file, prepare the checklist, coordinate the Registrar/Minister route, track requests and deliver any official dispensation issued.

Request Bareboat-charter-out dispensation support →

02

MontserratLimited

Class & Statutory

Montserrat law and the Port Authority Certificate of Survey form verify survey, class and statutory-document frameworks, but no current named Montserrat-approved RO/RSO or scope matrix was verified. Routes are confirmation-first: authorization, issuer and scope must be verified before engagement.

Service routes

Class, statutory and inspection routes

Montserrat-appointed survey or statutory inspection

Use this route for: Coordinate a Montserrat-directed survey or statutory inspection by the administration or an appointed surveyor.

Requirements for Montserrat-appointed survey or statutory inspection

Completed Montserrat Port Authority Certificate of Survey form.
Vessel particulars: IMO number where applicable, flag, type, owner/manager, GT/NT, dimensions, build year and trading area.
Surveyor name, accreditation, survey date and place.
Certificate of Registry and applicable certificates with expiry dates.
Plans, manuals, records and manning/minimum-safe-manning data listed by the official form.

Validity

Not published in the reviewed official route.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

Surveyor's certificate or survey report, if issued for the assignment.
Applicable flag statutory certificate(s), if issued under confirmed authority.

Important conditions

The Montserrat Maritime Administration determines the appointment, survey function and scope.
The Certificate of Survey form is an operational checklist, not proof that every listed certificate applies.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

If a current Pharaohs Marine surveyor appointment and the appointing society/RO/RSO current authority from Montserrat for the requested certificate are verified, our appointed surveyor can conduct the applicable survey/audit and manage certification directly from our office through the appointing organization. If the owner selects another authorized society, we coordinate with it. The named society/RO/RSO/flag remains the issuer.

Request direct survey & certification →

Recognized Organization (RO/RSO) delegated statutory certification

Use this route for: Arrange delegated statutory surveys, audits or certificates through an organization currently authorized by Montserrat for the requested scope.

Requirements for Recognized Organization (RO/RSO) delegated statutory certification

Current written Montserrat authorization agreement and exact ship, ship-class and survey scope.
Evidence that the organization is on the MCA-qualified RO list and complies with the IMO RO Code.
RO/RSO application, vessel particulars, class status and existing statutory certificates.
Survey reports, plans, manuals, records and deficiency close-out evidence.

Validity

Not published in the reviewed official route.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

RO/RSO-issued statutory certificate(s) within the confirmed Montserrat delegation.
RO/RSO survey or audit report.

Important conditions

No current named Montserrat-approved RO/RSO or scope matrix was verified; obtain written confirmation before engagement.
The Montserrat Maritime Administration retains statutory oversight and the authorized organization remains the named issuer for its delegated certificate.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

If a current Pharaohs Marine surveyor appointment and the appointing society/RO/RSO current authority from Montserrat for the requested certificate are verified, our appointed surveyor can conduct the applicable survey/audit and manage certification directly from our office through the appointing organization. If the owner selects another authorized society, we coordinate with it. The named society/RO/RSO/flag remains the issuer.

Request direct survey & certification →

Classification society class certification

Use this route for: Obtain or maintain a classification society class certificate separately from Montserrat statutory certification.

Requirements for Classification society class certification

Selected classification society application or class agreement.
Vessel particulars, plans and technical records required by the society.
Current Class Certificate, class notation and survey-cycle status.
Class history, outstanding findings and survey attendance evidence.

Validity

Not published in the reviewed official route.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

Class Certificate issued by the selected classification society.
Class survey report or statement of compliance, as applicable.

Important conditions

Class is separate from flag statutory certification and is controlled by the issuing society’s rules and class cycle.
No current named Montserrat-approved society was verified; confirm any separate statutory authority before requesting flag certificates.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

If a current Pharaohs Marine surveyor appointment and the appointing society/RO/RSO current authority from Montserrat for the requested certificate are verified, our appointed surveyor can conduct the applicable survey/audit and manage certification directly from our office through the appointing organization. If the owner selects another authorized society, we coordinate with it. The named society/RO/RSO/flag remains the issuer.

Request direct survey & certification →

Registration survey, tonnage and technical file review

Use this route for: Prepare the survey and technical evidence needed for a Montserrat registration or vessel-specific statutory review.

Requirements for Registration survey, tonnage and technical file review

Surveyor's certificate of tonnage, build and identity particulars.
International Tonnage Certificate (1969), where the bareboat route permits its use.
Certificate of Registry, class and statutory certificates with expiry dates where applicable.
General arrangement, midship-section and shell-expansion plans.
Safety, maintenance, loading, pollution, security, cargo and manning records listed by the MPA form.

Validity

Not published in the reviewed official route.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

Surveyor's certificate of tonnage, build and identity particulars.
Technical survey report or deficiency list issued by the confirmed surveyor, RO/RSO or flag route.

Important conditions

Required evidence depends on vessel type, GT, service, trade, class, construction and applicable conventions.
The confirmed surveyor, authorized organization or Maritime Administration is the issuer; Pharaohs Marine is not.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

If a current Pharaohs Marine surveyor appointment and the appointing society/RO/RSO current authority from Montserrat for the requested certificate are verified, our appointed surveyor can conduct the applicable survey/audit and manage certification directly from our office through the appointing organization. If the owner selects another authorized society, we coordinate with it. The named society/RO/RSO/flag remains the issuer.

Request direct survey & certification →

Classification / RO list status No public named list verified

Policy-only verified: the current Government of Montserrat Merchant Shipping (Registration) Act (revision 1 January 2025) sets criteria for authorizing class societies/surveyor organizations as recognized organizations and permits scope limitations, but the reviewed official Montserrat, Red Ensign Group, IMO and GISIS pages exposed no current named list and no undated/older named list of Montserrat-authorized classification societies or ROs. Class authority and statutory/RO authority must be confirmed separately in writing for the vessel and requested scope.

RSO list status No public named list verified

No public list verified: the reviewed official Montserrat sources confirm that the Montserrat Port Authority is an ISPS Code-compliant facility and the official survey checklist includes an ISPS/ISSC field, but no current named Montserrat-approved RSO, no undated/older named RSO list, and no public ISPS/RSO authorization matrix were published in the reviewed official sources.

03

MontserratInformation_only

Seafarer Certification

Information-only: no current official Montserrat route was verified for a national CoC, officer or rating endorsement, Seaman Book, discharge book, CDC, STCW/CoP certificate or flag-approved training centre. The Montserrat administration remains the only possible flag issuer; confirm any live route before submitting documents.

Service routes

Credential and document routes

National Certificate of Competency (CoC)

Use this route for: Check the status of any Montserrat national CoC route; no current official issuance route was verified.

Requirements for National Certificate of Competency (CoC)

No current official Montserrat CoC application form was published.
If another competent administration issues the CoC: its application, identity document, medical, training and sea-service evidence.

Validity

Not published in the reviewed official route.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

No Montserrat national CoC output was verified.
A national CoC, if obtained, is issued by the competent certificate-issuing administration.

Important conditions

Information-only; the reviewed REG warning says STCW has not been extended to Montserrat.
Do not treat a private association or Pharaohs Marine as a CoC issuer.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

We can review the request and identify the competent certificate issuer, but we do not issue a Montserrat CoC.

Officer flag-state endorsement or recognition endorsement

Use this route for: Check whether Montserrat currently requires and offers a flag-state endorsement for a foreign national CoC.

Requirements for Officer flag-state endorsement or recognition endorsement

No current Montserrat application form, accepted-CoC list or verification instructions was published.
If the administration confirms a route: national CoC, passport or identity document, sea-service, medical, STCW/training and authenticity evidence requested by the flag.

Validity

Not published in the reviewed official route.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

No current Montserrat endorsement output was verified.
If confirmed, the flag-state endorsement or recognition endorsement is issued by the Montserrat Maritime Administration.

Important conditions

No Montserrat accepted-CoC list or current route was verified; do not substitute the UK MCA list or another Red Ensign register.
Confirm the route and current requirements directly with the administration before collecting personal documents.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

If Montserrat confirms a live recognition route, we review the complete file, submit it directly to the flag administration, track the endorsement and deliver the issued document. The flag administration remains issuer.

Rating endorsement, Seaman Book, discharge book or CDC

Use this route for: Check whether Montserrat currently offers a rating document, Seaman Book, discharge book or CDC route.

Requirements for Rating endorsement, Seaman Book, discharge book or CDC

No current official Montserrat form or document checklist was published for these credentials.
If the administration confirms a route: identity document, national certificate or rating evidence, sea-service, medical and training evidence requested by the flag.

Validity

Not published in the reviewed official route.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

No current Montserrat rating endorsement, Seaman Book, discharge book or CDC output was verified.

Important conditions

Information-only; the Act requires sufficient and competent crew and compliance with required certificates, qualifications and experience.
Do not advertise any rating or seafarer-book route until the administration publishes or confirms it.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

If the administration confirms a live flag-document route, we review the complete file, submit it directly to the flag administration, track and deliver the issued document. The flag administration remains issuer.

STCW training, Certificate of Proficiency or approved training-centre route

Use this route for: Check whether Montserrat currently recognizes a training-centre route for STCW or CoP documents.

Requirements for STCW training, Certificate of Proficiency or approved training-centre route

No current Montserrat-approved training-centre list or course application was verified.
If a route is confirmed: course application, identity document, prerequisites, sea-service, medical and STCW evidence specified by the approved centre or flag.

Validity

Not published in the reviewed official route.

Processing: Not published by the flag administration for this route.

Issued documents

No Montserrat-approved training-centre or Montserrat-issued STCW/CoP output was verified.
If confirmed, the course certificate is issued by the approved training centre and any flag document by the flag administration.

Important conditions

The reviewed REG warning says STCW has not been extended to Montserrat and disclaims unauthorized certificate issuers.
Do not treat a private provider as Montserrat-approved without current written authority.

How Pharaohs Marine helps

If Montserrat confirms a training-related route, we review the file, submit it to an approved training centre Pharaohs Marine works with, follow the course-certificate process, submit to the flag administration where required and deliver the issued electronic certificate when available. The centre or flag administration remains issuer.

Training-centre list status No public named list verified

No public list verified: the reviewed current official Montserrat sources, including the Montserrat Port Authority public pages/resources and the Red Ensign Group Montserrat profile, publish no named flag-approved or flag-recognized maritime/STCW training-centre directory. No undated/older named Montserrat training-centre list was found in the reviewed official sources; the REG material also states that STCW has not been extended to Montserrat. Exact course scope, resolutions and expiry dates therefore cannot be supplied.

Primary references

Official sources used for this guide.

Published requirements and authorization scopes can change. We verify the current route again when preparing a live file.

01Government of Montserrat — Merchant Shipping (Registration) Act and subsidiary Registration of Ships Regulations, revision 1 January 2025Authority and Registrar; ownership and eligibility; representative person; ordinary, small-ship, provisional, bareboat and bareboat-out routes; prescribed forms; title evidence; survey and marking; registration validity and renewal; certificate outputs; surveyor and RO authorization criteria; crew competence duties. 02Red Ensign Group — Montserrat Category 2 register profileCategory Two registry status; published commercial 150 GT and non-commercial pleasure 400 GT profile; Registrar contact details and official MPA website. 03Red Ensign Group — Frequently Asked QuestionsCategory Two context; UK/Overseas Territory constitutional responsibility; statutory certificate responsibility; administration-specific FSE processes and accepted-CoC lists. 04Montserrat Port Authority — Declaration of Ownership by Individual OwnerCurrent official ownership-declaration fields: vessel identity, dimensions, tonnage, call sign, port of registry and 64-share ownership. 05Montserrat Port Authority — Certificate of SurveyCurrent official survey submission fields; class and surveyor information; named certificate/document categories; plans, manuals, records and manning fields. 06International Maritime Organization — Surveys, Verifications and CertificationFlag-State versus RO/RSO/nominated-surveyor issuance distinction; certificate and document framework; port-State-control inspection context. 07International Maritime Organization — Recognized OrganizationsRO legal framework, RO Code, authorization scope and flag-State oversight; GISIS reporting context. 08International Maritime Organization — STCW ConventionInternational STCW minimum standards, certificate/training/watchkeeping framework and medical-fitness context. 09UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency — List of countries accepted towards issuing a UK FSEDistinction between a national CoC and a UK flag-state endorsement; evidence that the UK list is not a Montserrat-specific accepted-CoC list. 10IMO GISIS — Recognized Organizations public moduleVerification context for public IMO recognized-organization information; no current Montserrat-specific named authorization was exposed in the reviewed public page. 11Red Ensign Group — Statement on Montserrat Yachting Association from REGOfficial warning that the association is not recognized or authorized as registry agent, trainer or vessel/seafarer certificate issuer; statement that STCW has not been extended to Montserrat and purported certificates are invalid. 12Montserrat Port Authority — official home and maritime administration contact/navigationOfficial MPA identity, maritime-administration/ship-registry navigation and current contact context; confirmation that no public seafarer route was visible in the reviewed official navigation. 13Montserrat Port Authority — Safety and SecurityCurrent official confirmation that the Montserrat Port Authority is an ISPS Code-compliant facility; reviewed for any named recognized security organization or public ISPS/RSO authorization list, none of which was published. 14Montserrat Port Authority — ResourcesCurrent official public resource/navigation page; reviewed for named classification societies, ROs, RSOs and maritime/STCW training-centre directories, none of which was listed.

Document coordination

Discuss your vessel or seafarer-document request.

Pharaohs Marine can review the intended route, identify the working document pack and coordinate submission. The competent Administration or authorized organization retains approval and issuance decisions.

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