Ship registration in Georgia is governed by the Maritime Code: from the moment of entry in the registry the ship acquires the right to navigate under the state flag of Georgia, and registration takes place in different forms and for different terms. This page explains the rules — who may register a ship, which certificates are issued, and in which cases refusal, suspension or deletion from the registry occurs — under Articles 29, 30, 35 and 36 of the Code.
The flag right and forms of registration
Under the first part of Article 29, the right to use (navigate under) the state flag of Georgia is granted to the ship from the moment of its registration in the registry. All forms of ownership provided for by Georgian legislation apply to a ship flying the Georgian flag. Registration may be temporary, term-based or permanent, with or without the right of navigation.
Registered in the registry are ships owned by the Georgian state or by a Georgian natural or legal person; ships owned by a foreign shipowner who has an authorised representative in Georgia in accordance with the law; and ships operated under a bareboat charter contract. Georgia does not recognise parallel registration of a ship: a ship registered in another state's registry may be registered in Georgia only after the suspension, termination or deletion of its registration there.
In the bareboat-charter case, a ship may be registered in Georgia if, at the moment of chartering, its flag state consents to the registration in the Georgian registry and the right to sail under the state maritime flag there is suspended; the registration of property and other proprietary rights connected with the ship (maritime mortgage and pledge) may remain in the ship's primary registry, while the right to sail under the Georgian flag is acquired for the term of the contract.
The agency and the temporary certificate
Under Article 30, registration of a ship in the registry is carried out by the agency, which issues the respective certificates; it maintains the registry and approves the rules of ship registration, registry administration and recordation of maritime mortgages. A temporary registration certificate may be issued until permanent or term registration, for a period of not more than 6 months, extendable up to 1 year. After the 1-year term expires, in an exceptional case, on the basis of the shipowner's written application and with the chief registrar's consent, the validity of the temporary certificate may be further extended — by not more than 1 (one) year. A temporary registration certificate gives rise to the same rights and duties as a permanent registration.