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.
Types of certificates and their terms
Under Article 35, registration is confirmed by a registration certificate, which may be temporary, term-based or permanent. The registration of a small ship and a reduced-size ship is permanent and renewed annually, while the certificate of a large ship is subject to annual verification. Bareboat-charter registration is confirmed by a term certificate whose validity is determined by the term of the charter contract or corresponds to the suspension period of the navigation right in the flag state, which must not exceed 2 calendar years; extension is possible, but even with the primary flag state's consent it must not exceed more than 2 calendar years. The ship's name is given by the owner and may be changed at the shipowner's request.
Refusal, suspension and deletion
Article 36 determines the fate of the registration. Grounds for refusal include: non-conformity of the ship's condition with the maritime-safety standards set by Georgia's international treaties or the risk of polluting the marine environment; the absence of guarantees of the safety and health of persons employed on the ship; and previously confirmed suspicion that the ship will be used for criminal purposes, against international security, public order, peace or Georgia's national interests.
Suspension follows, among others, non-payment of an established charge, the shipowner's written application, a decision of a court or administrative organ, the expiry of the certificate's validity where renewal is not requested, or suspension of technical supervision. Deletion grounds include a request, the ship's write-off, a finding of unfitness, the ship's loss, expiry of the bareboat charter, or a court decision. Termination follows the loss of navigability, destruction including by fire or sinking, non-conformity with standards, or the ship's detention in a foreign port; the shipowner must notify the agency, and the decision is formalised by an individual legal act of the chief registrar.
The chief registrar may refuse deletion or termination where any responsibility or obligation connected with the ship before the agency has not been fully performed; nor is a deletion certificate issued if the registration certificate or other required certificates are not surrendered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below we answer the key questions about ship registration.
When does the right to navigate under the flag arise?
From the moment of registration in the registry — registration is therefore the precondition of the ship's lawful operation.
How long is the temporary certificate valid?
For not more than 6 months, with the possibility of extension up to 1 year; exceptionally — a further period of not more than 1 (one) year.
Is parallel registration possible?
No — Georgia does not recognise it; a ship registered abroad is entered only after suspension or deletion there.
When does the agency refuse registration?
For non-conformity with safety standards, absence of crew guarantees, or confirmed suspicion of criminal use.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team prepares registration documents, assesses the bareboat-charter frame and represents the party before the agency in refusal and suspension cases.
If you need to register a ship or face a registration dispute, write to us on Legal.ge — we will assess the Code's requirements and plan the procedure.