31 vessels struck off Malta register

Thirty-one ships were struck off the Malta shipping register in the first quarter of this year, Transport Minister Censu Galea said in parliament yesterday.

He said international practice did not provide for the publication of the details of the vessels in question. However, the documents would clearly indicate the registration would have been closed under section 29 of the Merchant Shipping Act.

Under section 29 the minister responsible for shipping may order that a ship shall cease to be registered if it is in the national interest or in the interest of Maltese shipping.

The Registrar-General may direct that a ship shall cease to be registered in the following cases:

(a) if the annual fee has not been duly paid in accordance with the law;

(b) if the formalities specified in article 13 (documents and evidence after provisional registration) are not complied with within the maximum periods specified;

(c) if in the event of a registered ship being either actually or constructively lost, taken by the enemy, burnt or broken up, or ceasing, whether by reason of a transfer to persons not qualified to own a Maltese ship or for any other reason, to be a Maltese ship;

(d) if the owner fails to observe the provisions of the law;

(e) if it is established that the ship will not or cannot be registered under the law;

(f) if, where required, any conditions established by the minister are not observed for a period in excess of one month;

(g) if the owner fails to pay any fine imposed under the law, or fails to pay any penalty within one month of their being demanded in writing by the registrar; or

(h) if the owner fails to be in possession of a valid certificate of registry, whether provisional or otherwise, for a period in excess of one month.

Answering questions tabled by Labour MP Carmelo Abela, Mr Galea also said it did not seem that any foreign authority had for an extended period of time stopped Maltese ships from sailing out of harbours overseas because of defects.