Comoros
Shipowner Eligibility
Provisional Registration Certificate (under 500 GRT)
Application form SR1 "Application for registration under Union of Comoros Flag"
Provide a Bill of sale notarized or other proof of ownership,
Non encumbrance or deletion certificate from previous flag,
Have a good standing certificate from the owning company,
Confirmation from Radio Traffic Accounting Authority,
Obtain a confirmation from classification society that the vessel will be attended by them,
Provide previous ITC'69,
Previous registration certificates (Registration, Minimum Safe Manning, Radio.)
Provisional Registration Certificate (Above 500 GRT)
Application form SR1 "Application for registration under Union of Comoros Flag"
Fill the Application form SR22 "First issuance Ship Radio Station License"
Provide a Bill of sale notarized or other proof of ownership,
Deletion or Non-Encumbrance from vessel's existing flag,
An updated good standing certificate of the owning company,
Confirmation from the vessel's classification society
Confirmation from Radio Traffic Accounting Authority,
Copies of existing governmental certificates (registration, radio licence, minimum safe manning),
Copy of the vessel's ITC'69,
Application for "Continuous Synopsis Record" CSR Form1
"(ISPS) Code Declaration of Company Security Officer", Form SR18
Application for minimum safe manning certificate SR12
ISM code declaration of company and designated person(s) SR19 and SR20
Safe Management Agreement,
Copy of existing Continuous Synopsis Record.
Documents for Permanent Registration
Original application form SR1
Original or certified true copy of notarization bill of sale
Original deletion certificate from previous registry (original or certified copy) Original ship's carving and marking note duly filled in and stamped by the attending classification surveyor (submitted with provisional registration documents)
Original radio installation survey report duly filled in & stamped by attending classification surveyor
Copies of issued valid class & statutory certificates.
Requirements in order to change the vessel's name
Application Form dully signed
Confirmation Form Vessel's Classification Society (if applicable)
Confirmation from responsible Radio Accounting Authority plus AAIC
Payment of Fees (as per Master Tariff)
About the Flag
Geography
The Comoro Islands are an archipelago of four islands and several islets located in the Western Indian Ocean about ten to twelve degrees south of the Equator and less than 200 miles off the East African coast. The archipelago is the result of volcanic action along a fissure in the seabed running West-Northwest to East-Southeast. The four major islands are Ngazidja, Mwali, Nzwani, and Mayotte. The total area of the four islands is 785 square miles (2,034 square kilometers).
Population
The total population of the Comoro Islands is estimated to be over 700,000 people today. Over 27% live in urban areas. In recent decades the population was increased by the forced evacuation of Comorians from Madagascar and Zanzibar.
The inhabitants are a blend of various peoples of the Indian Ocean littoral. African, Malagasy, and Arabic features are clearly evident. Maritime commerce before entry of Europeans into the Indian Ocean brought Comorians into contact with peoples from southern Africa to Southeast Asia. Since the end of the fifteenth century European influence has also impacted upon Comorian life.
Language
The official languages of The Union of the Comoros are French and Arabic. French is the language of government while Arabic is the language of Islam, the major religion in the Republic. French is used as the official language on the island of Mayotte.
In daily life, most people speak one or more varieties of Comorian, the language group indigenous to the Islands. It is closely related to the Swahili of the East African coast. Comorian is typical of a Bantu language with a large number of noun classes and an elaborate set of verb tenses and aspects. For centuries, people have used Arabic script to write Comorian and there is an attempt presently to normalize orthography for writing the varieties of the language in Roman script.
The rich vocabulary of Comorian has been enhanced by the borrowing of words from many other languages. Since Comorians have been involved in maritime trade for a thousand years or more, they have come into contact with a number of different peoples and their language reflects this contact. Words of Indian, Persian, Arabic, Portuguese, English, and French origin have been added to those of African ancestry.
There are four varieties of Comorian spoken in the Islands: Shingazidja, Shimwali, Shinzwani, and Shimaore, each one named for the primary island on which it is spoken.
Economy
Traditionally, seaborne trade played an important role in the Islands ' economy. Today, agriculture is the principal economic activity with crops grown both for domestic consumption and export. The major food crops are cassava, coconut, bananas, rice, sweet potatoes, pulses, and corn. Vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, and copra have been the major export crops.
Some animal husbandry is undertaken by individual farmers and a small scale fishing industry exists. Coelecanth specimens provided some income for fishermen and the government. This fish was thought by western scientists to have been extinct for 70 million years but has been caught by local fishermen for years. At one time it was sold to the local government and resold to museums and research centers all over the world.
There is a small tourist industry on the Islands which had been recently promoted by South African interests.
France has been the major trading partner of the Comoros. The Islands have a relatively large negative trade balance and the government has been for many years dependent upon external aid.
The currency of the country is the Comorian franc. Its value is tied to the US dollar at 378.7 Comorian francs to 1 US Dollar. There are banks on the islands of Ngazidja, Nzwani, and Maore but no bank on Mwali.
The Union of Comoros Maritime Shipping Act 2001 provides a modern legal framework for the operation of a competitive International Ship Registry.
Company Formation
Requirements for Bareboat Registration (In)
Application form SR17
Update good standing certificate
Copies of ISM certificates (DOC & SMC)
Copies of ITC'69
Confirmation from responsible radio accounting authority plus AAIC
Confirmation from vessel's classification society
Transcript of register from the foreign registry
Copy of the Bareboat charter party
Written consent from the foreign registry.
Requirements for Bareboat Registration (Out)
Application form SR7
Payment of registration fees & annual taxes
Copy of Bareboat charter party
Confirmation from the intended foreign flag that dual registration is permitted
Return of the original Comoros registration certificate
Good standing Certificates
Power of attorney (Both parties have signed charter agreement)
Taxation
The Classification Societies recognized by the National Transport Authority, Union of Comoros are the following:
American Bureau of Shipping
Bulgarian Register of Shipping
Bureau Veritas
China Classification Society
Croatian Register of Shipping
DNV GL Group
Guardian Bureau of Shipping (Case by Case)
Hellenic Register of Shipping
Indian Register of Shipping
International Naval Surveys Bureau
Korean Register of Shipping
Lloyd's Register
Nippon Kaiji Kyokai
Phoenix Register of Shipping
Polish Register of Shipping
RINA
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping
Russian River Register of Shipping
Shipping Register of Ukraine
Slovak Lloyd
Turk Loydu
Union Marine Classification Society
Venezuelan Register of Shipping
Vietnamese Register
Registration and Documentation
Shortly after its establishment, and having communicated the required information to the Secretary-General of IMO, the Comorian registry was recognized by the International Maritime Organization as a party to the International Convention on Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) 1978, as amended, that gives full and complete effect to the relevant provisions for the Convention.
Since December 7th, 2001, when the Secretary General of IMO communicated to the Commissioner for Maritime Affairs that the Comorian Registry had joined the White List of the STCW parties, this Flag Administration has been doing its utmost to ensure the effective and continuous implementation of the revised Convention's provisions, promoting safety of life at sea.
Applicants are kindly requested to submit the following documents for the issuance of endorsements of recognition of their certificates of competency under the provisions of the STCW 78/95 convention:
Original application form, duly completed and signed.
Original or true certified copy of a valid STCW '95 certificate of officer issued by a "White List" administration
Officer's Medical fitness certificate issued during the last 12 months (maximum)
Four (4) colored passport photographs
Sample of the officer's signature in case the application form is not signed by him.
Copy of the officer's valid national passport.
Bareboat Charter Registration
Mortgage Registration
Application form SR8
Three original mortgage deed signed by both parties (notarized signatures required)
Affidavit of good faith notarized
Minutes of the meeting of the mortgagor and Mortgagee legalized
Power of attorney of the mortgagor and Mortgagee notarized.
Discharge of Mortgage
Application Form dully signed
Original Discharge Certificate signed by the mortgage, dully notarized
Power of Attorney (of the Mortgagee) dully notarized
Vessel and Yacht Eligibility & Survey Requirements
Application Form
Notarized Bill of Sale or other proof of Ownership
Updated Good standing Certificate (of the owning company)
Copies of the ISM Certificates (DOC & SMC) if applicable
Confirmation from vessel's Classification Society (if applicable)
Confirmation Form responsible Radio Accounting Authority plus AAIC
Copy of ISM DOC of the vessel's Operator
Payment of Fees (as per Master Tariff)
Crewing
Mortgages
Union of Comoros Maritime Administration
Deputy Commissioner for Maritime Affairs
Boyan Bihlyumov
8000 Bourgas
11 Vazrazhdane Street
Bulgaria
Email: dptcomoros@abv.bg ; dptcomoros@gmail.com
Tel: +359 56 879 051
Fax: +359 56 840 519
Website: http://bihlyumov.com/
National Transport Authority
P.O. Box 1681
97 Moroni, Comoros
Tel: +269 773 97 79
Fax: +269 773 97 77
Email: info@nta.gov.km
Deputy Commissioner Offices
Bangladesh
NOBPAC Ship Management Ltd
HSBC Building, 3rd Floor, 1/D Agrabad, C/A
Chittagong 4100
Bangladesh
Attn: Capt. Saifullah Al Mamun
Tel: +880-1713124272
Fax: +880-31718197
Email: s.mamun.info@gmail.com
Bulgaria
Deputy Commissioner for Maritime Affairs
11 "Vazrazdane" Str, 8000, Burgas, Bulgaria
Attn: Mr. Boyan Bihlyumov
Tel: +359 56 879051 / 843473
Fax: +359 56 879044
Email: dptcomoros@abv.bg
Website: http://www.bihlyumov.com
Greece
Shipping Activities Bureau
102 Iroon Polytechniou Street, Postal Code: 18536, Piraeus, Greece.
Attn: Mr. Nikos Pantos
Tel: +30-210-4528361
Fax: +880-31718197
Email: sab@otenet.gr
India
Comoros Shipping Services
Mr. Khalid Khan
Deputy Commissioner
Mr. Abhishek Arora
Manager - Technical
Tel: + 91 22 2604 6444 / 2604 6555
Fax: + 91 22 2604 6333
Email: css@comorosshipping.com
Russia
Maritime Yacht Services Corp.
Bld. 4, 2nd Schemilovskiy Per, Moscow, Russia, 129090
Attn: Ms. Ekaterina
Tel: +7926255760
Email: ev@myachtservice.com
Website: http://www.myachtservice.com/
Singapore
Union of Comoros Maritime Administration for Singapore
c/o Straits Ship Registration Services Pte Ltd.
36 Robinson Road, 18th floor City House, Singapore 068877.
Attn: Ms. Lai-Foong Chan
Tel: +65 6514 1205
Fax: +65 6220 1602
Email: comoros.shipregistry.sg@gmail.com
Fees
IMO Convention 48 x London Convention Protocol 96
* IMO amendments 91 x INTERVENTION Convention 69
* IMO amendments 93 x INTERVENTION Protocol 73
SOLAS Convention 74 x CLC Convention 69
SOLAS Protocol 78 x CLC Protocol 76
SOLAS Protocol 88 CLC Protocol 92 x
Stockholm Agreement 96 FUND Convention 71
LOAD LINES Convention 66 x FUND Protocol 76
LOAD LINES Protocol 88 FUND Protocol 92 x
TONNAGE Convention 69 x FUND Protocol 2003
COLREG Convention 72 x NUCLEAR Convention 71
CSC Convention 72 PAL Convention 74
CSC amendments 93 PAL Protocol 76
SFV Protocol 93 PAL Protocol 90
Cape Town Agreement 2012 PAL Protocol 02
STCW Convention 78 x LLMC Convention 76
STCW-F Convention 95 LLMC Protocol 96
SAR Convention 79 SUA Convention 88 x
STP Agreement 71 SUA Protocol 88 x
STP Protocol 73 SUA Convention 2005
IMSO Convention 76 x SUA Protocol 2005
INMARSAT OA 76 SALVAGE Convention 89
INMARSAT amendments 94 OPRC Convention 90 x
INMARSAT amendments 98 HNS Convention 96
IMSO amendments 2006 OPRC/HNS 2000
IMSO amendments 2008 BUNKERS CONVENTION 01
FACILITATION Convention 65 ANTI FOULING 01
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex I/II) x BALLASTWATER 2004
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex III) x NAIROBI WRC 2007
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex IV) x HONG KONG CONVENTION
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex V) x HNS PROT 2010
MARPOL Protocol 97 (Annex VI)
London Convention 72
x: Accession/ratification
d: Denunciation
Contact
UNION DES COMORES
NATIONAL AGENCY OF MARITIME AFFAIRS
Building of The Ministry of Transport,
BP 97 Moroni,
Union of Comoros
+269 7739779
info@comorosmaritime.org
info@nta.gov.km
Web
https://www.comorosmaritime.org/en/contact/main-office
Fax
+2693339707
Stockholm Agreement 96
IMO Convention 48
* IMO amendments 91
* IMO amendments 93
SOLAS Convention 74
SOLAS Protocol 78
SOLAS Protocol 88
LOAD LINES Convention 66
LOAD LINES Protocol 88
TONNAGE Convention 69
COLREG Convention 72
CSC Convention 72
CSC amendments 93
SFV Protocol 93
STCW Convention 78
STCW-F Convention 95
SAR Convention 79
STP Agreement 71
STP Protocol 73
IMSO Convention 76
INMARSAT OA 76
INMARSAT amendments 94
INMARSAT amendments 98
IMSO amendments 2006
IMSO amendments 2008
FACILITATION Convention 65
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex I/II)
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex IV)
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex V)
MARPOL Protocol 97 (Annex VI)
London Convention 72
London Convention Protocol 96
INTERVENTION Convention 69
INTERVENTION Protocol 73
CLC Convention 69
CLC Protocol 76
CLC Protocol 92
FUND Convention 71
FUND Protocol 92
FUND Protocol 2003
NUCLEAR Convention 71
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex III)
PAL Protocol 76
PAL Protocol 90
PAL Protocol 02
LLMC Convention 76
LLMC Protocol 96
SUA Convention 2005
SUA Protocol 2005
SALVAGE Convention 89
OPRC Convention 90
HNS Convention 96
OPRC/HNS 2000
BUNKERS CONVENTION 01
ANTI FOULING 01
BALLASTWATER 2004
NAIROBI WRC 2007
HONG KONG CONVENTION
HNS PROT 2010
Cape Town Agreement 2012
SUA Convention 88
SUA Protocol 88
IMO Conventions
Status of Conventions Comoros
IMO Convention 48 x
SOLAS Convention 74 x
SOLAS Protocol 78 x
SOLAS Protocol 88
SOLAS Agreement 96
LOAD LINES Convention 66 x
LOAD LINES Protocol 88
TONNAGE Convention 69 x
COLREG Convention 72 x
CSC Convention 72
CSC amendments 93
SFV Protocol 93
Cape Town Agreement 2012
STCW Convention 78 x
STCW-F Convention 95
SAR Convention 79
STP Agreement 71
Space STP Protocol 73
IMSO Convention 76 x
INMARSAT OA 76
IMSO amendments 2006
IMSO amendments 2008
FACILITATION Convention 65
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex I/II) x
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex III) x
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex IV) x
MARPOL 73/78 (Annex V) x
MARPOL Protocol 97 (Annex VI)
London Convention 72
London Convention Protocol 96
INTERVENTION Convention 69
INTERVENTION Protocol 73
CLC Convention 69
CLC Protocol 76
CLC Protocol 92 x
FUND Protocol 76
FUND Protocol 92 x
FUND Protocol 2003
NUCLEAR Convention 71
PAL Convention 74
PAL Protocol 76
PAL Protocol 90
PAL Protocol 02
LLMC Convention 76
LLMC Protocol 96 x
SUA Convention 88 x
SUA Protocol 88 x
SUA Convention 2005
SUA Protocol 2005
SALVAGE Convention 89
OPRC Convention 90 x
HNS Convention 96
HNS PROT 2010
OPRC/HNS 2000
BUNKERS CONVENTION 01 x
ANTI FOULING 2001
BALLASTWATER 2004
NAIROBI WRC 2007 x
HONG KONG CONVENTION