Tanzania
Shipowner Eligibility
A ship shall be registered in Tanzania subject to other provisions if she is wholly owned by persons qualified to own a Tanzania Ship namely:
• Nationals of Tanzania
• Individuals or corporations owning ships hired out on bareboat charters to nationals of Tanzania.
• Individuals or corporations in bona fide joint venture shipping enterprise relationship with nationals of Tanzania as may be prescribed;
• Such other persons as the Minister may by order specify.
About the Flag
Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule ended in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania is a unitary republic consisting of the Union Government and the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities. The formation of a government of national unity between Zanzibar's two leading parties succeeded in minimizing electoral tension in 2010.
Ship registration is overseen by the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA). The process of registration involves the observance of the requirements and formalities prescribed under the Merchant Shipping Act No. 3 of 2003 which sets, among other requirements, the qualifications for owning, registering and licensing of Tanzania Ships.
Company Formation
For more information, consult the Tanzania Business Activities Registration Act of 2005
Taxation
For further information, consult with the Tanzania Revenue Authority.
Registration and Documentation
In naming a ship, the owner may propose a name(s) for his/her ship and submit it to the Registrar of Ships for approval. In any case, two or more ships shall not bear the same name in the Register book.
Port of Registry
An applicant for ship registration is required to nominate a port of registry i.e. homeport for her/his vessel. The port at which a ship is registered shall be deemed to be the port of registry and the port to which the ship belongs.
Changes to be Reported
Change of Vessel’s Name
Any change to a vessel’s name shall get an approval from the Registrar of Ships. Hence, no person shall change the name of the ship without permission from the Registrar of Ships.
Change of Description/Alterations
An application has to be made to the Registrar of Ships for any alterations which may lead to the alteration being registered or the ship to be registered anew.
Changes in Ownership
In order to register the transfer of ownership, the following documents must be attached with an application for change of ownership:
a) Bill of Sale
b) Declaration ownership
c) Appointment of an authorized representative in case of a company.
Transfer of a ship to unqualified persons.
A Ship Register will be closed if a vessel or any share in a vessel is transferred to unqualified person, or unqualified person obtains any joint interest in ownership.
The owner of a ship must handover a copy of the Bill of Sale to the Registrar of Ships along with notice that includes a statement of foreigner’s nationality and the Certificate of Registry must be delivered to the Registrar of Ships.
Bareboat Charter Registration
A ship is entitled to be registered if by bareboat charter an application for registration is dully made under section 23 of the Merchant Shipping Act.
The bareboat registration of a ship shall remain in force, unless terminated by virtue of registration regulations and subject to any suspension thereunder, for twenty four months or until the end of the charter period whichever is the earlier and shall then terminate.
A ship shall not be registered by bareboat charter without documentary proof that her registration in the original registry has been deleted.
The Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, exempt any ship or class of ships from the requirements of bareboat charter where such requirements are superfluous.
During the period for which a bareboat charter is registered she shall
a) be entitled to fly the Tanzanian flag;
b) be subject to any other enactments applicable to Tanzanian ships.
Vessel and Yacht Eligibility & Survey Requirements
Crewing
For more information, please consult the Merchant Shipping Act.
Mortgages
A mortgage may be registered in the register in respect of a provisionally registered ship, and where a mortgage is so registered, it shall be subject to all relevant provisions and registration regulations. A mortgage registered shall continue to be a registered mortgage until it is discharged, even if the provisional registration of the ship in respect of which the mortgage was registered, ceases to be effective.
A mortgage in respect of a ship under construction shall, for the purposes of determining priority under this Act or any other law, and in all other respects, be treated as a registered ship mortgage and shall continue to be treated as such until it is discharged, even if the ship under construction ceases to be registered under this Act; and a ship under construction shall, for the purposes of a mortgage under this Act or any other law, be treated as maritime property.
Where two or more mortgages are registered in respect of the same ship or share, notwithstanding any express, implied or constructive notice, the mortgages shall be entitled in priority one over the other, according to the date at which each mortgage is recorded in the Register Book, and not according to the date of each mortgage itself.
Those interested in applying for a mortgage should set forth the following information:
a) The name and address of the person by whom the power mentioned in the certificate is to be exercised, together with-
i. In the case of a sale, the minimum price at which a sale is to be made if it is intended to fix any such minimum;
ii. in the case of a mortgage, the maximum amount thereof, if it is intended to fix any such maximum;
b) the place where the power is to be exercised, or, if no place is specified, a declaration that the power may be exercised anywhere, subject to this Act;
c) the limit of time within which the power may be exercised.
Upon receiving an application, the Registrar of Ships shall enter in the register book a statement of the particulars set forth in the application, and shall grant to the applicant a Certificate of Sale or a Certificate of Mortgage, as the case may require.
Fees
Please consult:
Mr. Juma Malik Akil (PhD)
Principal Secretary
Ministry of Infrastructure and Communications
P.O Box 266
Mizigani Street
Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania
Tel: [255] 24 223 1169
Fax: [255] 24 223 4650
Email: principalsecretary@moic-rgoz.com
Contact
Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications (Works Sector)
Permanent Secretary
Tanzania Building Agency (TBA) House
1st Floor, Moshi Street
P. O Box 2888
40470 Dodoma, TANZANIA
Phone: +255 26 2322251
Fax: +255 26 2323233
Email Address: ps@mow.go.tz
Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications (Communication Sector)
Tanzania Building Agency (TBA) House
3rd Floor, Moshi Street
P. O. Box 638
40470 Dodoma, TANZANIA
Phone: +255 22 2116669+255 22 2116669
Fax: +255 22 2112533
Email Address: ps@mst.go.tz
Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications (Transport Sector)
Tanzania Building Agency (TBA) House
5 th Floor, Moshi Street
P. O Box 638, 40470 Dodoma, TANZANIA
Phone: +255 26 2322703, 2322702
Fax: +255 26 2322704
Email Address: km@uchukuzi.go.tz
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 Tanzania
IMO Convention 48 x
SOLAS Convention 74 x
SOLAS Protocol 78
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 x
STP Agreement 71
Space STP Protocol 73
IMSO Convention 76 x
INMARSAT OA 76 x
IMSO amendments 2006
IMSO amendments 2008
FACILITATION Convention 65 x
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 x
London Convention Protocol 96
INTERVENTION Convention 69 x
INTERVENTION Protocol 73 x
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
SUA Convention 88 x
SUA Protocol 88
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
ANTI FOULING 2001
BALLASTWATER 2004
NAIROBI WRC 2007
HONG KONG CONVENTION
x= ratification
d=denunciation