The Ship Register holds data about the Estonian marine and inland vessels (incl. fishing vessels), non-propelled floating vessels and vessels being in construction. In addition to the vessel’s technical data, the registry stores data about the vessel’s owners, ship mortgages, usufructs and prohibition notations, and other restrictions regarding the vessels. The data in the Ship Register have legal force. Any transaction made with a registered vessel enters into force only after the transaction has been entered into the Ship Register.
The Ship Register is kept by the registry departments of the Harju County Court, the Tartu County Court and the Pärnu County Court. The Harju County Court also keeps the Ship Register for the jurisdiction of the Viru County Court. The Ship Register is kept in an electronic form.
Estonia Ship Registration Key Features
- For the purposes of this Act, an Estonian partner or Estonian co-owner is an Estonian citizen or an Estonian legal person. For the purposes of this Act, an Estonian legal person is a legal person registered in Estonia or a legal person in public law founded in Estonia.
- Upon registration of a ship, a citizen of a Member State of the European Union and a company or other legal person in private law founded pursuant to the law of a Member State of the European Union whose seat and business establishment is in a Member State of the European Union shall, upon request, be equal to the owner, co-owner or co-successor of a seagoing vessel specified in 1 and 2 of this Act, provided that the person has:
- A residence or a permanent business establishment in Estonia, and the ship herself is not deemed to be a business establishment,
- A permanent representative whose residence or seat is in Estonia and who is responsible for compliance with the technical, social and administrative requirements established with regard to seagoing vessels in Estonia and who directly controls and monitors the use of the ship.