No. S 55
Merchant Shipping Act 1995
(Act 19 of 1995)
Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Regulations 1996
In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 8, 44, 45 and 216 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, the Minister for Communications hereby makes the following Regulations:
Citation and commencement
1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Regulations 1996 and shall come into operation on 2nd February 1996.
PART I
CONDITIONS FOR REGISTRY OF SHIPS
Definitions
2.  In this Part —
“age”, in relation to a ship, means the difference between —
(a)the year in which its keel was laid, or was at a similar stage of construction; and
(b)the year in which it is to be registered as a Singapore ship;
“citizen of Singapore” includes a permanent resident of Singapore;
“foreign owned ship” means a ship that is not locally owned;
“local company” means a company in which all or a majority of the shares are owned by persons who are —
(a)citizens of Singapore; or
(b)companies in which, or which have holding companies in which, all or a majority of the shares are owned by persons who are citizens of Singapore or local companies.
Owners of ships registered under Part II of Act
3.  The following persons are qualified to be owners of ships which are to be registered under Part II of the Act:
(a)citizens of Singapore; and
(b)bodies corporate incorporated in Singapore.
Closure of registry of certain tugs, barges and ships
4.  The registry of a tug or a barge, or a ship of less than 1,600 gross tons and owned wholly or partly by —
(a)a local company shall be closed if all or a majority of the shares in the company or its holding company, if any, are; or
(b)a citizen of Singapore shall be closed if any share in the tug or barge or ship is,
transferred to a person who is not a citizen of Singapore or another local company.
Conditions for registry
5.—(1)  A ship, other than a tug or barge, owned wholly or partly by a company shall not be registered unless the company has a minimum paid-up capital of 10% of the value of the ship or $500,000, whichever is the less.
(2)  A bareboat charterer which is a company and is not the registered owner of any Singapore ship shall have a minimum paid up capital of $500,000.
(3)  Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a company shall, for the purposes of that paragraph, have a paid-up capital of at least $50,000.
(4)  Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to a company only in respect of the first ship to be registered by the company after 28th September 1981.
Requirements as to paid-up capital for company ownership of ships
6.—(1)  A tug or barge owned wholly or partly by a local company which owns only tugs or barges or both shall not be registered unless the company and its holding company, if any, has each a minimum paid-up capital of 10% of the value of the tug or barge or $250,000, whichever is the less.
(2)  A bareboat charterer which is a company and is not the registered owner of any Singapore ship shall have a minimum paid up capital of $250,000.
(3)  Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a company shall, for the purposes of that paragraph, have a paid-up capital of at least $10,000.
(4)  Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to a company only in respect of the first ship to be registered by the company after 28th September 1981.
(5)  For the purposes of paragraph (1), “holding company” has the same meaning as in section 5(4) of the Companies Act [Cap. 50].
Closure of registry of ship upon reduction of paid-up capital of company owner
7.—(1)  Where a company which is required to have the minimum paid-up capital under regulation 5 or 6 for the registry of any ship, tug or barge, reduces its paid-up capital below that minimum, the registry of the ship, tug or barge shall be closed by the Minister.
(2)  Where a company referred to in regulation 6(1) owns, besides any tug or barge, any other ship, regulation 5 shall apply to that company.
(3)  Regulations 3, 4, 5 and 6 and this regulation shall not apply to a ship, tug or barge registered before 28th September 1981.
Registry of foreign owned and locally owned ships
8.—(1)  No foreign owned ship shall be registered unless it is —
(a)fitted with mechanical means of self-propulsion; and
(b)of not less than 1,600 gross tons.
(2)  No ship above 17 years of age shall be registered unless the Registrar is satisfied that the ship is in a satisfactory condition in all respects.
(3)  Paragraph (2) shall not apply to a Singapore ship which is registered anew under section 19(1) or 34(1) of the Act.
Application for registry
9.—(1)  A corporation applying for the registry of a ship under section 11 of the Act shall submit to the Registrar the following particulars:
(a)the name of the corporation;
(b)the name, address and nationality of its chairman or president;
(c)the name, address and nationality of each of its directors;
(d)its nominal or authorised capital;
(e)its paid-up capital;
(f)the name, address and nationality of every shareholder of the corporation and the number of shares held by each shareholder; and
(g)such other information as the Registrar may require.
(2)  The owner of a ship shall, when applying for the registry of the ship, submit to the Registrar the name, address, telex number and cable address of the manager of the ship.
(3)  The owner of a ship shall notify the Registrar of any change in any of the particulars submitted under this regulation in respect of the ship within 30 days of the change.
(4)  The Registrar may at any time require the owner of a ship to produce such documentary evidence of any of the particulars submitted under this regulation as he thinks fit.
Made this 30th day of January 1996.
TEO MING KIAN
Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Communications,
Singapore.
[MARINE 140/C/16; AG/SL/10/92 Vol. 2]