THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA LIBERIA MARITIME AUTHORITY LIBERIAN MARITIME LAW TITLE 21 OF THE LIBERIAN CODE OF LAWS OF 1956 OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER TELEPHONE: (703) 790-3434 22980 Indian Creek Drive, Suite 200 TELEFAX: (703) 790-5655 Dulles, Virginia 20166 USA E-Mail: [email protected] RLM-107 SERIES 2018 The within document is published by the Liberian Maritime Registry, by the authority of the Liberian Government, granted by The Republic of Liberia, Liberia Maritime Authority. It is an official publication of the Liberian Registry. Its contents and the Republic of Liberia logo and seal may not be copied, reproduced or distributed without prior permission in writing from the Liberian Registry. Copyright © All rights reserved. THE LIBERIAN MARITIME LAW TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. GENERAL POLICY §1. Statement of Policy. ....................................................................................... 1 §2. Law Governing Matters Affecting Economy of Liberian Flag Ships. ........... 1 ADMINISTRATION §10. Administration of the Law. ............................................................................ 1 §11. Commissioner of Liberia Maritime Authority: Regulations and Rules. ........ 2 §12. Deputy Commissioners of Liberia Maritime Authority. ................................ 2 §13. Administration of Maritime Program. ........................................................... 2 §14. Records Relating to Vessels. ......................................................................... 3 §15. Authority to Administer Oaths and Take Acknowledgments. ....................... 5 §16. Authority to Issue Radio Station Licenses. .................................................... 5 §17. Authority to Issue Licenses, Certificates and Other Documents. .................. 5 §18. Suspension and Revocation Proceedings. ...................................................... 6 §19. Fees and Taxes. .............................................................................................. 6 §20. Documents and Certificates created, transmitted, signed or stored electronically. ................................................................................................. 6 §29. Definitions. .................................................................................................... 7 CONSTRUCTION §30. Adoption of American General Maritime Law. ............................................. 8 §31. Separability. ................................................................................................... 8 CRIMINAL PENALTY §32. General Penalty for Violation. ....................................................................... 8 JURISDICTION §33. Jurisdiction. .................................................................................................... 8 §34. Appeal from Decision of Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner. ............. 8 i RLM-107 07/2018 CHAPTER 2. DOCUMENTATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF VESSEL SUB-CHAPTER I. VESSEL REGISTRATION §50. General Provisions. ...................................................................................... 10 §51. Vessels Eligible to be Documented and Re-documented. ............................ 10 §52. Vessels Not Required to be Documented. ..................................................... 12 §53. Registration Fees. .......................................................................................... 12 §53A. Temporary Reduction in Registration Fee. .................................................... 12 §54. Annual Tax. ................................................................................................... 12 §55. Title of Ship's Document. .............................................................................. 13 §56. Conditions Precedent to Issuance of Permanent Certificate of Registry. ...... 13 §57. Oaths. ............................................................................................................. 14 §58. Measurement. ................................................................................................ 15 §59. Certificate of Tonnage Measurement ............................................................ 15 §60. Measurement of Vessels. ............................................................................... 15 §61. [Repealed] ..................................................................................................... 15 §62. Tonnage Statements in Registry Certificate. ................................................. 16 §63. Forms of Documents. .................................................................................... 16 §64. Numbering of Registry Certificates. .............................................................. 16 §65. Provisional Registry Certificates to Vessels Abroad. .................................... 16 §66. Conditions Precedent to Issuance of Provisional Certificate......................... 17 §67. Denial of Document. ..................................................................................... 18 §68. Sale of Document Forbidden. ........................................................................ 18 §69. Sale or Transfer within the Register. ............................................................. 18 §69A. Sale or Transfer out of the Register. .............................................................. 19 §70. Application to transfer within or out of the Register. .................................... 19 §71. Surrender and Cancellation of Registry Certificates. .................................... 19 §72. Surrender of Document of Vessel Subject to Preferred Mortgage. ............... 19 §73. New Document. ............................................................................................. 19 §74. Builder's Certificate. ...................................................................................... 20 §75. Names, Numbers and Marks on Vessels. ...................................................... 20 §76. Numbering of Vessels. .................................................................................. 21 §77. Change in Name of Vessel. ........................................................................... 21 §78. Inspection of Document. ............................................................................... 21 §79. Display of Ship's Papers to Consul. ............................................................... 22 §80. Perjury. .......................................................................................................... 22 §81. Regulations, Rules and Notices. .................................................................... 22 §82. Standards of Seaworthiness. .......................................................................... 23 §83. Collection of Fees and Taxes; Penalties and Liens. ...................................... 23 §84. Jurisdiction and Control of Liberia Exclusive. .............................................. 24 ii RLM-107 07/2018 SUB-CHAPTER II. BAREBOAT CHARTER REGISTRATION A. LIBERIAN REGISTRATION §85. Recording of Bareboat Charter-Party............................................................ 25 §86. Undertaking of Bareboat Charterer. .............................................................. 26 §87. Bareboat Charter: Certificate of Registry. .................................................... 26 §88. Penalty for Flying Foreign Flag; Termination of Liberian Registration. ...... 26 §89. Notice of Foreign Preferred Ship Mortgages. ............................................... 27 B. FOREIGN REGISTRATION §90. Bareboat Charter Registration in Foreign State. ........................................... 28 §91. Consent of Mortgagee. .................................................................................. 28 §92. Certificate of Permission. ............................................................................. 28 §93. Right to Fly Liberian Flag Withdrawn. ......................................................... 28 §94. Restricted Certificate of Registry. ................................................................. 28 CHAPTER 3. PREFERRED SHIP MORTGAGES AND MARITIME LIENS ON LIBERIAN VESSELS §100. Registration and Recordation in the Relevant Index. ................................... 30 §100A. Registration, Recordation, and Discharge of Financing Charters. ................ 32 §101. Mortgages: preferred status. .......................................................................... 33 §102. Termination of Mortgagee's Interest. ............................................................ 34 §103. Ship Mortgage: Conditions Precedent. ......................................................... 35 §104. Bills of Sale: Recording. ............................................................................... 35 §105. Mortgages: Recording. .................................................................................. 36 §106. Allocation of Mortgage indebtedness. .......................................................... 37 §106A. Advances and Repayments. .......................................................................... 37 §106B. Units of Account. .......................................................................................... 38 §107. Lien of Preferred Mortgage. .......................................................................... 39 §108. Interest on Preferred Mortgage. .................................................................... 39 §109. Priority; Disclosure of Liens; Penalty. .........................................................