Section 19: Obligation to Register Ships

(1)
Whenever a ship is owned wholly by persons qualified to own a registered Nigerian ship, the ship shall be registered in Nigeria in the manner provided in this part of this Act or in any other country in accordance with the laws of that country, unless the ship is, pursuant to Subsection (2) of this section, exempted from registration under this Act.
(2)
The Minister may, if he thinks fit, by notice in the Gazette generally or specially exempt a ship not exceeding fifteen tons employed solely on the coasts or inland waters of Nigeria from registration under this Act.
(3)
Any ship, other than a Nigerian licensed ship, which does not comply with the requirements of subsection (1) of this section, shall not be recognized as a Nigerian ship.
(4)
If the master of any ship which is owned wholly by persons qualified to own a registered Nigerian ship fails on demand to produce a certificate of registration of the ship or such other evidence to satisfy the Minister that the ship complies with the requirements of subsection (1) of this section, the ship may be detained until that evidence is produced.
(5)
Any ship, which is registered at a port in Nigeria immediately before the commencement of this Act, shall be a registered ship under this Act if Nigerian citizens or a body corporate owns it, unless the Minister directs otherwise.
(6)
A bareboat-chartered ship shall, upon registration fly the Nigerian flag and be regarded as a Nigerian registered vessel whilst the charter persists.
(7)
The Registrar shall notify the former port of registry of a Nigerian bareboat chartered ship of the registration of the ship in Nigeria and satisfy him that the registration in that port is suspended.
(8)
The Register shall require production of the information and. documentation specified in section 21, subsection (4) (a), (c), (j), (g), (h) and section 22 of this Act prior to the registration of a bareboat charter.
(9)
A charter less than 12 months duration other than a bareboat charter, shall be licensed and such a chartered vessel shall not fly the Nigerian flag and not be regarded as a Nigerian registered vessel.
(10)
The registration of a charter shall be renewed annually and the chartered shall furnish the Registrar with information concerning:
(a) The duration of the charter party;
(b) The parties to the charter;
(c) The hire cost;
(d)
The route on which the vessel is expected to ply;
(e)
The type of goods, which are expected to be carried.
(11)
Every vessel registered in Nigeria and every chartered vessel shall be subject to the payment of such annual fee as the Minister may by order impose.
(12)
An owner, chatterer or operator of a vessel who fails to pay the fee shall be liable to a fine not less than one hundred thousand naira.