Section 34: Ships entitled to be registered

(1) In addition to any other provision of this Act, the Merchant Shipping Act, Cabotage Act, or any other law and subject to this Part, the following ships are entitled to be registered:
(a) Nigerian owned ships;
(b) small vessels, including fishing vessels, except canoes and primitive boats engaged solely in artisan fishing that are-
(i) wholly owned by Nigerian residents or Nigerian residents and Nigerian citizens; or
(ii) operated solely by Nigerian residents or Nigerian citizens or both such residents and such citizens; and
(c) ships on bareboat charter to Nigerian citizens.
(2) The Registrar may not register a Ship under this Act if the ship is registered under the law of another state, unless-
(a) in the case of a Nigerian owned ship, it was acquired pursuant to an order of court under the Admiralty Jurisdiction Act, and its subsidiary legislation, and the evidence thereof as prescribed by the Agency has been lodged with the Registrar ; or
(b) in the case of a ship on bareboat charter to a Nigerian citizen, all the relevant documents prescribed by the Agency have been lodged with the Registrar and the provisions under the Bareboat Regulations have been complied with.
(3) The Agency shall perform all the customary duties of a flag state and all the functions and powers vested in the office of the Government Inspector of Ships under the Merchant Shipping Act, and notices issued under the Merchant Shipping Act
(4) A ship registered under this section shall comply with the requirements of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act, 2003 if such ship is to operate in Nigerian coastal and inland waterways .