A notice to Shipowners, Ship Operators, Managers, Masters, Owners’ Representatives and Recognised Organisations published by the Transport Directorate states that further to the measures implemented by the Directorate to continue to provide an uninterrupted service to the Maltese shipping community under the current exceptional circumstances, the Directorate wishes to inform all concerned of supporting measures that have been implemented as from 1 April 2020.

The Directorate is fully aware that the shipping industry has been severely impacted by COVID-19 and is currently facing serious cash flow issues. In an effort to support shipping companies, owners, managers and operators of Maltese merchant ships and to enable them to address the difficulties encountered due to the wide spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, it has been decided to defer the due payment date of the relevant Registration Fees and the Annual Tonnage Tax of merchant ships (Merchant Shipping Act – First Schedule), of which the anniversary date falls on or after 1 April 2020, by a period of three months from the anniversary.

To this effect, requests to issue renewal Certificates of Registry are still to be made to the Registrar as provided in article 19(4) of the Merchant Shipping Act, accompanied by a request for the deferral of payment of the relevant registration fees and annual tonnage tax, where applicable.

All requests are to be addressed on shipreg.tm@transport.gov.mt.