Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 234), article 30

30. (1) When the registry of a ship, whether provisional or otherwise, has been closed, the registrar shall, upon request o f the registered owner or, when the re gistry of a ship has been close d in terms of article 28A upon request of the purchaser, issue a del etion certificate: Provided that the registrar may refuse to issue such certificate if all liabilities and obligations in respect of th e ship towards the Authority, the Government of Malta and any body corporate established by law, whether for fees, charges, fines or otherwise have not been paid. (2) The registrar shall specify on the deletion certificate the reason for closure of registry, and where the registry of a ship, whet her provisional or otherwise, has been closed saving any unsatisfie d mortgage, any unsatisfied finance charter instrument or privile ge entered therein, the deletion certificate shall also include a full description of any unsatisfied mortgage, any unsatisfied financ e charter instrument or privilege, together with a statement that the reg istry of the ship was closed saving such mortg ages, finance charter instrume nts or privileges. Issue of certificate of registry in lieu of provisional certificate.