Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 234), article 32

32. (1) A registered ship or a share therein shall be transferred by a bill of sale. (2) The bill of sale shall contain such description of the ship as it contained in the surveyor’s certificate or some other description sufficient to identify the ship to the satisfaction of the registrar, and shall be executed by the transferor in the presence of, and attested by, a witness or witnesses. (3) No transfer of a Maltese ship may be made in favour of persons who are not qualified to own a Maltese ship, unless there is the consent in writing for such transfer of all the mortgagees whose mortgages are duly registered in respect of the ship, saving where the transfer is made pursuant to an order or with the approval of a competent court. (4) Upon the entry of a transfer of a registered ship or a share therein in favour of a person qualified to own a Maltese ship the registrar shall notify accordingly the holder of any registered mortgage. (5) Where the ownership of a ship or share therein is transferred following a merger or by operation of law, the person to whom the ownership is transferred shall make and sign a declaration indicating the manner in which and the person to whom the property has been transferred to and such declaration shall be accompanied by documentary evidence that may be required by the Registrar. Declaration of transfer.