Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 234), article 56

56. (1) A ship shall not be described by any name other than that by which it is for the time being registered. (2) A change shall not be made in the name of a ship without the previous written permission of the Registrar-General. (3) Application for that permission shall be in writing and if the Registrar-General is of opinion that the application is reasonable he may entertain it a nd thereupon require notice the reof to be published or otherwise pub licised, in such form and manne r as he thinks fit. (4) On permission being granted to change the name, the ship’s name shall forthwith be altered in the register, in the ship’s certificate of registry, in any other certificate issued by the registrar bearing the name of the ship and on her bows and stern and the Registrar-General shall forthwith proceed to notify in writing any registered mortgagee of the a lteration in t he register. (5) If it is shown to the satisfaction of the Registrar-General that the name of a ship has been changed without his permission , he shall direct that her name be altered into that which she bore before the change and the name shall be altered in the register, in th e ship’s certificate of registry, in any other certificate issued by the registrar bearing the name of the ship and on her bows and ster n accordingly. (6) Where a ship having once been registered under this Act ceases to be so registered, no pe rson unless ignorant of the pr evious registry (proof whereo f shall lie on him) shall apply to regist er, and M E R C H A N T S H I P P I N G [CAP. 234. 43 no registrar shall knowingly register, the ship except by the n ame by which she was previously registered unless with the previous written permission of t he Registrar-General. (7) Where a ship has not at any previous time been registered under this Act, no person shall apply to register, and no regis trar shall knowingly register, the sh ip except by the name which she bore immediately before the application for registry unless wit h the previous written permission of the Registrar-General. (8) If any person acts, or suffers any person under his control to act, in contravention of this ar ticle, or omits to do, or suffe rs any person under his control to omit to do, anything required by th is article, he shall for each offence be liable to a fine ( multa ) not exceeding one hundred units, and (except in the case of an application for registry made with respect to a ship which has not previously been registered under this Act) the ship may be deta ined until this article is complied with. Registry of alterations, Registry anew and Transfer of registry Registry of alterations. Amended by:  XIII. 1983.5; XXXVII. 1988.30; XXII. 2000.2.