Solicitor for Maritime Law in Valletta

I’m considering an arrangement where I would charter a vessel on a bareboat basis, and I’ve heard this might involve a specific type of registration process in Malta that’s different from a standard, full ship registration. Can you explain what this actually means and how it differs?

I own a yacht currently registered elsewhere and I’m considering re-registering it under the Malta flag, having heard this is a popular choice internationally. What are the actual practical benefits of doing this, and is the process genuinely straightforward?

I operate a vessel registered under the Malta flag and I’m looking to hire crew members who are not Maltese nationals. I want to understand whether this is permitted, and what kind of certification or documentation these crew members would actually need to legally work on a Maltese-registered ship.

I work as crew on a vessel operated by a shipping company based in Malta, and there have been concerning signs the company might be facing serious financial difficulty, potentially heading toward insolvency. I’m worried about what would happen to my unpaid wages if the company actually goes bankrupt.

I’m involved in operating a Malta-flagged vessel that has connections, through cargo or prior ownership history, to parties potentially affected by international sanctions. I want to understand what could actually happen if the vessel were seized or detained by foreign authorities enforcing these sanctions, and how Maltese authorities would be involved.

I’m considering taking up a position as a seafarer on a vessel registered under the Malta flag, and I want to understand whether my working conditions and employment rights would actually be governed by Maltese employment law in the same way as a typical shore-based job in Malta, or whether maritime employment operates under a different framework entirely.

I agreed verbally with a boat owner in Malta to charter their vessel for a specific period, including the agreed price and dates, but nothing was put in writing at the time. The owner is now saying the arrangement is off and wants to charter it to someone else instead who is offering more money. Can I actually enforce our original verbal agreement?

I operate a vessel that occasionally calls at Maltese ports, and I want to understand the potential legal liability I could face if my vessel were involved in any kind of pollution incident, whether accidental or otherwise, while in Maltese waters.