Deletion Fees and Government Approval Requirements for Fishing Vessels
| CIRCULAR | Circular No. 028 (Amended) |
| SUBJECT | Deletion Fees and Government Approval Requirements for Fishing Vessels |
| FROM | Office of the Maritime Administrator, Vanuatu International Shipping Registry |
| TO | All owners, operators, managers, charterers, Special Agents, mortgagees and relevant Fisheries stakeholders |
| AMENDMENT DATE | 20 August 2026 |
| EFFECTIVE DATE | Upon publication |
| STATUS | Version 2.0 – Supersedes the prior version of Circular No. 028 |
Authority and legal status. This Circular is issued by the Maritime Administrator under the functions and powers conferred by the Maritime Act [CAP 131], as amended by the Maritime (Amendment) Act No. 21 of 2025, including section 10C where applicable, and any additional written authority lawfully applicable to the subject. It shall be read with applicable mandatory IMO instruments and controlled VISR policies. It does not convert a direct statutory power into a delegated power, transfer a function assigned by law to another State entity, or amend any valid appointment, concession or other governing instrument.
Related controlled policies: VISR-QMS-POL-GOV-001 – Governance, Statutory Authority, Responsibility and Strategic Performance Policy; VISR-QMS-POL-REC-005 – Document and Records Control, Retention and IMSAS Evidence Management Policy; VISR-QMS-POL-REP-006 – Statutory Reporting, Performance Review, Audit and Government Access Policy.
1. Deletion fee
An owner-requested deletion of a fishing vessel is subject to a deletion fee of USD 12,000, unless a later lawfully approved fee schedule or written decision applies. The fee is additional to outstanding registration fees, tonnage tax, penalties, inspection costs and other amounts due. It does not apply where VISR deletes a vessel unilaterally as an enforcement or administrative measure, unless another lawful charge applies.
2. Required approvals and clearances
• Written approval or no-objection from the competent Vanuatu Fisheries Department where required by the vessel's fishing authorization, record or Government policy.
• Settlement of all Registry and Government amounts or an approved written arrangement.
• Consent, discharge or other legally sufficient treatment of every recorded mortgage, lien or encumbrance.
• Surrender or electronic invalidation of current Registry, fisheries and other Vanuatu documents as directed.
• Confirmation of the proposed new flag, ownership and reason for deletion, together with sanctions, IUU and compliance checks.
• Completion of any outstanding casualty, PSC, enforcement, evidence-preservation or reporting obligation.
3. Application and processing
The registered owner or authorized representative must submit a complete deletion application through the official Registry channel. VISR may defer the deletion certificate until all legal, financial, mortgage, fisheries, safety and documentary requirements are satisfied. Payment of the deletion fee alone does not create a right to deletion.
4. Effect of deletion
Deletion terminates entitlement to fly the Vanuatu flag from the effective time stated in the Registry record. It does not extinguish liabilities, debts, penalties, investigations, reporting duties or obligations incurred before deletion. All Vanuatu marks and documents must be removed, surrendered or invalidated as directed.
Compliance records and communications
All applications, approvals, notices, reports, evidence, decisions, acknowledgements and corrective-action records required by this Circular must be transmitted through an official VISR channel and retained in the controlled Registry file in accordance with the VISR records policy. Communications from unverified domains or persons without written authority must not be relied upon.
Official contact: admin@register-vu.com. Urgent safety, casualty, sanctions or fraud matters must also be copied to info@register-vu.com and reported without delay.
Enforcement, reasons and reconsideration
Non-compliance may result in enhanced inspection, corrective-action requirements, service restrictions, suspension, administrative penalties, withdrawal or revocation of documents, or deletion from the Registry, to the extent authorized by law and the applicable written authority. Except where immediate protective action is necessary for safety, security, sanctions compliance, documentary integrity or preservation of evidence, an affected person will be notified of the material grounds and given a reasonable opportunity to respond. A request for reconsideration must be submitted in writing to the Office of the Maritime Administrator with supporting evidence within ten business days of the written decision, unless a shorter period is stated because of an urgent risk.
Supersession and effective application
This amended Circular supersedes the prior version of Circular No. 028 from the effective date stated above. Existing obligations, liabilities, investigations, fees and corrective actions arising under the prior version remain enforceable to the extent lawfully incurred and are to be administered under the clearer procedures stated in this amended version. If this Circular conflicts with a later Act, regulation or controlled VISR policy, the higher or later instrument prevails and the Circular shall be updated through document control.
| Saade Makhlouf Maritime Administrator of the Republic of Vanuatu Vanuatu International Shipping Registry |
Issued in Port Vila and New York 20 August 2026 |
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