Law Summary
Coverage
- Applies to all types of ships operating in Philippine waters irrespective of size or power
- Includes motorized and non-motorized vessels below 3 gross tonnage (GT)
- Excludes warships, Philippine Coast Guard ships, foreign registry ships temporarily in Philippine waters, and inflatable rescue boats made of rubber tubing
Definitions
- Administration: Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)
- Deletion: Cancellation of ship's registry and termination of domestic trading status
- Domestic Ownership: Ownership by Philippine citizens or corporations with at least 60% Filipino capital
- Homeport/Port of Registry: Port where ship is registered and records kept
- Miscellaneous Ship: Ships not classified under PMMRR 1997, e.g., amphibians, submarines, hovercrafts
- Personal Water Craft (PWC): Recreational jet drive boats under 13 feet
- Ship/Vessel: Craft designed to float and transport passengers/cargo in Philippine waters
- Single or More Rubber Tubing (SMRT): Inflatable boats made of rubber tubes
- Special Purpose Ship: Self-propelled ships carrying over 12 special personnel, includes power barges, MODUs
- Types of Ships: Classified by use or construction as per PMMRR 1997
- Yacht: Ship used solely for pleasure, including PWCs
General Provisions
- All domestically owned ships must be registered and issued Certificate of Philippine Registry (CPR) and Certificate of Ownership (CO)
- Special vessels like PWCs, MODU, and miscellaneous ships also require registration
- Ships under bareboat charter issued temporary CPR valid during charter; no CO issued
- Provisional CPR for import or delivery valid for max 3 months
- No PCPR for ships with Special Permit under MARINA MC 105 and 2011-04
- Register of Philippine Ships shall be maintained for public inspection
- Ships may be deleted under specified circumstances with issuance of Certificate of Deletion
- Changes to CPR or CO require reissuance
- Annual tonnage fees mandated except for certain fishing and small vessels
- Ships involved in smuggling or illegal drugs barred from registration
Assignment of Names, Numbers, and Markings
- Ship names require approval to avoid duplication
- Name must be painted on ship bow; homeport on stern
- Official numbers assigned unique 10-character ID, marked permanently on ship structure
Registration Procedures
- Registration at Central or Regional MARINA offices depending on ship operations
- Register contains detailed ship data including ownership, dimensions, tonnage, builder, etc.
- Errors corrected by designated officers with formal procedure
- Ships with incomplete details or defaced engine number require proof of ownership for registration
Re-issuance of Certicates
- New CPR/CO issued for lost/damaged certificates, ownership changes, change of homeport/engine/name/business details, ship alterations, and other changes
- Ownership transfer must be reported within 15 days
- Foreign nationals require deletion of ship from registry post-transfer
- Change of homeport requires clearance and complies with specific conditions
Re-registration
- Ships previously deleted may be re-registered via application and submission of Certificate of Deletion
Transfer of Rights and Encumbrances
- Must be registered and annotated in CPR
Validity of Certificates
- Generally no expiration except for bareboat chartered ships, small motorbancas, PWCs, SMRTs, and ships below 3 GT (valid 5 years)
Grounds for Deletion
- Export to foreign entity, CPR expiry for bareboat charter ships
- Scrapping, decommissioning, total loss
- Non-operation for five years for certain classes
- Violation of government rules with due process
Issuance of Certificate of Deletion
- Issued upon submission of required documents citing reason for deletion
Documentary Requirements
- Detailed documents required for registration, reissuance, deletion, and re-registration including proofs, clearances, notarized resolutions, affidavits, and certificates
Responsibilities of Shipowners/Operators
- Timely payment of taxes, licensing, safety certificates and franchises
- Renewal compliance and payment of tonnage fees
Fees and Charges
- Detailed fees for CPR and CO issuance according to tonnage
- Additional charges for construction certificates, sales, ownership and name changes
Penalties and Sanctions
- Fines for operating without CPR/CO depending on vessel size
- Penalties for failure to reissue CPR/CO within 30 days for various changes
- Failure to delete CPR subjects owners to fines
- Severe penalties for submitting fake or tampered documents including fines, withdrawal of registration/certificates, and watchlisting
Transitory Provisions
- Owners with old official numbers or Certificates of Vessel Registry must surrender these for re-issuance under the new rules within six months
Repealing Clause
- Previous circulars MC Nos. 90, 177 and PMMRR provisions inconsistent with this Circular are repealed or modified
Effectivity
- Circular effective fifteen days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation