Guidance

Ship registration privacy information notice

Updated 4 May 2023

© Crown copyright 2023

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maritime-and-coastguard-agency-privacy-notices/ship-registration-privacy-information-notice

1. How we use the information about you?

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) collects and retains the personal information provided when you register your boat on:

  • Part 1 Register of British ships
  • Part 2 Register of Fishing Vessels
  • Part 3 Small Ships Register (SSR)
  • Part 4 Bareboat charter Ships

We collect information about you to carry out our official duty and to keep the UK Ship Register up to date and to make sure our services are planned to meet ship owner’s needs. We are also required to check and report on how effective the MCA and the services it commissions have been and to make sure that the MCA gives value for money. We will also contact you about safety and changes to regulations. We may use your information to investigate complaints, legal claims or important incidents. We may use your information for crime prevention and prosecution of offenders.

Processing your personal information is necessary for the MCA to carry out our function as the register of British ships in the United Kingdom as stated in the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. The register shall be maintained in accordance with the private law provisions for registered ships. The register shall be available for public inspection.

2. Retaining your information

The ships register is a public record where vessel registration details are recorded on the MCA vessel registration digital platform to produce the certification required to register a vessel.

We securely store personal and vessel information electronically and manually. Information is retained throughout your ownership and if not required as defined in the Merchant Shipping Act 1993 is removed 7 years after your ownership ceases. If there is an outstanding mortgage on a vessel, it will remain open until the mortgage is paid.

Information that is kept to maintain the register as defined in the Merchant Shipping Act 1993 and made available for public inspection will include:

  • Owner name
  • Vessel Details

Information about each owner who is an individual that is kept to maintain the register as defined in the Merchant Shipping Act 1993 Schedule 4 and not made available for public inspection will include:

  • Address
  • Nationality

If you are registering through our online platform or identifying your vessel through the “Claim My Vessel” process, we will ask you to provide additional information.  This information is required to validate the application and ensure that you are claiming your own vessel.  During these processes, we will ask for additional information to be uploaded/provided:

  • Personal identification:  passport, driving licence or recent utility bill confirming your name and address
  • Proof of vessel ownership:  vessel’s Bill of Sale or sales invoice

The requested additional personal identification information is only retained for the period of time that the registration or Claim My Vessel process is in progress.  It is deleted once the process has been completed.

3. Sharing your information

The information you provide is primarily used for vessel registration purposes, the only information that is made available for public inspection will include the owners name and vessel details.

We may share your information as detailed on certificates and transcripts of registry where there is an appointed representative acting on behalf of owners.

Information may also be used for other non-vessel registration related purposes such as checking how effective our services are.

We may share your information with other statutory bodies/organisations to enable them to fulfil their statutory and legal obligations.

We may share your information with other law enforcement agencies for the prevention and detection of crime.

We may share your information with other organisations and other ships registers when there is a transfer between registers or there is a legal obligation to do so.

4. Storing your information

We will securely store your personal information in the UK. We do not routinely transfer data overseas but when this is necessary, we will ensure that we have the appropriate safeguards in place.

5. Automated decision making

We will not use automated decision making or profiling in using your data.

6. Your rights

The UK GDPR sets out a number of rights which individuals have over their personal data, allowing you to request copies of your personal data and, in certain circumstances, to object to it being used for a certain purpose, or to have it deleted or modified.

To find out more please see our Personal information charter.

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