Register a mobile offshore unit in NOR

Drilling platforms and similar mobile offshore units which are not regarded as ships and are intended for use in exploration for or exploitation, storage or transportation of subsea natural resources or in support of such activities, may be registered provided that they meet the requirements of the Maritime Code Section 507. Here you will find the documentation requirements for voluntarily registering a mobile offshore unit (MOU) in NOR.

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Pre-clearance of documents is recommended.
Certification is carried out by our section for cargo vessels.

1. Application for certificate of name

Names of vessels of 15 meters and more must be approved prior to registration. If a Norwegian call sign has not been assigned previously, it will be assigned upon receipt of the Application for Certificate of Name. If the PDF version is chosen, please send a signed copy to nis-nor@sdir.no.

The desired home port should be entered according to this list, approved home ports in NOR and NIS.

2. Notification for registration

Notification for vessel to be registered - NIS and NOR. The notification must be signed with binding signature by the owner or the appointed Norwegian Process Agent/Representative.
If the PDF version is chosen, please send a signed copy to nis-nor@sdir.no.

3. Tonnage Certificate

A Tonnage Certificate must be issued or approved by the NMA, section for cargo vessels, before registration can take place.

4. Technical and operational safety

The Norwegian Maritime Authority's (NMA) Section for Cargo Vessels will audit and approve the unit's technical and operational safety. Read more here: Mobile offshore units

5. Ownership

An unbroken chain of ownership must be documented back to the last registered owner in the previous register or all the way back to the shipbuilder.

If the ship is changing flag: Last registered owner must correspond with seller on Bill of Sale.
If the vessel is a newbuilding not yet registered: Builder's Certificate has to be issued.

Confirmation of issuer's signature on Norwegian documents
All title documents are to be signed with binding signature. If the seller is a Norwegian registered company: according to the certificate of company registration. The signature (-s) must then be confirmed by two individuals who are of age and resident in Norway, a lawyer/assistant lawyer, licensed registered accountant , or a Notary Public.

Confirmation of issuer's signature on foreign documents
Title documents and power of attorneys issued abroad must be notarized and thereafter legalized/amended with an Apostille.
A Notary Public needs to confirm: the identity of the person signing, that the person is of age, and that the person is authorized to sign for and on behalf of the seller.

It must be confirmed that the Notary Public is a public official holding the position specified in the document and, therefore, has the right to sign.
Notarial statements issued by Notaries in countries that are party to the Hague Convention are confirmed by the amendment of an Apostille by local authorities in the country.
Notarial statements issued by Notaries in countries that are not party to the Hague Convention are legalized by the Norwegian consular station in the relevant country.
Notarial statements from the Nordic Countries are exempt from legalization requirements.
You can find the list of countries that are parties to the Hague Convention on Apostille here.

All title documents, i.e. Builder's Certificate and Bill of Sale must be submitted in original.

All title documents must be submitted in original.
Registration may take place upon receipt of PDF copies. Final registration will then be conditional upon receipt of the original documents within three weeks thereafter.

6. If documentation of ownership is not possible the vessel may still be registered

Ownership must then be acquired through the Norwegian Maritime Code of 24 June 1994 No. 39 § 35 - Acquisition of Registered Title by Consolidated Proceedings against possible Holders of Rights.

If the owner of a Norwegian ship lacks a registered title and it is impossible or unreasonably difficult for him or her to obtain registered title in any other manner, he or she can acquire registered title by a judgment confirming his or her title to the ship, obtained in consolidated proceedings against possible holders of rights and by registration of such judgment.

If the Court finds that the conditions have been met, it shall order that an extract of the writ be published in Norsk Lysningsblad (the official gazette), with an announcement calling on any person claiming to have a better right to the ship than the plaintiff to appear in Court within a period, which shall be set at not less than 3 months, and prove his right.

If no defendant appears within the time limit, the Court shall give judgment without a hearing confirming that the plaintiff is the owner. Such judgment shall immediately become final and binding on each and every person and shall not be subject to the right of appeal.

7. Protocol of Delivery and Acceptance

If the unit is a newbuilding and confirmation of delivery is not stated in Builder's Certificate: A PDF copy signed by both the builder and the owner must be sent to the register prior to registration. The original is not to be forwarded after registration has taken place.

8. Declaration of Nationality

The Norwegian Maritime Code (available here: Acts) § 1 sets out the requirements to owner's nationality.

To ensure fulfilment, a declaration must be submitted. For private individuals it is sufficient to complete the form “Notification for registration” (see item 2 above). All other entities must declare their nationality in a separate form, “Declaration of Nationality”. Choose the correct form, KR-0001 - KR-0007, in our forms directory The declaration must be signed with binding signature by the owner.
If the PDF version is chosen, please send a signed copy to nis-nor@sdir.no.

Additional documentation requirements for owners who satisfy the requirements set out in the Maritime Code §. 1 third paragraph (EEA), not resident in Norway:

For companies: Management agreement confirming that the vessel is part of the owner’s economic activities established in Norway and that the vessel is operated from Norway. BIMCO’s standard agreement may be used. Please send to nis-nor@sdir.no.

For companies and private individuals: Appoint a Norwegian Representative/Process Agent, Appointment of Process Agent.
The representative/process agent must declare fulfillment of the nationality requirements in the Norwegian Maritime Code § 1 by completing a “Declaration of Nationality” as described above. Please send both forms to nis-nor@sdir.no.

In the event that the owner does not satisfy the requirements set out in the Maritime Code
Application for dispensation may be directed to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Maritime Department.

Company documentation for foreign shipowning companies in NIS and NOR

9. Certificate from the previous ship register/country

This only applies to vessels imported from abroad. To ensure that the vessel is not registered in two countries and to document the connection between the last registered owner in the previous assets register and the person registering the vessel, confirmation from the previous country's ship register (not small boat register) must be obtained.

If the vessel has been registered in a foreign ship register (real assets register), a deletion certificate must be obtained. In case of sale, there must be consistency between the last registered owner according to the deletion certificate and the seller in the deed/Bill of Sale. The certificate must contain the following information: time of deletion, the owner at the time of deletion, and a positive confirmation that the vessel was deleted free of encumbrances

If the vessel has not been registered in the country it comes from, this must be confirmed in writing by the relevant ship register (real asset register) by issuance of a "Certificate of Non-Registry":

If the vessel has been unregistered and owned in several countries before registration in NOR, the ship register (real asset register) in all these countries must issue a confirmation that the vessel has not been registered.

Confirmation of the certificates issued by overseas ship registers
Certificates issued by countries that are party to the Hague Convention are confirmed by the amendment of an Apostille by local authorities in the country.
Certificates issued by countries that that are not party to the Hague Convention are legalized by the Norwegian consular station in the relevant country.
Certificates from the Nordic countries’ ship registries are exempt from legalization requirements.
You can find the list of countries that are parties to the Hague Convention on Apostille here.

10. Notification of ISM liable company

The ISM-Code regulates safe management of ships. Which ships this applies to is regulated in the NMA’s regulations on safety management system for Norwegian ships and mobile offshore units § 1.
Notification concerning the ISM-Code must be signed by both the owner and the ISM liable company.
The form is only available in PDF format, and a signed version should be sent to nis-nor@sdir.no. After registration, a color scan will be returned to the ISM responsible company by email to be kept on board.

All passenger- and cargo ships over 500 GRT in international traffic shall keep a file of issued CSR documents issued by the flag state on board (FORM 1). CSR documents are numbered consecutively and across flag states. When changes occur in one of the items, it shall be reported to the flag state on FORM 2, amendments to the Continuous Synopsis Record, Amendments to the Continuous Synopsis Record - Form 2.
For newbuilidngs, the CSR history starts with the submission of the Application for Continuous Synopsis Record, Application for Continuous Synopsis Record.
Kindly note that each CSR document issued by the flag state is to be attached a (new) FORM 3, Index of Amendments to the CSR document, Index of Amendments to CSR document. PDF copies should be sent to nis-nor@sdir.no

CSR history
When changing flag, please ensure that a copy of the ship's CSR history, including "Closed CSR" is sent to nis-nor@sdir.no.

NOK 4 408, - for the formal registration of the unit + NOK 3 301, - for each mortgage to be registered against the unit (if any).
An invoice will be sent out after registration has taken place. To ensure correct invoicing we kindly ask the recipient to fill in this form: Payment information for the formal registrations in NIS/NOR/BYGG. If the PDF version is chosen, please send a signed copy to nis-nor@sdir.no.

In addition, there will be charged initial- and annual fees according to the ship's NET as well as fees for dispensation applications and certain certificates ref. the Tariff of Fees and Fees Regulations. The fees can easily be calculated using our Fee Calculator.

The Ship Registers will issue a Provisional Certificate of Nationality/Registry upon registration and send a PDF copy directly on board/to where the owner instructs. The provisional certificate will not be forwarded in original.

A permanent Certificate of Nationality/Registry will be issued once the registration has been approved by the Registrar. The permanent certificate will be forwarded in original to be kept on board.

All documents, notarial statements, etc. must be issued in one of the Scandinavian languages, English or translated by a licensed translator re. the regulations on registration of ships in the Norwegian International Ship Register (NIS) § 17.

Submission of Documents

Title documents, mortgages and other registration papers are only considered received when they have arrived at the Department of Ship Registration.

Accordingly, we kindly ask for all documents related to the formal registration to be sent directly to:
The Norwegian Maritime Authority, Department of Ship Registration
Visiting address: Nygårdsgaten 114, N-5008 Bergen, Norway
Postal address: PO Box 73 Nygårdstangen, N-5838 Bergen, Norway
Courier deliveries: send to the visiting address, Nygårdsgaten 114, 5008 Bergen
E-mail: nis-nor@sdir.no

Return of hard-copy original documents from the Ship Registers

Learn more about our policy and your available options here, Return of original documents

15. Qualification and Medical Certificate Requirements

Maritime personnel must possess either Norwegian certificates of competency or a Norwegian endorsement on their national certificates. See Sertifikater. Any questions regarding personnel certificates may be directed to the section for seafarers on phone no. (+47) 52 74 50 00.

About Medical Certificates approved for service on board Norwegian vessels: Helseerklæring.

Please contact us and we will guide you through the registration process
Phone: + 47 52 74 50 00
nis-nor@sdir.no

16. Please also remember to apply for a radio license

Maritime radio licenses are issued by Telenor Kystradio.
Follow this link to Telenor Kystradio for license application for commercial vessels.

Contact us and we will guide you through the registration process
Phone: + 47 52 74 50 00
nis-nor@sdir.no