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Registering a merchant ship in a bareboat charter register outside the Netherlands (bareboat-out)

If you, as a shipowner in the Netherlands, wish to temporarily fly a flag other than the Dutch flag, you can keep your vessel registered as property at Kadaster (the Netherlands’ Cadastre, Land Registry and Mapping Agency) but have it temporarily registered under the flag of another country. For this, you must apply for a bareboat-out-verklaring (Bareboat-out Declaration) through the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT). 

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Conditions for a Bareboat-out Declaration

To obtain a Bareboat-out Declaration, the following conditions apply:

  • The vessel is registered with Kadaster.
  • You hold a declaration of no objection from the new flag state, or another formal declaration confirming that the flag state does not object to the vessel remaining registered in the Netherlands while it is flying its flag.

Required information

When applying, you must provide the following information which will appear on the Bareboat-out Declaration:

  • The vessel’s name, unique registration number and IMO number.
  • The country or state in which the vessel will be registered under bareboat charter.
  • The start date and duration of the current valid bareboat charter agreement.

Required attachments

You must upload the following attachments with your application for a Bareboat-out Declaration:

  • Proof of registration in the Netherlands.
  • Current valid bareboat charter agreement.
  • Declaration of no objection from the new flag state.

Applying for a Bareboat-out Declaration

To apply for a Bareboat-out Declaration, use the online form Application Bareboat out declaration.

If the vessel has a Certificate of Registry issued in the Netherlands, you must return it by post to:

Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) 
Westelijke Parallelweg 4
3331 EW Zwijndrecht
the Netherlands

When you receive the Bareboat-out Declaration, the ILT will send a copy to your classification society.

Costs

In 2025, the fee for a Bareboat-out Declaration is €196. This fee is set out in the Regeling tarieven transportsectoren (Transportation Sectors Tariffs Scheme, in Dutch) and may change annually.

Ending a bareboat charter

What you must do to end the bareboat charter, depends on your situation:

Conditions for re-registration in the Netherlands flag register after bareboat-out

If you want to re-register your vessel in the Netherlands flag register after the bareboat-out period ends, the following conditions apply:

  • You must sign a declaration confirming that, during the bareboat-out period, all requirements outlined in the seafarers’ employment agreements were met. Upload this declaration with your application for re-registration.
  • Before the vessel can fly the Dutch flag again, you must request an inspection by your classification society. This inspection will revalidate the vessel’s certificates. If any certificates have expired, you must apply for new ones.

Read more about how to register your seagoing vessel in the Netherlands flag register.