The British Channel Island of Guernsey is a popular British ‘red ensign’ port of registry.
Oceanskies is a Guernsey based yacht documentation agency and the purpose of this guide to highlight the many advantages of the register and to introduce the Guernsey yacht registration services that we provide.
The Island of Guernsey is part of the British Isles. Guernsey is located in the English Channel in the Bay of St Malo. The Island is an independent jurisdiction and is governed by its own ‘Parliament’, the States of Guernsey but is dependent on the British Crown for the administration of foreign affairs and defence. It has become an established international finance centre, with a secure base built on political stability, low taxation and a firmly established fiscal and regulatory environment.
The Guernsey Register of British Ships is a British ‘red ensign’ register administered by the States of Guernsey. The register operates autonomously with regulatory oversight provided by the United Kingdom’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
The precise date of the commencement of recognition and operation of Guernsey as a port of British Registry is unclear but certainly it has been active as a registry since at least 1894.
The single Port of Registry is Guernsey. This means that the word GUERNSEY appears on the stern of all Guernsey registered vessels, (not St. Peter Port, which is the Island’s capital and main harbour).
Owners of Guernsey registered yachts will fly a standard undefaced plain red ensign unless the owner is a local Guernsey resident who has the ability to fly a Guernsey red ensign which is the red ensign defaced with the red cross of St George.
Upon completion of registration formalities a Guernsey registered yacht is issued with a traditional A3 sized Certificate of British Registry more commonly described as the vessel’s ‘Blue Book’. The Certificate of British Registry is valid for ten years from the date of issue.
The Registry is open to private yachts under 150 GT.
Yacht that will be operated for charter can be registered if under 24 metres in length.
To qualify for Guernsey registration, the majority of shares in a vessel (33 of the 64) must be owned either by a British subject or a company registered in and having its principal place of business in a British Crown Dependency or British Overseas Territory.
Oceanskies is based in Guernsey and provides a fixed fee yacht registration service to all yacht owners wishing to take advantage of the benefits of Guernsey registration for their yacht.
The registration service results in Oceanskies taking responsibility for the entire registration process on behalf of the owner.
Our fees include all registry fees and disbursements providing the internationally recognised Guernsey Certificate of British Registry valid for ten years and a lifetime radio licence allocating the vessel’s call sign and MMSI number.
Our fixed fee yacht registration package for the Guernsey registration of any private yacht under 24 metres in registered length lying within the EU costs only £2,500.00 for ten years and includes:
Through Oceanskies Crew Limited we are able to provide crew payroll outsourcing services from the Channel Islands for crew working onboard Guernsey registered vessels.
This service is a very popular ‘bolt on’ service for our clients as it simplifies the employment of the crew of their Guernsey registered yacht.
The yacht owner engages Oceanskies Crew Limited to employ and pay the crew of their vessel through a crew services agreement. As employers, Oceanskies Crew Limited issues the crew with contracts in line with the Marine Labour Convention guidelines, pays them, issues payslips, sea service testimonials etc.
For further information please refer to the crew employment and payroll section of our website at the following link:
Oceanskies are able to provide a range of stand-alone fixed fee additional registration services including:
Please do not hesitate to contact for a free no obligation proposal for any of our Guernsey yacht registration services or any general yacht registration query that you might have.
Very pleased to kick off the 2021 with our first favourable weather window of the year today enabling the visits of three motor yachts to Guernsey all handled by Oceanskies including two by @princessyachts #yachtregistration #yachtagents #crewpayroll #Guernsey @gsyharbpic.twitter.com/vcaNjDsVn6DsVn6
To answer some of the most frequently asked questions we have published the following guide: oceanskies.com/yachts/yacht-g… From 01/01/2021 through to 01/03/21 we’re offering a 10% discount on our UK flag yacht registration - see:oceanskies.com/yachts/yacht-g…DP #brexit #yachtregistratipic.twitter.com/ybUqiMST0ET0E
On behalf the Oceanskies team we want to wish all of our clients & colleagues in the marine & aviation industries a Happy New Year! Thank you to all who supported us in 2020 and we look forward to being of service in 2021! #yachtregistration #crewpayroll #aircraftregistration pic.twitter.com/kc1nDSTcg1
Great to see our offices at Boatworks+ in the heart of St. Peter Port harbour on the cover of this new guide issued by @GuernseyFinance promoting the Guernsey Marine Industry #yachtregistration #crewpayroll #yachtagents #Guernsey @gsyharboursÂweareguernsey.com/media/8668/mar…Spic.twitter.com/LjsPipAW6GPipAW6G
The latest video uploaded to our YouTube channel is a guide to the Carving & Marking of Yachts - an important final step of the yacht registration process for the @RedEnsignGroup British flag registries and certain other registries - see the video here: youtu.be/5K4w0nh21uY
Oceanskies were very pleased to attend today’s virtual opening of new @MCA_media UK Ship Register office in Greece – representing a timely move for what is officially the world’s No. 1 ship registry (according to current Paris MoU) #yachting @RedEnsignpic.twitter.com/qk6tQ8t86wQ8t86w