Guernsey

About the Flag

Guernsey is a group of islands located in the English Channel to the Northwest of France. It is a British crown dependency but is not part of the UK or of the European Union. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation. Guernsey has a long and rich maritime history and throughout has held on firmly to its British identity.

Whilst there has been a British Customs & Excise presence in Guernsey since the late seventeenth century, the precise date of the commencement of recognition and operation of Guernsey as a port of British Registry is unclear. Certainly, since the 1894 UK Merchant Shipping Act, the Registry has enjoyed a most active role in providing this valuable service to commercial and private vessel owners.

In 2000 the States of Guernsey's Board of Administration, which is responsible for both Customs and Harbour departments, agreed that the Registry should transfer from Customs to the Harbour Authority to create a new 'one stop shop'. This created a single point of access for Port Control registration, (which had always been administered by the Harbour Authority) and bringing the full British Register (Part I), Fishing Vessel Register and Small Ships Register all under the same roof, from 1 January, 2001.

The Registry is administered under the provisions of the Merchant Shipping (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2002. In 1 February, 2009 new regulations were introduced governing registration and tonnage.

Information on bareboat charter, crewing and mortgages may be found by contacting the registry.