Recording of Ship Mortgage | Process & Requirements | VISR

Straightforward recording - disciplined standards
VISR’s mortgage recording procedure is designed for commercial closings: clear requirements, structured review, and official confirmation once statutory compliance is met.

Document and execution standards

To protect the legal integrity of the register, documents must be complete, internally consistent, and properly executed. VISR will confirm any jurisdiction-specific formalities during a pre-check.

Be ready to provide:

·       Clear vessel identifiers (name, IMO number where applicable, official number where applicable).

·       Full legal names and addresses of parties (mortgagor, mortgagee, and any payor of fees).

·       Clear statement of the secured obligations and the governing terms.

·       Authority evidence for signatories (board resolutions, powers of attorney, or equivalent).

·       Any required witnessing, notarization, apostille, or legalization (as applicable).

Recording process (overview)

1.       Submission: Provide mortgage instrument and supporting documents for review.

2.       Formal review: VISR checks statutory compliance, completeness, and execution standards.

3.       Entry in the register: Upon approval, the mortgage is recorded and priority is established by registration time.

4.       Issuance: Official confirmation and any certified copies are issued as required.

Amendments, assignments, and discharge

VISR records mortgage amendments, variations, assignments, and discharge instruments once documentation meets statutory requirements. Where an amendment adds new security or materially changes coverage, it must be documented clearly to avoid priority disputes.

·       Mortgage amendment/variation: record changes to terms or security scope.

·       Assignment: record transfer of mortgage interest to a new mortgagee.

·       Discharge/release: record satisfaction or release upon lender instruction.

Timing guidance for closings (commercial reality)

If your closing has a fixed time, request a document pre-check early. Most avoidable issues are execution defects, name mismatches, or missing authority documents. A clean pre-check is the difference between a smooth closing and last-minute escalation.

FAQ

Q: Do you decide commercial disputes between lender and owner?

No. VISR records interests in accordance with statutory requirements and maintains the official order of registration.

Q: Can we record a mortgage at the same time as initial registration?

Yes, and it is common. Coordinate early so registration and mortgage recording align cleanly.

Q: Do you accept electronic submissions?

VISR supports electronic workflows where permitted, but execution formalities may still require wet-ink originals or legalized copies in some cases. VISR will advise during pre-check.