A caveat can be registered by any person claiming an interest in a ship, or a share in a ship. Caveats are only registrable against ships in Part A of the register.
A caveat can be registered by any person claiming an interest in a ship (or in a share in a ship) under any unregistered instrument, or by operation of law. A person registering a caveat needs to have a reasonable cause to do so under the Ship Registration Act 1992.
Ship Registration Act 1992 [New Zealand Parliamentary Counsel Office]
Registration of a caveat forbids the entry in the register of any further transactions (except a transmission of the ship by operation of law) until after notice of the caveat is given to the caveator (the person who registered the caveat).
A person wanting to register a caveat needs to send Maritime New Zealand’s Registrar of Ships the following:
Register a caveat (form SR21) [PDF: 96Kb, 4 pages]
A person wanting to withdraw a caveat needs to send Maritime New Zealand’s Registrar of Ships a Withdrawal of Caveat form (form SR22). There is no fee to withdraw a caveat.
A withdrawal of caveat is not required if documents lodged for registration vest in the caveator the interest claimed in the caveat.
Withdrawal of caveat (form SR22) [PDF: 162Kb, 3 pages]
For more information about caveats, please contact the Registrar of Ships.
Contact Maritime New Zealand’s Registrar of Ships