Trace the owners

[LemonSqueezy]

How do you trace the owners of a yacht or whoever is managing it? Its moored in Spain, pretty neglected and unused,
but has a name and registration clearly marked on the vessel as Roma..... Is there a Registry you can apply for a copy of the title?

 

[Tranona]

If you know the actual registry it may be searchable, but many are not. The starting point is usually the harbourmaster of the port where the boat is based or where the berthing charges are paid. However it may be that the boat has been abandoned and the owner disppeared.

 

[Stemar]

+1 Talk to the harbourmaster/marina management. They might be glad to get rid of it

 

[Refueler]

Do not forget that as you go up in boat size - often documentary evidence shows an owner that may be a company or agent - covering up the real beneficial owner.

This can often be case with abandoned boats where HM / Marina cannot 'get to' the real owner to have fees paid etc.

Next beware of such boats - you can be lucky and Marine / HM are happy to see boat removed FoC - but also not unusual for a fee based on unpaid dues to be levied ..... which can be significant.

 

[Stemar]

but also not unusual for a fee based on unpaid dues to be levied ..... which can be significant.

True, but if excessive, you just walk away, possibly asking the question, "How much longer - with more loss of fees - do you expect it to take to find someone to pay that?"

 

[Refueler]

True, but if excessive, you just walk away, possibly asking the question, "How much longer - with more loss of fees - do you expect it to take to find someone to pay that?"

True - but I know yards in UK that sat on it for years ..... not willing to give up .... Power of Bean Counters !!

 

[Tranona]

Not as easy as it sounds. There is a legal process to go through before the marina/harbour can dispose of the boat or give it away. It is a long winded, complicated and expensive. If it really were as simple as you suggest there would be no old abandoned boats sitting in boatyards.

 

[Roberto]

How do you trace the owners of a yacht or whoever is managing it? Its moored in Spain, pretty neglected and unused,
but has a name and registration clearly marked on the vessel as Roma..... Is there a Registry you can apply for a copy of the title?

It should be someting like "x ROMA xxxx D", where x is a 1 to 9 digit (the first x might be missing if the boat is registered in Roma proper).
Send an email here:
Capitaneria di Porto di Roma Fiumicino
Italian registered boats have a legal regime similar to real estate, they should be able to tell you who is the owner, pretty much like going to a public registrar and enquiring who is the owner of a house.
Now, privacy regulations have created a lot of additional constraints, the Capitaneria might not be allowed to let you know the owner name, a common turnaround is sending your details to the port, asking them to forward to the owner, then hoping the owner will get in touch with you.

 

[wallacebob]

Depending where the vessel is you need to contact the local Capitania Maritima. If in a marina, ask at the office where registration is done. All Spanish boats are registered, and taxable, and subject to “testing” every few years. If you’re near a large port, then ask the harbour master. All this may require a decent level of Spanish! Whether they can/will disclose owner details is another frittata.
Sorry, Roberto got in first!

 

[Refueler]

Not as easy as it sounds. There is a legal process to go through before the marina/harbour can dispose of the boat or give it away. It is a long winded, complicated and expensive. If it really were as simple as you suggest there would be no old abandoned boats sitting in boatyards.

That contradicts preceding part of your post.

Anyway - Yards have legal recourse on boats left abandoned to recover costs .... I've been involved in such and its not the arduous task you imply. Of course which country may mean different levels of legal action.

 

[penfold]

Not as easy as it sounds. There is a legal process to go through before the marina/harbour can dispose of the boat or give it away. It is a long winded, complicated and expensive. If it really were as simple as you suggest there would be no old abandoned boats sitting in boatyards.

No idea how Part 1 affects it, but unregistered or SSR can reasonably be disposed of once the debt accrued reaches the capital value and the owner is either unresponsive or refuses to pay.

 

[Tranona]

That contradicts preceding part of your post.

Anyway - Yards have legal recourse on boats left abandoned to recover costs .... I've been involved in such and its not the arduous task you imply. Of course which country may mean different levels of legal action.

Re-read your last sentence of the post I responded to.

 

[Tranona]

No idea how Part 1 affects it, but unregistered or SSR can reasonably be disposed of once the debt accrued reaches the capital value and the owner is either unresponsive or refuses to pay.

Registration has nothing to do with it except it is easier to register a charge against the boat. You still have to go to court to get legal possession of the boat before you can sell or dispose of it unless the owner willingly transfers title in settlement of outstanding debts.

 

[Graham376]

Anyway - Yards have legal recourse on boats left abandoned to recover costs .... I've been involved in such and its not the arduous task you imply. Of course which country may mean different levels of legal action.

I asked the owner of the yard we use why he was cutting up abandoned foreign boats. Reply was that under Portuguese law he couldn't sell them but could cut them up and sell the parts. Maybe because a complete boat would have to be treated as import and he's not the owner.