Apply In-Person:

1. To change the Name of a Ship or Yacht in person, the Owners, agents or managers have to initially make contact with the Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) by email to yachts@bahamasmaritime.com or by phoning any BMA office. Link to Contacts
2. Visit the office and get an application form to change the Name of a Ship or Yacht from the relevant department. Or, download the application form from this link: YR102 – Application to Register/ Change the name of a Yacht
3. Complete the application form with appropriate information under relevant sections.
4. Once completed filling the application form, make sure to attach all the documents listed in the “Required documents” section of this page.
5. Then, submit it in person to the relevant authority at the office.
6. After submission, your application along with the attached documents will be forwarded for further verifications.
7. Once all the internal processes are over, the applicants will be notified with the further instructions regarding the name change.
   

Form R102 Application to Register a Ship or Change the name of a Bahamian Ship

Note: This form provides the BMA with the basic information needed to reserve the proposed name on the Register and commence registration. There is no obligation or firm commitment to register when submitting this form.

The Bahamas Maritime Authority
Nassau Office
Shirlaw House
226 Shirley Street
PO Box N-4679
Nassau, Bahamas
Tel. +1 242 356 5772
Website: Link
Contact: Link

Registered Bahamian‐owned vessels of any size, operational status, or operating area if owned by:

• Bahamian citizens
• Bahamian companies
• Permanent residents of the Bahamas
  

• Details of the fees may be obtained from the Registrar or by reference to BMA Information Bulletin No. 81 Link
• Click on this link to calculate the fees using the Fee Calculator on the BMA website: Link
  

The name is valid until the Owners, Agents or Managers contact the Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) regarding a name change.

• Form R102 Application to Register a Ship or Change the name of a Bahamian Ship
• Details of the fees may be obtained from the Registrar or by reference to BMA Information Bulletin No. 81 Link
• Click on this link to calculate the fees using the Fee Calculator on the BMA website: Link
  

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing can take up to one month.

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Please provide other instructions related to the certificate/documents.
e.g. The state office holds birth records since january 1908.

• Applicant Type
• Application Type
• Names(s), Address(es) of Owner(s)
• Owner's Nationality
• Email Address
• Phone
• Applicant's Date of Birth
• Owner's Date of Birth (DD/MM/YYYY)
• Applicant’s Valid Identification
• Signature of Owner or Agent
  

• The name of a ship is often changed when the ownership of the vessel changes.
• The new owners, agents or managers who want to change the name of their ship or yacht, will have to undergo this procedure to do so.
  

The term “yacht” is not defined in the Bahamas merchant shipping act but it is commonly understood to be a vessel intended:

• for sport or pleasure
• for commercial use for hire by charter (up to 12 passengers)
• for non‐commercial private use of its owner and their party (up to 36 passengers)
  

A yacht does not:

• carry cargo
• charge a carriage fee
• travel pre‐defined routes
• follow itineraries
  

The same application form can be used for registering a Ship or Yacht under the Bahamian flag.

• Link
  
• Link
  

More information which might help people.