Ship registration

The Registrar of Shipping manages the Danish ship registers:

  1.  The Danish Register of Shipping
  2. The Danish International Register of Shipping (DIS)

Ships registered in one of the Danish registers are considered Danish and entitled to fly the Danish flag.

More information about DIS

Bareboat registration

Bareboat registration for a limited period is generally allowed in the Danish registers. The Registrar of Shipping may also consent to a Danish ship flying a foreign flag for a limited period on the basis of a bareboat charter party.

More information about bareboat registration

Registration of rights

Registration of ownership in the Danish ship registers entails registration of ‘title’ to the ship’s owner.
With the ship owner’s consent, mortgage deeds, restrictive liens and other rights may be registered on a ship registered in one of the Danish registers.

The Boat Register (Fartøjsfortegnelsen)

Intended for small commercial craft below 5 GT, the Boat Register offers a simple alternative to the ‘real’ ship registers mentioned above.

There is no registration of title, mortgages or rights in the Boat Register, nor is bareboat registration possible.

Information meeting


The Danish Maritime Authority is always willing to offer a free and non-binding information meeting to shipowners or others interested in choosing the Danish flag  Such a meeting may include the participation of both personnel from the Registrar of Shipping's office, a DMA ship surveyor or other relevant staff.