Malaysia International Ship Registry (MISR) is a body for the registering of international ships. The MISR has been established to encourage individual and foreign shipping companies to register their ships in Malaysia without having to comply with the requirement of Malaysian majority shareholder. The MISR would enable the placing Malaysia on the international maritime map.

Under the ship registry, foreigners are allowed to hold 100 per cent equity in line with the government’s effort to encourage foreign investments in the country. With the registration of international ships, it would help increase the ships registry capacity and that to be able to handle the country’s transportation trade.

Shipping operations include the transportation of passengers or cargo by sea or the letting or charter of ships on a voyage or time charter basis.

Application Requirement

Eligibility of ship owner:

1. It is owned by a corporation incorporated in Malaysia
2. Has a corporate office established in Malaysia
3. Majority of shareholding including voting rights in the corporation are not held by Malaysian citizens
4. Before applying for a ship to be registered, appoint a ship manager who is either a Malaysian citizen residing in Malaysia or a company incorporated in Malaysia with its principal place of business in Malaysia

Ship eligibility and survey requirements:

1. The ship is fitted with mechanical means of propulsion
2. Not less than 1,600 gross tonnage
3. Age of the ship is not more than 15 years if a tanker or bulk carrier; not more than 20 years if other than tanker or bulk carrier
4. Ship Surveyor under the direction of the Surveyor-General may authorize the ship’s classification according to the societies recognized by MISR:
   • American Bureau of Shipping
   • Bureau Veritas
   • Det Norske Veritas
   • Germanischer Lloyd
   • Lloyd’s Register of Shipping
   • Nippon Kaiji Kyokai