Additional voluntary flag notations for yachts

Cayman Registry, as a leading superyacht flag and member of the Red Ensign Group (REG), is committed to raising standards in the industry on both a mandatory and voluntary basis. The REG Yacht Code, and other national yacht codes, establish the minimum mandatory requirements for yachts in commercial use.

Encouragingly, the REG Yacht Code is also commonly specified by builders or buyers of yachts intended for private use. This provides a safe platform for the owner and his/her family and friends, and enhances the re-sale value.

However, through discussions with yacht owners, it became evident that many are not fully aware of the minimum requirements in the REG Yacht Code and would have opted for an even higher safety standard in several areas if they had been offered the option at the contract stage.

Furthermore, we have recognised that insurers would benefit from knowing if a vessel exceeded the minimum mandatory requirements when assessing risk and determining the insurance premium.

To this end, Cayman Registry has developed a national annex to the REG Yacht Code to permit the assignment of ‘Additional Voluntary Flag Notations’. The initial focus is on some key safety matters, but the list will be expanded in due course to cover other areas of interest such as crew accommodation, since crew welfare and turnover is also of concern to our owners. Eventually this could be developed into a ranking system for a yacht (such as standard, gold, platinum) based upon the number of additional voluntary notations achieved.

For new-build projects we are recommending that the owner’s advisors and representatives (such as brokers, captains, surveyors, technical managers and lawyers) raise awareness of the below optional notations to the owner well ahead of contract signing, so that the yacht builder has sufficient time to evaluate the additional cost.

The current additional voluntary flag notations are as follows: -

Fire safety+
This will be assigned to a yacht <500gt provided with a sprinkler system protecting the accommodation and service spaces. Currently such spaces in this vessel category are only provided with a fixed fire detection system (that is heat and smoke detectors) and portable fire extinguishers.

Passive Fire Protection+
This will be assigned to a short-range yacht (SRY) <500gt that complies with the structural fire protection requirements applied to unrestricted service yachts (that is 60 minutes fire containment in the engine room and petrol storage/petrol vehicle spaces, and 30 minutes fire containment in the galley), whereas for SRYs, the minimum requirement is 30 minutes fire containment in the engine room and no structural fire protection is required around the galley.

Survivability+
This will be assigned to a short-range yacht (SRY) <500gt whose stability booklet includes compliance with damage stability criteria. Currently this vessel category is not required to remain afloat in the event of damage or flooding.

Seaworthiness+
This will be assigned to a yacht whose stability booklet includes compliance with the severe weather criterion in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Intact Stability Code.

Weight growth+
This will be assigned to a yacht whose stability booklet has a future weight growth margin exceeding 5 per cent of the yacht’s lightweight (that is the empty weight with no tank liquids, stores, toys or persons).

Full details can be found in CIGN 04/2026.

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Cayman Islands Shipping Registry

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