Transport Ministry sets new rules for the chartering of recreational boats

The draft royal decree will allow the use of Arabic or Roman numerals in vessel names and strengthens the conditions for temporarily switching from private to commercial use.

The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has drawn up a draft royal decree aimed at introducing specific changes to maritime regulations in order to better adapt the rules to current industry practice. The proposal modifies, on the one hand, the rules governing the naming of ships and vessels and, on the other, the conditions for authorizing the temporary change from private to commercial use in recreational boats intended for charter.

One of the most visible changes affects vessel names. The text proposes easing the current regulation so that numbers included in a name may be written not only in words, but also in Arabic or Roman numerals, provided that this does not create confusion. The reform also sets a limit of five numerical digits. In this way, the ministry aims to adapt the regulation to more common practices in the maritime sector and to international standards.

The second major development concerns nautical chartering. The draft specifies that, during the period in which a recreational boat changes from private to commercial use, it must be managed by a company dedicated to nautical chartering, or one with the capacity to assume those functions, through a ship management contract. That company will be responsible for processing both the request for the temporary change of use and the clearance of the vessel.

The draft also clarifies the time limits. Authorization for the temporary change from private to commercial use will remain valid for the duration of the ship management contract, up to a maximum of five years, while clearance to operate for commercial use will be granted for a maximum period of three consecutive months per calendar year. During that time, the vessel must display the letters “CT” in front of its registration code on both sides of the bow.

In addition, the text prohibits the vessel from being used for activities other than nautical chartering during that period. It also prevents the owner or persons linked to the owner from providing services on board, except in the case of professionals permanently signed on as part of the crew.

Another of the planned measures opens the door to limiting the number of authorizations for temporary changes of use in particularly congested areas. At the request of an autonomous community, the Directorate General of the Merchant Navy may restrict such authorizations when the volume of maritime traffic could cause saturation in navigation or anchoring areas. The decision must be based on criteria of maritime safety, marine environmental protection, and traffic management.

In this way, the ministry argues that the reform seeks to eliminate restrictions it considers unjustified, provide greater legal certainty, and simplify administrative procedures through clearer and more digital processes. The text also remains a draft royal decree, and its entry into force is envisaged for the day after its publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE), once the legislative process has been completed.