AREA 03PIRAEUSKERATEA
Maritime law
Shipping companies for pleasure craft, vessel transfers and corporate deeds, from a firm based in Piraeus.
What we handle
The firm is based in Piraeus, where the authorities and the courts connected with maritime matters are located. Vasilis Klokouzas, the firm’s trainee lawyer, holds an LL.M. in Maritime Law from the University of Athens.
- Formation of a Pleasure Craft Shipping Company (NEPA) — Incorporation of the corporate form provided specifically for the ownership and operation of pleasure craft, including drafting the articles of association and the required entries in the competent registers.
- Ongoing support throughout the company’s life — Monitoring corporate obligations after incorporation: resolutions of the company’s bodies, amendments to the articles, maintenance of the shareholders’ register and the related filings.
- Transfer of a vessel or craft — Review of the title of ownership and of encumbrances, drafting of the transfer document and completion of the entries in the ship register or the small craft register, depending on the category of the vessel.
- Drafting of articles of association and transfer of shares — Drafting or amending the articles and legal support in the transfer of shares, so that the change in the person controlling the company is recorded in the prescribed form.
HEAD OFFICE
Piraeus
- 105B Ioannidon St., Agios Vasileios
- The firm has operated in the city since 1972
- Second office in Keratea, Attica
SPECIALISATION
Vasilis Klokouzas
- Trainee lawyer
- LL.M. in Maritime Law, University of Athens
- Law School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Frequently asked questions
General answers to what we are asked most often. Your own case requires examination of the documents.
01What is a NEPA and who is it for?
The Pleasure Craft Shipping Company is a special corporate form under Greek law, whose object is the ownership and operation of pleasure craft.
It is used mainly by owners who charter out their vessels, since it separates the assets and the liability attaching to the vessel from the owner’s personal assets. It is incorporated by articles of association and registration in the competent register.
02What must be checked before buying a vessel?
The title of ownership and the history of transfers are checked, as well as any encumbrances — mortgages, seizures or third-party claims — in the register where the vessel is recorded.
The nationality and insurance documents and the tax and customs status of the vessel are also checked. This review comes before any payment is made or a preliminary agreement is signed.
03How is a vessel transferred and what documents are required?
The transfer is made in writing. Depending on the category and size of the vessel, the document is drawn up before a notary or privately, and the transfer is completed by registration in the ship register or the small craft register.
The details of the parties, the seller’s title of acquisition and the vessel’s certificates are required. Before signing, it is confirmed that the vessel is free of encumbrances.
04Can the shareholders of a NEPA change without the vessel being transferred?
Yes. The vessel belongs to the company, so a change in the person controlling it is effected by transferring the shares and not by transferring the vessel itself.
The transaction must comply with the corporate formalities and be recorded in the shareholders’ register. That is why reviewing the articles of association, which may restrict transfers, is essential.
05Why does being based in Piraeus matter?
Piraeus is where the port authorities and the courts connected with maritime matters are concentrated, as well as the registers in which the relevant entries are made.
The firm has operated in the city since 1972, which makes the local procedures and communication with the competent authorities easier.
Related articles
Texts by the firm on changes that directly concern this particular area.
Talk to us
Tell us whether it concerns the formation of a company, the purchase or the transfer of a vessel, and which documents you already have.
Hours: Monday – Friday 09:00–19:00 · by appointment and also via Google Meet · info@aklawoffice.gr
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Other practice areas
Cases rarely belong to a single practice area. See what else the firm handles.
AREA 02
Interim measures
- Interim judicial protection and urgent proceedings.
AREA 04
Land registry law
- Correction of entries, review of records, objections.