We inform you that the BPT (the Belgian Ministry of Communications) is currently sending all the shipowners of banks flying the Belgian flag a new form to be filled in, signed, scanned and sent via email together with a copy of the Lettre de Pavillon.
Following completion, the Ministry will send all interested parties a new radio licence.
In case of failure to submit by 31/12/2022 the old radio license will be revoked and therefore deleted from the ITU world register.
It should also be remembered that for shipowners who have switched to another register it is always advisable to request the cancellation of the Belgian radio license as well to avoid finding the same boat in the ITU registers with identifiers of two different states.

The cancellation request is made by sending an email to

maritime@ibpt.be

attaching a copy of the radio license and your identity document.
The old radio license will not be physically returned.

We remind all boaters that from 1 January 2019 the legislation that had allowed many shipowners to choose the Belgian flag for their boats has radically changed, with considerable savings in bureaucracy and equipment.
From this date, in fact, the registration of one's own boat in Belgium will be permitted only in cases where the ownership of the unit is at least 50 percent of a Belgian citizen or a resident on Belgian territory.
Flag registrations already existing and assigned before the end of 2018 will be valid until their expiry but cannot be renewed if the above requirements are not confirmed.
After the similar limitations to the Dutch flag, after the Belgian one the most requested by shipowners, the search for other convenient flags (e.g. Polish) opens, in addition to the Italian one obviously.

Our staff is at your side to help you choose "the best flag for your boat".