Section 13, The Merchant Shipping Act, 2003

(1) This section applies to any ship which –a) is registered under the law of a country other than Sierra Leone (the country of original registration); b) is chartered on bareboat charter terms to a charterer who is a person qualified to own a Sierra Leonean ship; c) is so chartered in circumstances where conditions for registration prescribed under section 16 as read with the requisite modifications are satisfied as respects the charterer and the ship. (2) The “requisite modifications” referred to in paragraph (c) of subsection (1) mean the substitution for any requirement to be satisfied by or as respects the owner of a ship of a corresponding requirement to be satisfied by or as respects the charterer and the ship. (3) A ship to which this section applies is entitled to be registered if an application for registration is duly made. (4) Subject to this Act, the registration of a ship made by virtue of this section shall remain in force until the end of the charter period. (5) During the period for which a ship is registered by virtue of this section— a) the ship shall as a Sierra Leonean ship, be entitled to fly the Sierra Leonean flag; b) this Act shall apply to the ship as a Sierra Leonean ship; c) any other enactment applicable to Sierra Leone ships or ships registered under this Act shall apply to the ship as a Sierra Leonean ship.