Registration of ships in the Dutch Register is governed by the Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek), the Commercial Code (Wetboek van Koophandel), the Ships Register Code (Kadasterwet) and the Certificates of Registration Act (Zeebrievenwet). 

Conditions

• It concerns a merchant vessel, a commercial cruising vessel or a pleasure craft;
• The vessels is owned by one or more private individuals who have the nationality of a member state of the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland or who, under the relevant Community law, enjoy equal status to EU nationals;
• The vessels is owned by one or more partnerships or legal entities established according to the law of a member state of the European Union, one of the countries, islands or areas referred to in article 299, paragraphs 2 to 5 and 6c of the Treaty establishing the European Community, a member state of the European Economic Area, or Switzerland;
• The vessel is owned by other private individuals, partnerships or legal entities who, under an agreement between the European Union and a third state, may claim freedom of establishment in Europe;
• The owner or shipmanager must have a head or branch office in the Netherlands under Dutch law.   

Requirements  
The following data or documents concerning the vessel must be available at all times at the owner's or shipmanager's office in the Netherlands: 

• position of the vessel;
• technical maintenance records;
• names, positions and certificates of competence of all crew members on board;
• all data on the crew, in accordance with Article 3 of the Manning Act (Zeevaartbemanningswet);
• individual and/or collective employment contracts of all crew members on board;
• if applicable, names of passengers or other persons on board;
• if dangerous or hazardous goods are being transported, all details of the cargo in accordance with Chapter VII of the SOLAS Convention 1974 (amended by the 1988 protocol) and related legislation.