Jurisdiction(s):
Ireland

Ireland: Sale and purchase of second-hand vessels-MoAs, NSF forms, inspection and delivery, title and encumbrances, financing, insurance, arbitration, registration and fishing vessel requirements

Published by a Lexis+ Ireland - Banking & Financial Services expert

Practice notes

This Practice Note examines a typical transaction for the sale and purchase of a second-hand commercial vessel in Ireland, and in particular considers:

the principal standard forms used in the market
how delivery is conducted
the passing of title and risk
delivery free of encumbrances
the identification of the parties
key considerations for financiers, and
sale and purchase of fishing vessels specifically

Memorandum of agreement

As in the UK, many second-hand ship sales are arranged through sale and purchase brokers (commonly referred to as ‘S&P’ brokers) acting for their principals. In Ireland, most shipping sales concern vessels for private use or commercial fishing. For larger vessels, negotiations typically proceed via a series of written exchanges, with the agreed terms then formally captured in a contract between the shipowner (as seller) and the buyer, generally called a memorandum of agreement (or MoA).

Standard forms

Internationally recognised standard-form contracts for the sale and purchase of commercial ships are generally used to document the terms of the deal, with the versions most frequently adopted where an Irish seller or purchaser is involved including:

Norwegian...

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Helen Noble , SC

Noble Shipping Law

Helen is a dual Irish and English practising solicitor with over 30 years’ experience specialising in all areas of maritime and transport law. Helen was one of the first 17 solicitors in Ireland to be conferred a Patent of Precedence by the Government of Ireland and designated the title of Senior Counsel as proven capacity for excellence.Helen set up her own practice in Ireland in 2014 specialising exclusively in maritime, shipping and transport law. Helen acts for the P&I Clubs, their members and other interests in ship arrests, cargo claims, charterparty and bill of lading disputes and defending personal injury claims. She has acted in a number of collisions, groundings and casualties and has regularly advised on issues of port state control, marine casualty investigations by authorities and has routinely represented owners and crew in...

Web page updated on 29/05/2026

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