Information for leisure craft owners
Berth advice
St Helier VTS can provide guidance with berthing for visiting yachts and also for local yachts who wish to hold on a berth different to their own for a particular reason. Detailed information regarding berthing should be gained from Marine Leisure staff directly.
Marine Leisure staff are always on hand, either on the pontoons, in the office or in small dories to provide assistance and guidance.
Visiting yachts
Visiting yachts can use St Helier Marina located to the north of the main harbour, which is situated within the commercial port of St Helier. Pontoons E, F and G are allocated specifically to visiting yachts.
These three pontoons provide a range of berths for vessels up to 11 metres in length with a maximum draft of 2.1 metres. Any craft exceeding these dimensions should contact the Marine Leisure Centre in advance directly, who will be able to advise of a suitable berth accordingly.
Holding pontoons
Holding pontoons, number 4 and 5, are to the west of the entrance of St Helier Marina on the Albert Quay. These pontoons are accessible at all states of tide and can be used for holding craft until access to St Helier Marina is possible.
Local boat owners have the option to use either La Collette yacht basin pontoon ‘D’ or pontoons 4 and 5 on the Albert Quay for holding when access to their berth is not possible. These pontoons can also be used for loading and unloading.
Pets / animals
Detailed guidance on pets / animals on board vessels is available on the Jersey Marinas section of this website.
Local registration of vessels
In accordance with Harbours (inshore safety) (Jersey) 2012 regulations, it is a legal requirement for vessels based in Jersey to be registered on the local vessel register. The register is managed and maintained by our Marine Leisure team.
Sailboards, surfboards, kayaks, canoes and kite surfers must also be registered, but this process is mostly completed through the respective clubs and associations who will provide third party liability insurance with club membership.
Registration of vessels which will be used overseas
International law requires registration on a national register of any vessel going overseas. A vessel taken overseas must identify its nationality by carrying the flag of the country in which it is registered.
A vessel may be placed on one of two registers in order to satisfy this requirement:
- Small Ships Registry (SSR)
- full registration with the British Register of Ships
Small Ships Register (SSR)
An SSR is a way of providing documentary evidence of the yacht’s nationality. The certificate is valid for five years. It is unique to the vessel and is not transferable. Application can be made by individuals (not companies) who are ordinarily resident in Jersey and is limited to ships under 24 metres (79 feet) in length.
You can find out more about SSR, including a downloadable application form, on the Ships Registry section of this website.
Full registration with the British Register of Ships
Full registration provides documentary evidence of title or ownership and nationality of a vessel. A mortgage or other charge may be entered on the register.
A full registration certificate is recognised worldwide.
You can find out more about full registration, including a downloadable application form, on the Ships Registry section of this website.
