S.L. 234.48 Art. 3Conditions for allowing a ship to operate upon granting the right to fly the Maltese flag.

(1) Prior to allowing a ship to operate, which has been granted the right to fly the Maltese flag, the administration shall take the measures it deems appropriate to ensure that the ship in question complies with the applicable international rules and regulations. In particular, it shall verify the safety records of the ship by all reasonable means and if necessary, it shall consult with the losing flag State in order to establish whether any outstanding deficiencies or safety issues identified by the latter remain unresolved.

(2) Whenever another flag State requests information concerning a ship which was previously flying the Maltese flag, the administration shall promptly provide details of outstanding deficiencies and any other relevant safety-related information to the requesting flag State.