Ship Finance And Gibraltar

Introduction

Gibraltar, a British overseas territory in the southernmost tip of Spain, situated between two continents at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, benefits from a constantly growing marine sector. Gibraltar was captured by the British in 1704 and, has to date, remained British, enjoying British Overseas Territory Status. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II who is represented by the Governor of Gibraltar. A self-governed territory and part of the EU under Article 227 (4) of the Treaty of Rome via Britain's membership, Gibraltar offers an outstanding portfolio of maritime services including its own ship registry ranking 23^rd on the White List of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on port state control. By virtue of its excellent geographical location and its successful legal system, based on the common law and statutes of England, the legal practice in Gibraltar specialises in various maritime matters including registration, seizures and arrests.