9Meaning of owner

9 Meaning of owner

(1) The owner of a vessel includes: (a) a person registered as an owner of the vessel in: (i) a certificate of registry issued for the vessel under a law of a State or Territory; or (ii) a certificate or unique identifier issued for the vessel under the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law; or (iii) a registration certificate granted for the vessel under the Shipping Registration Act 1981; and (b) a person who is the charterer of the vessel; and (c) a person who is a joint owner of the vessel; and (d) a person who, whether on the person’s own behalf or on behalf of another: (i) exercises any of the functions of the owner of the vessel; or (ii) publicly represents that he or she has those functions or accepts the obligation to exercise those functions. (2) A person does not cease to be an owner of a vessel because the vessel is mortgaged, chartered, leased or hired.