Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)
The British Merchant Navy is the collective name given to British civilian ships and their associated crews, including officers and ratings. In the UK, it is simply referred to as the Merchant Navy or MN. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and the ships and crew are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), a specialist agency of the UK Department of Transport. British merchant ships are registered under the UK or Red Ensign group ship registries. British Merchant Navy deck officers and ratings are certificated and trained according to STCW Convention and the syllabus of the Merchant Navy Training Board in maritime colleges and other training institutes around the UK.
For the steam locomotives, see SR Merchant Navy class.British Merchant Navy
1835–present
Civilian
- Create wealth for the crown, country and shipowner
- Support any war effort
- To help create and maintain diplomatic relationships
10th Largest;
- 30 Million Gross Registered Tonnage
- 40.7 Million Deadweight Tonnage
- Merchant Navy Day (3 September)[1]
- Battle of the Atlantic (May)
- Trafalgar Day (21 October )
- Cargo
- Passenger
- Special purpose vessels
- U-boat Campaign, (1914–1918)
- Battle of the Atlantic, (1939–1944)
- Operation Pedestal, (1942)
- Falklands War, (1982)
- Gulf War, (1991)
King George V bestowed the title of "Merchant Navy" on the British merchant shipping fleets following their service in the First World War;[2] a number of other nations have since adopted the title. Previously it had been known as the Mercantile Marine or Merchant Service, although the term "Merchant Navy" was already informally used from the 19th century.
The British Merchant Navy was historically one of the largest ship registries and source of crew in the world, with 33% of global tonnage registered in 1939. However, since the mid 20th century, the number of shipowners, ships, officers and crew have declined dramatically as a result of globalisation and the rise of flags of convenience. As of 2023, the British Merchant Navy numbered 1,054 ships.
Flags[edit]
Ensigns[edit]
Ensigns are displayed at the stern of the vessel or displayed on the gaff, on a yardarm. Red Ensigns can be defaced, those can only be flown with a warrant on board the vessel. Bermuda (historically part of British North America, but left out of the Confederation of Canada) flies the red ensign also as a territorial flag on land, as did other British North American colonies that still do so as Provinces of modern Canada, including Ontario (other British Overseas Territories that fly a nautical ensign as the territorial flag on land use the Blue Ensign which in Bermuda is only flown from civil government vessels such as ferry boats).
A number of notable Merchant Navy personnel include: