Ship prefix

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Ship prefix

A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship

Ship

A ship is a large watercraft that floats on water. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size. Ships may be found on lakes, seas, and rivers and they allow for a variety of activities, such as the ferry or cargo ships, fishing, cruise ship, Coast guard, and warship....
.

Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel

Research vessel

A research vessel is a ship designed and equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel, others require a dedicated vessel....
. Civilian prefixes are often used inconsistently, and frequently not at all. Sometimes a slash is used to separate the letters, as in "M/S".

Naval prefixes came into use as abbreviations for longer titles, such as "His/Her Majesty's Ship" in the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
, abbreviated "H.M.S." and then "HMS".

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Encyclopedia

A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship

Ship

Research vessel

Royal Navy

Frigate

A frigate is a warship. The term has been used for warships of many sizes and roles over the past few centuries.In the 18th century, the term referred to ships which were as long as a ship-of-the-line and were square rig on all three masts , but were faster and with lighter armament, used for patrolling and escort....
s of the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the navy of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy currently has approximately 331,682 personnel on active duty as of 31 December 2008 and 124,000 in the United States Navy Reserve....
. Today the common practice is to use a single prefix for all warship

Warship

A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way than cargo ship....
s of a nation's navy, and other prefixes for auxiliaries and ships of allied services, such as coast guard

Coast guard

A coast guard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries....
s.

The use of ship prefixes is not universal; in particular neither the Third Reich's Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine

The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy between 1935 and 1945, during the Nazi Germany regime, superseding the Reichsmarine, and the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I....
nor the Imperial Japanese Navy

Imperial Japanese Navy

The origins of the Imperial Japanese Navy trace back to early interactions with nations on the Asia, beginning in the early history of Japan#Feudal Japan and reaching a peak of activity during the 16th and 17th centuries at a time of cultural diffusion with European power during the Age of Discovery....
used ship prefixes. Some English-language writers use prefixes like "DKM" (for "Deutsche Kriegsmarine") and "HIJMS" (for "His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Ship") or "IJN" (for "Imperial Japanese Navy", a translation of ??????? dai-nippon teikoku kaigun) for consistency with "HMS" and "USS". Other writers follow the practice of the navy and omit any prefix.

From the 20th century onwards, most navies identify ships by hull number

Hull number

Hull number is a serial identification number given to a boat or ship. A lower number implies an older vessel. The precise usage varies by country and type....
s — identification codes typically painted on the side of the ship. Each navy has its own system: the United States Navy uses hull classification symbol

Hull classification symbol

The United States Navy uses hull classification symbols to identify the types of its ships. The Royal Navy and some European and Commonwealth navies use a somewhat analogous system of Pennant numbers....
s, and the Royal Navy and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth use pennant number

Pennant number

In the modern Royal Navy and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth of Nations, ships are identified by pennant numbers . The name pennant number arises from the fact that ships were originally allocated a pennant identifying a flotilla or particular type of vessel: for example, in the Royal Navy, the burgee for torpedo boats, :Image:I...
s.

These tables list both current and historical prefixes known to have been used.

Generic (Merchant Navy) prefixes

Prefix	Meaning
AHT	Anchor Handling Tug
AHTS	Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessel Anchor handling tug supply vessel Anchor handling tug supply vessels are vessels which supply oil rigs, tow them to location, anchor them up and, in a few cases, serve as an Emergency Rescue and Recovery Vessel ....
CRV	Coastal Research Vessel
DB	Derrick Barge
DLB	Derrick Lay Barge
DCV	Deepwater Construction Vessel
DSV	Diving Support Vessel Diving support vessel A diving support vessel is a ship that is used as a floating base for professional diving projects.Commercial Diving Support Vessels emerged during the 1960s and 1970s when the need arose for diving operations to be performed below and around oil production platforms and associated installations in open water in the North Sea and Gulf of Me... / Deep Submergence Vehicle Deep Submergence Vehicle Deep Submergence Vehicles are deep diving manned submarines that are self-propelled. The term DSV is generally one used by the United States Navy, though several navies operate vehicles that can be accurately described as DSVs....
FPSO	Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Vessel
FPV	Free Piston Vessel
FPV	Fishery Patrol Vessel
FV	Fishing Vessel Fishing vessel A fishing vessel is a boat or ship used to catch fish in the sea, or on a lake or river. Many different kinds of vessels are used in Commercial fishing, Artisan fishing and recreational fishing....
GTS	Gas Turbine Ship
HLV	Heavy lift vessel
HSC	High Speed Craft
HTV	Heavy Transport Vessel
LB	Liftboat Liftboat A liftboat is a self-propelled, self-elevating vessel with a relatively large open deck capable of carrying equipment and supplies in support of various offshore mineral exploration and production or offshore construction activities....
LNG/C	Liquefied natural gas carrier LNG carrier An LNG carrier is a ship designed for transporting liquefied natural gas . As the LNG market grows rapidly, the fleet of LNG carriers continues to experience tremendous growth....
LPG/C	Liquefied petroleum gas carrier
MF	Motor Ferry Ferry A ferry is a form of transport, usually a boat or ship, used to carry passengers and their vehicles across a body of water. Ferries are also used to transport freight and even railroad cars....
MS (M/S)	Motor Ship Motor ship A motor ship or motor vessel is a ship Marine propulsion by an Internal combustion engine, usually a diesel engine. The name of motor ships are often prefixed with MS, M/S, MV or M/V.... (interchangeable with MV)
MSY	Motor Sailing Yacht
MT	Motor Tanker
MV (M/V)	Motor Vessel (interchangeable with MS. Also Majesty's Vessel According to Professor Craig Lawson, University of Nebraska College of Law)
MY	Motor Yacht
nb	Narrowboat Narrowboat A narrowboat or narrow boat is a boat of a distinctive design, made to fit the narrow canals of England and Wales....
NRV	NATO Research Vessel
NS	Nuclear Ship Nuclear marine propulsion Nuclear marine propulsion is propulsion of a ship powered by a nuclear reactor. Naval nuclear propulsion is propulsion that specifically refers to naval warships ....
OSV	Offshore Support Vessel
PS	Paddle Steamer Paddle steamer A paddle steamer is a ship or boat driven by a steam engine that uses one or more paddle wheels to develop thrust for Ship propulsion. It is also a type of steamboat....
PSV	Platform Supply Vessel Platform supply vessel A Platform supply vessel is a ship specially designed to supply offshore oil platforms. These ships range from 65 to 350 feet in length and accomplish a variety of tasks....
RV	Research Vessel Research vessel A research vessel is a ship designed and equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel, others require a dedicated vessel....
RMS	Royal Mail Ship Royal Mail Ship Royal Mail Ship , usually seen in its abbreviated form RMS, is the ship prefix used for seagoing vessels that carry mail under contract by Royal Mail....
SB	Sailing Barge
SS (S/S)	Steamship
SSCV	Semi-Submersible Crane Vessel Semi-submersible A semi-submersible or semisubmersible is a watercraft that can put much of its bulk underwater.With a relatively small area above the water's surface, the semi-submersible is less affected by the waves than a normal ship, but must be trim med continuously....
SSV	Sailing School Vessel
ST	Steam Tug Tugboat A tugboat, or tug, is a boat used to maneuver, primarily by towing or pushing, other ships in harbors, over the open sea or through rivers and canals....
STV	Sailing Training Vessel
SV	Sailing Vessel Sailing ship Sailing ship is now used to refer to any large wind-powered vessel. In technical terms, a ship was a sailing vessel with a full rigged ship of at least three masts, square rigged on all of them, making the sailing adjective redundant....
SY	Sailing Yacht or Steam Yacht Steam yacht A steam yacht is a class of yacht with primary or secondary steam propulsion.The term 'steam yacht' encompasses vessels of two distinct uses, but of similar design....
TS	Turbine Steamer
TSS	Turbine Steam Ship
TV	Training vessel

National or military prefixes

Country	Service	Prefix	Meaning
	Argentine Navy Argentine Navy The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Argentine Armed Forces, together with the Argentine Army and the Argentine Air Force....	ARA	Navy of the Argentine Republic (Spanish: Armada de la Republica Argentina)
	Royal Australian Navy Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy is the navy of the Australian Defence Force. Established in 1901, the RAN was formed out of the Commonwealth Naval Forces to become the small navy of Australia after federation, consisting of the former colonial navies of the new Australian states....	HMAS Her Majesty's Australian Ship Her or His Majesty's Australian Ship is a ship prefix used for commissioned units of the Royal Australian Navy. This prefix is derived from HMS , the prefix used by the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom and can be equally applied to warships and shore bases ....	His/Her Majesty's Australian Ship
(Victoria Victoria (Australia) File:Map Victoria Aboriginal tribes .jpgVictoria is a States and territories of Australia located in the southeastern corner of Australia. It is the smallest mainland state in area but the most Population density and urbanised.... )	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....	HMVS Her Majesty's Ship His or Her Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally....	His/Her Majesty's Victorian Ship (obsolete)
	Bahamian Defence Force	HMBS Her Majesty's Ship His or Her Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally....	His/Her Majesty's Bahamian Ship
	Bangladesh Navy Bangladesh Navy The Bangladesh Navy has a strength of 28,000 personnel including about 5,000 officers . It is mostly limited to coastal patrolling, but it has already procured an List_of_naval_ship_classes_in_service#Ulsan_class_frigate frigate built in South Korea....	BNS	Bangladesh Naval Ship
	Barbadan Defence Force Military of Barbados HistoryThroughout the colonial history of Barbados, United Kingdom routinely stationed large segments of its West India regimental troops on the island of Barbados....	HMBS Her Majesty's Ship His or Her Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally....	His/Her Majesty's Barbadian Ship
	Belgian Navy Military of Belgium The military of Belgium is the Belgium armed forces. The Belgian Armed Forces have about 47,000 active troops. They are organised into one unified structure which consists of four main components:...	BNS	Belgium Naval Ship (NATO prefix)
	Royal Brunei Navy Royal Brunei Navy The Royal Brunei Navy is the naval defence force of Brunei Darrussalam. It is a small but relatively well-equipped force whose main responsibility is to conduct search and rescue missions and to deter and defend the Brunei waters against attack mounted by sea borne forces....	KDB	Kapal Di-Raja Brunei — Royal Brunei Ship
	Burmese Navy	UBS	Bamar Sit Yay Yin — Union of Burma Ship
	Canadian Forces Maritime Command (MARCOM) Canadian Forces Maritime Command Canadian Forces Maritime Command , also known as the Canadian Navy, is the navy of the Canadian Forces. While equal in rank and position, The Chief of the Maritime Staff takes precedence over the Chiefs of the Land and Air Staffs following the tradition of the Royal Navy....	HMCS Her Majesty's Canadian Ship The designation Her Majesty's Canadian Ship , is applied as a prefix to any Canadian Forces warship. In the reign of a monarch, the designation changes to His Majesty's Canadian Ship; the French language version of the title remains unchanged in this instance.... /NCSM	His/Her Majesty's Canadian Ship/Navire Canadien de Sa Majesté
		CFAV	Canadian Forces Auxiliary Vessel (operated by Defence R&D Canada)
	Canadian Coast Guard Canadian Coast Guard The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada.It is the civilian federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue on its national portion of international waters such as the Great Lakes and St....	CCGS	Canadian Coast Guard Ship
	Canadian Coast Guard	CCGC	Canadian Coast Guard Cutter
	Armada Nacional Military of Colombia The Military of Colombia, officially the Military Forces of Colombia is the armed forces of Colombia....	ARC	Armada de la Republica de Colombia
	Confederate States Navy Confederate States Navy The Confederate States Navy was the Navy of the Confederate States of America armed forces established by an act of the Congress of the Confederate States on February 21, 1861....	CSS	Confederate States Ship (obsolete)
	Cook Islands Police	CIPPB	Cook Islands Police Patrol Boat
	Royal Danish Navy Royal Danish Navy The Royal Danish Navy is the Naval warfare of Military of Denmark force. The RDN is mainly responsible for the maritime defence and sovereignty of Denmark, Greenland and Faroe Islands territorial waters....	HDMS (Danish: KDM)	His/Her Danish Majesty's Ship (Danish: Kongelige Danske Marine)
	Armada Ecuatoriana Military of Ecuador Ecuadorian Armed ForcesThe Ecuadorian Armed Forces or Fuerzas Armadas del Ecuador are part of the public forces and responsible for the preservation of the integrity and national sovereignty of the national territory....	BAE	Buque de la Armada de Ecuador
	Estonian Navy Estonian Navy The Estonian Navy , is the name of the unified naval forces of Estonia. The Navy is the main naval arm of the Estonian Defence Forces.The size of the military formation in peacetime is about 350....	ENS (Estonian: EML)	Estonian Naval Ship (NATO designation)
	Estonian Coast Guard Estonian Navy The Estonian Navy , is the name of the unified naval forces of Estonia. The Navy is the main naval arm of the Estonian Defence Forces.The size of the military formation in peacetime is about 350....	ECGS	Estonian Coast Guard Ship (NATO designation)
	Republic of Fiji Navy Military of Fiji The Republic of Fiji Military Forces , with a total manpower of 3,500 men, is one of the smallest militaries in the world. The 3,200 men in the active army are organized into six infantry and one engineer battalions, with approximately 6,000 reserves forming a further three....	RFNS	Republic of Fiji Naval Ship
	Finnish Navy Finnish Navy The Finnish Navy is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscriptions are trained each year....	FNS	Finnish Navy Ship. Prefixes are not used in Finnish-language communications.
	French Navy French Navy The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale , is the maritime arm of the French military. It consists of a full range of vessels, from patrol boats to guided missile frigates, and includes one nuclear aircraft carrier and ten nuclear submarines ....	FS	French Ship (NATO designation); France does not use prefixes internally
	Kaiserliche Marine Kaiserliche Marine The Kaiserliche Marine or Imperial Navy was the German Navy created by the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine....	SM U##	Seiner Majestät Unterseeboot (English: His Majesty's Submarine)
	Kaiserliche Marine Kaiserliche Marine The Kaiserliche Marine or Imperial Navy was the German Navy created by the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine....	SMS	Seiner Majestät Schiff (English: His Majesty's Ship)
	Kriegsmarine Kriegsmarine The *Kriegsmarine* was the name of the German Navy between 1935 and 1945, during the Nazi Germany regime, superseding the Reichsmarine, and the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I....	—	(no prefix; some authors use "DKM" for "Deutsche Kriegsmarine" and "KMS" for "Kriegsmarine Schiffe")
	Bundesmarine	FGS	Federal German Ship (NATO designation); West Germany did not use prefixes internally
(reunited)	Deutsche Marine	FGS	Federal German Ship (NATO designation); Germany does not use prefixes internally
Kingdom of Greece Kingdom of Greece The Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 in the London Conference of 1832 by the Great Powers . It was internationally recognized in the Treaty of Constantinople , where it also secured full independence from the Ottoman Empire....	Royal Hellenic Navy	?? (VP)	?as?????? ?????? (Vassilikón Ploíon), "Royal Ship"; RHS (Royal Hellenic Ship) or HHMS (His Hellenic Majesty's Ship) in use by English-language authors and contemporary foreign navies.
	Hellenic Navy Hellenic Navy The Hellenic Navy is the Navy force of Greece, part of the Military of Greece. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence....	HS	Hellenic Ship :NATO designation, used in international communications; internally the Hellenic Navy uses prefixes indicating ship type.
	??	GDFS	Guyanan Defence Forces Ship
	Icelandic Coast Guard Icelandic Coast Guard The Icelandic Coast Guard is the armed service responsible for Iceland's coastal defense and maritime search and rescue. Origins of the Icelandic Coast Guard can be traced to 1859, when the corvette ?rnen started patrolling Icelandic waters....	ICGV (Icelandic: VS)	Icelandic Coast Guard Vessel, (Icelandic:Varðskip)
	Indian Navy History of the Indian Navy Early historyMany powerful navies, of the Maurya, Chola, Vijayanagara, Kalinga , Maratha and Moghul empires ruled the oceans, in and around India, for many centuries.... (pre-Republic)	HMIS	His/Her Majesty's Indian Ship
	Indian Coast Guard Indian Coast Guard The Indian Coast Guard is a maritime Para Military Force of India created to guard Republic of India's vast coastline. Many people confuse the Indian Coast Guard as an Armed Force since it is placed under the Ministry of Defence....	CGS	Coast Guard Ship
	Indian Navy	INS	Indian Naval Ship
	Indonesian Navy Military of Indonesia The Armed Forces of Indonesia comprises approximately 410,000 personnel including the Indonesian Army, Indonesian Navy including the Indonesian Marine Corps and the Indonesian Air Force....	KRI	Kapal Republik Indonesia (Republic of Indonesia Ship)
	Irish Naval Service Irish Naval Service The Irish Naval Service is the navy of Republic of Ireland and is one of the three standing branches of the Irish Defence Forces . Its main base is in Haulbowline, County Cork....	LÉ	Long Éireannach — Irish ship
	Israeli Sea Corps Israeli Sea Corps The Israeli Navy is the Israel_Defense_Forces#Arms of the Israel Defense Forces, operating primarily in the Mediterranean Sea in the west and in the Gulf of Eilat, Red Sea, and Gulf of Suez in the south....	INS	Israeli Naval Ship (Internally Hebrew acronym ??"? (A.Ch.Y.) is used standing for ????? ??? ??? (Oniyat Heyl HaYam - Sea Corps Ship)
Italy, Kingdom of (until 1946)	Regia Marina Regia Marina The Regia Marina Italiana dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification . In 1946, with the birth of the Italy , the Royal Navy changed its name as it was now the Navy of the Italian Republic ....	RN	Regia Nave -- Royal Ship, sometimes unofficially "RM", standing for "Regia Marina"
Italy, Kingdom of (until 1946)	Regia Marina Regia Marina The Regia Marina Italiana dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification . In 1946, with the birth of the Italy , the Royal Navy changed its name as it was now the Navy of the Italian Republic ....	R.Smg.	Regio Sommergibile -- Royal Submarine
	Marina Militare Marina Militare *Marina Militare* is one of the four branches of the Military of Italy of Italy. It was formed in 1946, as the Navy of the Italian Republic, from what remained of the Regia Marina and now is considered among the five major navies in the world....	ITS	Italian Ship (NATO designation); Italy no longer uses prefixes
	Imperial Japanese Navy Imperial Japanese Navy The origins of the Imperial Japanese Navy trace back to early interactions with nations on the Asia, beginning in the early history of Japan#Feudal Japan and reaching a peak of activity during the 16th and 17th centuries at a time of cultural diffusion with European power during the Age of Discovery....	—	(no prefix; some authors use "HIJMS" for "His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Ship" and "IJN" for "Imperial Japanese Navy")
	Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Japan Self-Defense Forces The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF, are the Armed forces in Japan that were established after the end of the post-World War II American occupation of Japan....	JDS or JS	Japanese Defense Ship or Japanese Ship
	Kenyan Navy Military of Kenya The Kenyan military consists, according to the Constitution, of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Its main mission is defence of the country's borders in a notoriously unstable region....	KNS	Kenyan Naval Ship
	Kiribati Police Force Law enforcement in Kiribati The only State disciplined forces in Kiribati are a unified national police force, with prison and quarantine powers, and the coast guard. National security assistance is provided by Australia and New Zealand....	RKS	Republic of Kiribati Ship
	Republic of Korea Navy Republic of Korea Navy The Republic of Korea Navy or ROK Navy is a branch of the Military of South Korea responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations....	ROKS	Republic of Korea Ship
	Latvian Navy	LVNS	Latvian Naval Ship (NATO designation)
	Lithuanian Navy	LKL LNS	Lietuvos Karinis Laivas -- Lithuanian Military Ship Lithuanian Ship (NATO designation)
	Royal Malaysian Navy Royal Malaysian Navy The Royal Malaysian Navy All commissioned ships of the RMN have a prefix KD, which means Royal Ship. ...	KD	Kapal Di-Raja — His Majesty's Ship, literal: Royal Ship
	Marshall Islands Police Law enforcement in the Marshall Islands Military of the Marshall Islands of the Marshall Islands is the responsibility of the United States, but local police matters are handled by the Marshall Islands Police, the national police force, as well as several atoll or municipality-based departments....	RMIS	Republic of the Marshall Islands Ship
	FSM National Police Law enforcement in the Federated States of Micronesia Military of the Federated States of Micronesia of the Federated States of Micronesia is the responsibility of the United States, but local police matters are handled by the FSM National Police, a small federal national police force, a division of the Department of Justice....	FSS	Federated States Ship
	Armada de México Mexican Navy The Mexican Navy is a branch of the Military of Mexico responsible for conducting navy operations. Its stated mission is "to use the naval force of the federation for the exterior defense, and to help with internal order"....	ARM	Armada de la República Mexicana
	Tatmadaw Yay Military of Myanmar The military of Myanmar, officially known as Tatmadaw is the military organization of Myanmar, also known as Burma. The armed forces are administered by the Ministry of Defence and are composed of the Myanmar Army, the Myanmar Navy and the Myanmar Air Force....	UMS	Myanma Sit Yay Yin — Union of Myanmar Ship
	Royal Netherlands Navy Royal Netherlands Navy The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands....	HNLMS (Dutch: Hr.Ms. or Zr.Ms.)	His/Her Netherlands Majesty's Ship His/Her Netherlands Majesty's Ship His Netherlands Majesty's Ship or Her Netherlands Majesty's Ship is an, incorrect but common, translation of the ship prefix of the Royal Netherlands Navy for naval ships commanded by an Officer .... (Dutch: Harer Majesteits or Zijner Majesteits)
	Royal New Zealand Navy	HMNZS Her Majesty's Ship His or Her Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally....	His/Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship
	?	NNS	Nigerian Naval Ship
	Royal Norwegian Navy Royal Norwegian Navy The Royal Norway Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for navy operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 3 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 6 corvettes, 14 patrol boats, 4 Minesweeper , 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support vessels and 2 training vessels....	HNoMS (Norwegian: KNM)	His Norwegian Majesty's Ship (Norwegian: Kongelige Norske Marine)
	Norwegian Coast Guard Norwegian Coast Guard The Norwegian Coast Guard, or Kystvakten in Norwegian language, is a part of the Royal Norwegian Navy, but has separate vessels, many of which are purpose-built....	NoCGV (Norwegian: KV)	Norwegian Coast Guard Vessel (Norwegian: Kystvakten)
	Royal Navy of Oman Royal Navy of Oman The Royal Navy of Oman was formed in the early 1950s...	SNV	Sultanate Naval Vessel
	Pakistani Navy Military of Pakistan The Pakistan Armed forces are the overall unified military forces of Pakistan. The Pakistani military was first formed when the nation achieved independence from the British Empire during the partition of India in 1947....	PNS	Pakistani Naval Ship
	Palau Police Law enforcement in Palau Military of Palau of Palau is the responsibility of the United States, but local police matters are handled by the Palau Police, the national police force, and some of the sixteen States of Palau had separate police departments in the 1980s and 1990s....	PSS	Palau State Ship
	Papua New Guinea Defence Force	HMPNGS	His/Her Majesty's Papua New Guinea Ship
	Peruvian Navy Peruvian Navy The Peruvian Navy is the branch of the Peruvian Military of Peru tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to 200 nautical miles from the Peruvian littoral....	BAP	Peruvian Navy Ship (Spanish: Buque Armada Peruana)
	Peruvian Navy Peruvian Navy The Peruvian Navy is the branch of the Peruvian Military of Peru tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to 200 nautical miles from the Peruvian littoral....	BIC	Scientific Research Ship (Spanish: Buque de Investigación Científica)
	Philippine Navy	BRP	Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas (Ship of the Republic of the Philippines)
	Philippine Navy	RPS	Republic of the Philippines Ship (Obsolete)
	Polish Navy Polish Navy The Polish Navy is the branch of Polish Armed Forces responsible for naval operations. It has 60 ships and about 14,300 commissioned and enlisted personnel....	ORP ORP ORP may refer to:* Oxidation reduction potential, the tendency of a chemical species to acquire electrons and thereby be reduced* Operational Ration Pack, a combat ration used by the British Armed Forces...	Ship of the Republic of Poland (Polish: Okret Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej)
	Marinha Portuguesa Portuguese Navy The Portuguese Navy is the Navy of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....	NRP	Navio da República Portuguesa - Portuguese Republic Ship
	Marinha Portuguesa Portuguese Navy The Portuguese Navy is the Navy of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....	PNS	Portuguese Navy Ship (NATO NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization , also called the Atlantic Alliance, is a military alliance established by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on 4 April 1949.... designation, not used internally)
	Marinha Portuguesa Portuguese Navy The Portuguese Navy is the Navy of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....	UAM	Unidade Auxiliar da Marinha - Navy Auxiliary Unit (used by the Portuguese Navy non-military ships)
	Romanian Navy	NMS	Nava Majestatii Sale (His/Her majesty's Ship) - used before 1945 by the Royal Romanian Navy
	Russian Navy Russian Navy The Russian Navy or VMF is the Navy of the Russian Armed Forces. The international designation of Russian naval vessels is "RFS" - "Russian Federation Ship"....	RFS	Russian Federation Ship; Russia does not use prefixes internally
	Saudi Navy Military of Saudi Arabia The Saudi Ministry of Defence and Aviation is responsible for the direction of the military of Saudi Arabia. The Ministry also has responsibility for the construction of civilian airports as well as military bases, and for Meteorology departments....	HMS Her Majesty's Ship His or Her Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally....	His Majesty's Ship — the same as the Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
	Republic of Singapore Navy Republic of Singapore Navy The Republic of Singapore Navy is the navy of the Singapore Armed Forces , responsible for the defence of Singapore against sea-borne threats and protection of its sea lines of communications....	RSS	Republic of Singapore Ship
	Royal Solomon Islands Police Law enforcement in the Solomon Islands The Solomon Islands have known a heavy ethnic conflict between 1998 and 2006, in which Australia and other Pacific countries eventually Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands to restore peace and Social order....	RSIPV	Royal Solomon Islands Police Vessel
	South African Navy South African Navy The South African Navy is the navy of South Africa....	SAS	South African Ship (previously HMSAS - His/Her Majesty's South African Ship)
	South African Navy South African Navy The South African Navy is the navy of South Africa....	SATS	South African Training Ship
	Armada Española	SPS	Spanish Naval Ship (Spain does not use prefixes internally)
	Sri Lankan Navy Sri Lankan Navy The Sri Lankan Navy is the navy of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is classed as the most vital Defence Force of Sri Lanka, due being an island. It conducts maritime operations at sea for the defence of the Sri Lankan nation and its interests....	SLNS	Sri Lanka Naval Ship
	Royal Swedish Navy	HMS	Hans/Hennes majestäts skepp — the same as the Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s.... but in Swedish
	Republic of China Navy Republic of China Navy The Republic of China Navy is the maritime branch of the Military of the Republic of China. The ROC Navy's primary mission is to defend ROC territories and the sea lanes that surround Taiwan against a blockade, attack, or possible invasion by forces of the People's Republic of China....	ROCS (older usage: CNS)	Republic of China Ship (older usage: Chinese Navy Ship)
	Royal Thai Navy Royal Thai Navy The Royal Thai Navy is the navy of Thailand and was established in the late 1800s. Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy"....	HTMS	His Thai Majesty's Ship
	Tonga Defence Services Tonga Defence Services The Tonga Defense Services is the 450-person armed force of Tonga. It is composed of three operational command components, two support elements and police....	VOEA	Vaka O Ene Afio (His Majesty’s Vessel)
	Turkish Navy Turkish Navy The Turkish Navy is a branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.The Turkish Navy has historically been one of the largest sea powers of the Mediterranean....	TCG	Ship of the Turkish Republic (Turkish: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Gemisi)
	Tuvalu Police Force Law enforcement in Tuvalu Tuvalu has no Military of Tuvalu, but its national police force, the Tuvalu Police Force headquartered in Funafuti includes a Maritime Surveillance Unit, Customs, Prisons and Immigration....	HMTSS	His/Her Majesty's Tuvaluan State Ship
	Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Military branches:Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force .Commander-in-Chief: George Maxwell RichardsChief of Defence Staff: Brigadier Edmund Dillon...	TTS	Trinidad and Tobago Ship
	Ships carrying mail	RMS Royal Mail Ship Royal Mail Ship , usually seen in its abbreviated form RMS, is the ship prefix used for seagoing vessels that carry mail under contract by Royal Mail....	Royal Mail Royal Mail Royal Mail is the national mail of the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turns operates the brands Royal Mail , Parcelforce and General Logistics Systems.... Steamer/Ship
	Fishery protection vessels	FPV	Fisheries Protection Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency is an List of Scottish Executive agencies of the Scottish Government. The SFPA is responsible for both deterring illegal fishing in Scottish waters, as well as monitoring the compliance of the Fishing industry in Scotland with the relevant Scots law and European Union laws on fisheries.... Vessel
	Royal Fleet Auxiliary Royal Fleet Auxiliary The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a component of the Naval Service that keeps the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom running around the world. Its main function is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel and supplies.... ships	RFA	Royal Fleet Auxiliary
	Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service The Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service was a United Kingdom British Government agency which ran a variety of civilian manned support vessels for the Royal Navy.... ships	RMAS	Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service
	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....	HM Sloop	His/Her Majesty's Sloop (now obsolete)
	Hospital ships	HMHS	His/Her Majesty's Hospital Ship Hospital ship A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a healthcare facility or hospital; most are operated by the military forces or navy of various countries around the world, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones....
	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....	HMS Her Majesty's Ship His or Her Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally....	His/Her Majesty's Ship/Submarine

	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....	HMSm Her Majesty's Ship His or Her Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally....	His/Her Majesty's Submarine
	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....	HMT	Hired Military Transport (not currently in use)
	British Army British Army The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....	HMAV	His/Her Majesty's Army Vessel (not currently in use)
	Royal Air Force Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....	HMAFV	His/Her Majesty's Air Force Vessel (not currently in use)
	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....	HMY	His/Her Majesty's Yacht (not currently in use)
	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....	HMMGB	His/Her Majesty's Motor Gun Boat Motor Gun Boat Motor Gun Boat was a Royal Navy term for a small military vessel of the Second World War. They were physically similar to the Motor Torpedo Boats but equipped with a mix of guns instead of torpedoes.... (not currently in use)
	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....	HMM	His/Her Majesty's Monitor Monitor (warship) A monitor was a type of relatively small warship which was neither fast nor strongly armoured but carried disproportionately large guns and was used by some navies from the 1860s until the end of the World War II.... (not currently in use)
	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....	HMSML	His/Her Majesty's Small Motor Launch
	Joint Services	HMSTC	His/Her Majesty's Sail Training Craft
	Trinity House Trinity House The Corporation of Trinity House is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters . It is responsible for the provision and maintenance of navigational aids such as lighthouses, lightvessels, buoys and maritime radio/satellite communication systems....	THV	Trinity House Vessel (Lighthouse and Buoy Tender)
	Northern Lighthouse Board Northern Lighthouse Board File:Ensign of the British Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses.svgFile:Northern Lighthouse Board Commisioners Flag of the United Kingdom.pngThe Northern Lighthouse Board is the General Lighthouse Authority for Scotland and the Isle of Man....	NLV	Northern Lighthouse Vessel (Lighthouse tender Lighthouse tender A lighthouse tender is a ship specifically designed to maintain, support, or tend to lighthouses, or lightvessels, providing supplies, fuel, mail and transportation.... )
	British Army British Armed Forces The armed forces of the United Kingdom, commonly known as the British Armed Forces or His/Her Majesty's Armed Forces, and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, encompasses a Royal Navy, an British Army, and an Royal Air Force....	RCLV	Royal Corps of Logistics Royal Logistic Corps The Royal Logistic Corps is the British Army corps that provides the logistics for the Army. It is the largest corps in the British Army.... Vessel (not currently in use)
	Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....	HBMS	His/Her Britannic Majesty's Ship (archaic)
	Royal Navy	HM	His/Her Majesty's, then used with the type of ship in military use (e.g. "HM Trawler")
Government research ships	RRS	Royal Research Ship Royal Research Ship A Royal Research Ship is a United Kingdom-operated merchant ship that conducts research for British Government scientific research organisations, notably the British Antarctic Survey and the Natural Environment Research Council ....
	U.S. Air Force United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Military of the United States and one of the uniformed services of the United States....	USAF, USAFS	United States Air Force ship (not currently in use)
	U.S. Army United States Army The United States Army is the branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for Army operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S....	USAS	United States Army Ship
	U.S. Army	USAV	United States Army Vessel
	U.S. Army	USAT	United States Army Transport (not currently in use)
	U.S. Army	USAHS	United States Army Hospital Ship (not currently in use)
	U.S. Navy United States Navy The United States Navy is the navy of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy currently has approximately 331,682 personnel on active duty as of 31 December 2008 and 124,000 in the United States Navy Reserve....	USF	United States Frigate (obsolete)
	U.S. Navy	USFS	United States Flagship (obsolete)
	U.S. Navy	USS	United States Ship
	U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command Military Sealift Command The is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the 'Military Sea Transportation Service' became solely responsible for the United States Department of Defense's ocean transport needs....	USNS	United States Naval Ship United States Naval Ship United States Naval Ship or USNS is the ship prefix given to non-commissioned ships of the United States Navy. These are usually auxiliary ship that are in service, but are crewed by civilians .... (USN owned, civilian crews)
	U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command	USNV	United States Naval Vessel (foreign-built, USN-leased, USN crews)
	United States Coast Guard United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the Military of the United States and one of seven Uniformed services of the United States. In addition to being a military branch at all times, it is unique among the armed forces in that it is also a Admiralty law agency and a Federal government of the United States regulatory agency....	USCGC	United States Coast Guard Cutter United States Coast Guard Cutter A United States Coast Guard cutter is any vessel operated by the United States Coast Guard that is over 65 feet in length....
	United States Coast Guard	USCGD	United States Coast Guard Destroyer (not currently in use)
	United States Lighthouse Service United States Lighthouse Service The United States Lighthouse Service, also known as the Bureau of Lighthouses, was the agency of the US Federal Government that was responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all lighthouses in the United States....	USLHT	United States Lighthouse Tender (obsolete)
	United States Revenue Cutter Service United States Revenue Cutter Service The United States Revenue Cutter Service was established by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in 1790 as an armed maritime law enforcement service....	USRC	United States Revenue Cutter (obsolete)
	National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration	NOAAS	NOAA Research Vessel
	Uruguayan Navy Military of Uruguay The Armed Forces of Uruguay consist of an army, navy, and air force. These three branches are Constitution of Uruguay subordinate to the President of Uruguay through the Minister of Defense....	ROU	Republica Oriental del Uruguay
	Vanuatu Police Force Law enforcement in Vanuatu Vanuatu has a Military of Vanuatu as well as a National Police Service, the Ni-Vanuatu Police or Vanuatu Police Force , headquartered in Port Vila....	RVS	Republic of Vanuatu Ship
	Venezuelan Navy	FNV	Fuerzas Navales de Venezuela Not in use since 1949
	Venezuelan Navy	ARV	Armada Republica de Venezuela Not in use 1999
	Venezuelan Navy	ARBV	Armada Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela

Civilian ships naming

In 1939, the British Ministry of Shipping adopted a standard naming system whereby all merchant ships ordered to be built in Britain to Government account, except very small ship types, would be given the prefix 'Empire' to their name. This applied to ships acquired through purchase, requisition, or taken in prize, with some exceptions. It also applied to older ships acquired from the USA, modern ships acquired on Lease/Lend arrangements, salved and refitted ships, and captured enemy ships.

Ship prefix

Generic (Merchant Navy) prefixes

National or military prefixes

Civilian ships naming

External links