Ship prefix
Encyclopedia
A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship
.
Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research 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
, abbreviated "H.M.S." and then "HMS". Earlier uses often included the type of vessel, as for instance "U.S.F." ("United States Frigate") for frigate
s of the United States Navy
. Today the common practice is to use a single prefix for all warship
s of a nation's navy, and other prefixes for auxiliaries and ships of allied services, such as coast guard
s.
The use of ship prefixes is not universal; in particular neither the Third Reich's Kriegsmarine
nor the Imperial Japanese Navy
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 大日本帝国海軍 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
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
s, and the Royal Navy and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth use pennant number
s.
These tables list both current and historical prefixes known to have been used.
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
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
.
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 is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, abbreviated "H.M.S." and then "HMS". Earlier uses often included the type of vessel, as for instance "U.S.F." ("United States Frigate") for frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. 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 from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
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 or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
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 during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
nor the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
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 大日本帝国海軍 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, United States Coast Guard, and United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration use hull classification symbols to identify their ship types and each individual ship within each type...
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, ships are identified by pennant numbers...
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 mainly built to handle anchors for 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 |
| C/F | Car Ferry Car ferry A car ferry may be* In North American usage, a ferry carrying rail vehicles* In UK usage, a ferry carrying automobiles and other road vehicles... |
| CS | Cable Ship |
| DB | Derrick Barge |
| DEPV | Diesel Electric Paddle Vessel |
| 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... / Deep Submergence Vehicle Deep Submergence Vehicle A Deep Sea Submergence Vehicle is a deep diving manned submarine that is 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... |
| DV | Dead vessel |
| ERRV | Emergency Response Rescue Vessel |
| 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, artisanal and recreational fishing.... |
| GTS | Gas Turbine Ship |
| HLV | Heavy lift vessel |
| HSC | High Speed Craft |
| HSF | High Speed Ferry |
| 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 tank ship designed for transporting liquefied natural gas . As the LNG market grows rapidly, the fleet of LNG carriers continues to experience tremendous growth.-History:... |
| LPG/C | Liquefied petroleum gas carrier |
| MF | Motor Ferry Ferry A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services... |
| MS (M/S) | Motor Ship Motor ship A motor ship or motor vessel is a ship propelled 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.- See also :... (interchangeable with MV) |
| MSV | Multipurpose support/supply vessel Platform supply vessel A Platform supply vessel is a ship specially designed to supply offshore oil platforms. These ships range from 20 to 100 meters in length and accomplish a variety of tasks... |
| MSY | Motor Sailing Yacht |
| MT | Motor Tanker |
| MV (M/V) | Motor Vessel (interchangeable with MS) |
| 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 Great Britain.In the context of British Inland Waterways, "narrow boat" refers to the original working boats built in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries for carrying goods on the narrow canals... |
| NRV | NATO Research Vessel |
| NS | Nuclear Ship Nuclear marine propulsion Nuclear marine propulsion is propulsion of a ship 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 steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans... |
| 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 20 to 100 meters 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, a designation which dates back to 1840, is the ship prefix used for seagoing vessels that carry mail under contract by Royal Mail... or Royal Mail Steamer |
| SB | Sailing Barge |
| SS (S/S) | Steamship (with screw propellers, can be either coal- or oil-fired) |
| SSCV | Semi-Submersible Crane Vessel |
| SSV | Sailing School Vessel, Submarine and Special Warfare Support Vessel |
| ST | Steam Tug Tugboat A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for... |
| STS | Sail Training Ship |
| STV | Sail Training Vessel or Steam Turbine Vessel |
| SV | Sailing Vessel Sailing ship The term sailing ship is now used to refer to any large wind-powered vessel. In technical terms, a ship was a sailing vessel with a specific rig of at least three masts, square rigged on all of them, making the sailing adjective redundant. In popular usage "ship" became associated with all large... |
| SY | Sailing Yacht or Steam Yacht Steam yacht A steam yacht is a class of luxury or commercial yacht with primary or secondary steam propulsion in addition to the sails usually carried by yachts.-Origin of the name:... |
| TEV | Turbine Electric Vessel Turbo-electric A turbo-electric transmission uses electric generators to convert the mechanical energy of a turbine into electric energy and electric motors to convert it back into mechanical energy to power the driveshafts.... |
| TIV | Turbine Installation Vessel |
| TS | Training Ship |
| TSS | Turbine Steam Ship or Twin Screw Steamer Twin screw steamer A twin screw steamer is a steam-powered vessel propelled by two screws, one on either side of the plane of the keel.... |
| 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 Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force.... |
ARA | Navy of the Argentine Republic (Spanish: Armada de la Republica Argentina) | |
| Argentinian Coast Guard | GC | Argentinian Coast Guard Ship (Spanish: Guardacostas) | |
| Royal Australian Navy Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces... |
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 Her or His Majesty's Australian Ship... |
His/Her Majesty's Australian Ship | |
| (Victoria Victoria (Australia) Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively.... ) |
Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service... |
HMVS Her Majesty's Ship Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time... |
His/Her Majesty's Victorian Ship (obsolete) |
| Austro-Hungarian Navy Austro-Hungarian Navy The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Its official name in German was Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine , abbreviated as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine.... |
SMS | Seiner Majestät Schiff (English: His Majesty's Ship) | |
| Royal Bahamas Defence Force Royal Bahamas Defence Force The Royal Bahamas Defence Force is the navy of The Bahamas. Since The Bahamas does not have an army or an air force, its navy composes the entirety of its armed forces... |
HMBS Her Majesty's Ship Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time... |
His/Her Majesty's Bahamian Ship | |
| Bangladesh Navy Bangladesh Navy The Bangladesh Navy is the naval arm of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. At present the navy is mostly limited to coastal patrolling, however it is implementing an ambitious procurement and expansion program to ensure the security of Bangladesh's maritime boundary... |
BNS | Bangladesh Naval Ship | |
| Barbados Defence Force Barbados Defence Force The Barbados Defence Force is the name given to the combined armed forces of Barbados. The BDF was established August 15, 1979, and has responsibility for the territorial defence and internal security of the island. The headquarters for the Barbados Defence Force are located in the St... |
HMBS Her Majesty's Ship Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time... |
His/Her Majesty's Barbadian Ship | |
| Belgian Navy Military of Belgium The Belgian Army is the national military of Belgium. The Belgian Army was established after Belgium became independent in October 1830... |
BNS | Belgium Naval Ship (NATO prefix) | |
| Royal Brunei Navy Royal Brunei Navy The Royal Brunei Navy is the naval defence force of Brunei Darussalam. 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.The Royal Brunei Navy was... |
KDB | Kapal Di-Raja Brunei — Royal Brunei Ship | |
| Burmese Navy | UBS | Bamar Sit Yay Yin — Union of Burma Ship | |
| Royal Canadian Navy Royal Canadian Navy The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces... |
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 king, the designation changes to His Majesty's Canadian Ship; the French version of the title remains unchanged in this instance... /NCSM |
His/Her Majesty's Canadian Ship/Navire Canadien de Sa Majesté (French) | |
| CFAV/NAFC | Canadian Forces Auxiliary Vessel/Navire auxiliaire des Forces canadiennes (French) | ||
| Canadian Coast Guard Canadian Coast Guard The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking... |
CCGS/NGCC | Canadian Coast Guard Ship/Navire de Garde côtière canadienne (French) | |
| CCGC/CGCC | Canadian Coast Guard Cutter/Cotre de Garde côtière canadienne (French) | ||
| Department of Fisheries and Oceans Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada, frequently referred to as DFO , is the department within the government of Canada that is responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs in support of Canada's economic, ecological and scientific interests in oceans and inland waters... |
CGS | Canadian Government Ship (no longer used) | |
| DGS | Dominion Government Ship (no longer used) | ||
| Royal Canadian Sea Cadets/Cadets de la Marine royale du Canada Royal Canadian Sea Cadets Royal Canadian Sea Cadets is a Canadian national youth program sponsored by the Canadian Forces and the civilian Navy League of Canada. Administered by the Canadian Forces, the program is funded through the Department of National Defence with the civilian partner providing support in the local... |
SCTS/NECM | Sea Cadet Training Ship/Navire école des cadets de la Marine (French) | |
| Armada Nacional Military of Colombia The Military Forces of Colombia are the armed forces of the Republic of Colombia.-Services:The Military of Colombia consists of:* National Army of Colombia * Colombian National Armada - Marines, Navy and Coast Guard attached* Colombian Air Force... |
ARC | Armada de la Republica de Colombia | |
 Confederate States of America |
Confederate States Navy Confederate States Navy The Confederate States Navy was the naval branch of the Confederate States armed forces established by an act of the Confederate Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the American Civil War... |
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 sea-based branch of the Danish Defence force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Danish, Greenlandic and Faroese territorial waters... |
HDMS (Danish: KDM) | His/Her Danish Majesty's Ship (Danish: Kongelige Danske Marine) | |
| Armada Ecuatoriana Military of Ecuador The Military of Ecuador is under civilian control. The commander-in-chief is the President of Ecuador, currently Rafael Correa. The military of Ecuador has been involved in border disputes with Peru , and has provided Military Observers and troops to the United Nations since 1948.-Mission:The... |
BAE | Buque de la Armada de Ecuador | |
| Estonian Navy Estonian Navy The Merevägi is the navy of Republic of Estonia and is part of the unified Kaitsevägi .In total, there are about four commissioned ships in the Estonian Navy, including three auxiliary ships; the displacement of the navy is under 10,000 tonnes making it one of the smallest navies in the world... |
ENS (Estonian: EML) | Estonian Naval Ship (NATO designation) | |
| Estonian Coast Guard Estonian Navy The Merevägi is the navy of Republic of Estonia and is part of the unified Kaitsevägi .In total, there are about four commissioned ships in the Estonian Navy, including three auxiliary ships; the displacement of the navy is under 10,000 tonnes making it one of the smallest navies in the world... |
ECGS | Estonian Coast Guard Ship (NATO designation) | |
| Republic of Fiji Navy Military of Fiji The Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all... |
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 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS" simply short for "Finnish Navy Ship"... |
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 includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching... |
FS | French Ship (NATO designation); France does not use prefixes internally | |
 German Empire |
Kaiserliche Marine Kaiserliche Marine The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded... |
SM U## | Seiner Majestät Unterseeboot (English: His Majesty's Submarine) |
| SMS Seiner Majestät Schiff Seiner Majestät Schiff was the ship prefix used by the Prussian Maritime Enterprise , the Prussian Navy, the Imperial German Navy and the Austro-Hungarian Navy... |
Seiner Majestät Schiff (English: His Majesty's Ship) | ||
 Nazi Germany |
Kriegsmarine Kriegsmarine The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly... |
— | (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 |
Royal Hellenic Navy | ΒΠ (VP) | Βασιλικόν Πλοίον (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 naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. 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. | |
| Guyanese Coast Guard | GDFS | Guyanese Defence Forces Ship | |
 Kingdom of Hawaii |
Hawaiian Navy | HHMS | His Hawaiian Majesty's Ships; the only one being the Kaimiloa |
| Icelandic Coast Guard Icelandic Coast Guard The Icelandic Coast Guard is the service responsible for Iceland's coastal defense and maritime and aeronautical search and rescue. Origins of the Icelandic Coast Guard can be traced to 1859, when the corvette Ørnen started patrolling Icelandic waters... |
ICGV (Icelandic: VS) | Icelandic Coast Guard Vessel, (Icelandic:Varðskip) | |
 British Raj |
Indian Navy History of the Indian Navy -Early history:India has a rich maritime history dating back 5,000 years. The world's first tidal dock is believed to have been built at Lothal around 2300 BCE during the Indus Valley Civilization, near the present day Mangrol harbour on the Gujarat coast.... (pre-Republic) |
HMIS | His/Her Majesty's Indian Ship |
| Indian Coast Guard Indian Coast Guard The Indian Coast Guard is a branch of the Indian Armed Forces. Its mission is the protection of India's maritime interests and maritime law enforcement with jurisdiction over both territorial and international waters.... |
ICGS | Indian Coast Guard Ship | |
| Indian Navy | INS | Indian Naval Ship | |
| Indonesian Navy Military of Indonesia The Indonesian National Armed Forces in 2009 comprises approximately 432,129 personnel including the Army , Navy including the Indonesian Marine Corps and the Air Force .... |
KRI | Kapal Republik Indonesia (Republic of Indonesia Ship) | |
| Irish Naval Service Irish Naval Service The Naval Service is the navy 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 naval arm of the Israel Defense Forces, operating primarily in the Mediterranean Sea theater as well as the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea theater. The current commander in chief of the Israeli Navy is Aluf Ram Rothberg.-History:... |
INS | Israeli Naval Ship (Internally Hebrew acronym אח"י (A.Ch.Y.) is used standing for אניית חיל הים (Oniyat Heyl HaYam - Sea Corps Ship) | |
 Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)(until 1946) |
Regia Marina Regia Marina The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification... |
RN | Regia Nave – Royal Ship |
| Regia Marina Regia Marina The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification... |
R.Smg. | Regio Sommergibile – Royal Submarine | |
| Marina Militare Marina Militare The Italian Navy is the navy of the Italian Republic. It is one of the four branches of military forces of Italy; formed in 1946, from what remained of the Regia Marina . As of 2008, the Italian Navy had 35,200 active personnel with 180 commissioned ships, 19 Floating Docks, and 123 aircraft... |
ITS | Italian Ship (NATO designation); Italy no longer uses prefixes | |
| Jamaica Defence Force Jamaica Defence Force The Jamaica Defence Force is the combined military forces of Jamaica, consisting of an Army, Air Wing and Coast Guard. The JDF is based upon the British military model with organisation, training, weapons and traditions closely aligned with Commonwealth Realm countries... |
HMJS Her Majesty's Ship Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time... |
His/Her Majesty's Jamaican Ship | |
 Empire of Japan |
Imperial Japanese Navy Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes... |
— | (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 or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed... |
JDS or JS | Japanese Defense Ship or Japanese Ship | |
| Kenyan Navy Military of Kenya The Kenya Defence Forces are the armed forces of the Republic of Kenya. The Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, and Kenya Air Force comprise the national Defence Forces. The current Kenya Defence Forces were established, and its composition laid out, in Article 241 of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya... |
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. Defense 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 the ROK Navy is the branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization... |
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 is the naval arm of Malaysian Armed Forces. All commissioned ships of the RMN have the prefix KD , which means Royal Ship.-Straits Settlement Naval Volunteer Reserve:... |
KD | Kapal Di-Raja — His Majesty's Ship, literal: Royal Ship | |
| Marshall Islands Police Law enforcement in the Marshall Islands Defense 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 Defense 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 the naval branch of the Mexican military responsible for conducting naval operations. Its stated mission is "to use the naval force of the federation for the exterior defense, and to help with internal order". The Navy consists of about 56,000 men and women plus reserves, over... |
ARM | Armada de la República Mexicana | |
| Tatmadaw Yay Military of Myanmar The Myanmar Armed Forces, officially known as Tatmadaw is the military organization of Burma, also known as Myanmar. The armed forces are administered by the Ministry of Defence and are composed of the Army, the Navy and the 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. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands... |
Hr.Ms./Zr.Ms. (English: HNLMS) | Harer/Zijner Majesteits (English: His/Her Netherlands Majesty's Ship) | |
| Royal New Zealand Navy | HMNZS Her Majesty's Ship Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time... |
His/Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship | |
| Nigerian Navy | NNS | Nigerian Naval Ship | |
| Royal Norwegian Navy Royal Norwegian Navy The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support... |
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, is a military force and part of the Royal Norwegian Navy, but has separate vessels, many of which are purpose-built. All coast guard vessels have the prefix KV. Four of these vessels are capable of embarking one or more helicopters... |
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-Ships:* Qahir class corvettes built by Vosper Thornycroft ** Q31 Qahir Al Amwaj** Q32 Al Mua'zzar... |
SNV | Sultanate Naval Vessel | |
| Pakistan Navy Pakistan Navy The Pakistan Navy is the naval warfare/service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Pakistan's Navy is responsible for Pakistan's coastline along the Arabian Sea and the defense of important civilian harbors and military bases... |
PNS | Pakistani Naval Ship | |
| Palau Police Law enforcement in Palau Defense 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 had separate police departments in the 1980s and 1990s.... |
PSS | Palau State Ship | |
| Papua New Guinea Defence Force | HMPNGDFS | His/Her Majesty's Papua New Guinea Defence Force Ship | |
| Peruvian Navy Peruvian Navy The Peruvian Navy is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces 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) | |
| BIC | Scientific Research Ship (Spanish: Buque de Investigación Científica) | ||
| Philippine Navy | BRP | Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas; in use since 1 July 1980 (Ship of the Republic of the Philippines) |
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| RPS | Republic of the Philippines Ship (Obsolete); before 1 July 1980 | ||
| Polish Navy Polish Navy The Marynarka Wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej - MW RP Polish Navy, is the branch of Republic of Poland Armed Forces responsible for naval operations... |
ORP ORP ORP may refer to:* Oxidation reduction potential, the tendency of a chemical species to acquire electrons and thereby be reduced* Open Relevance Project, data and tools to compare the search relevancy performance of search engines... |
Ship of the Republic of Poland (Polish: Okręt Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) |
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| Marinha Portuguesa Portuguese Navy The Portuguese Navy is the naval branch 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 | |
| PNS | Portuguese Navy Ship (NATO designation, not used internally) | ||
| 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 | |
| SMR | Serviciul Maritim Roman (The Romanian Sea Service) - used by transport ships | ||
| ROS | Romanian Ship (NATO designation, not used internally) | ||
| Russian Navy | RFS | Russian Federation Ship; Russia does not use prefixes internally | |
| Saudi Navy Military of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia's armed forces are mainly the responsibility of the Ministry of Defense and Aviation. 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 Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time... |
His Majesty's Ship — the same as the Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service... |
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| Republic of Singapore Navy Republic of Singapore Navy The Republic of Singapore Navy is the naval component of the Singapore Armed Forces , responsible for the defence of Singapore against sea-borne threats and protection of its sea lines of communications. Operating within the crowded littoral waters of the Singapore Strait, the RSN is regarded as... |
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 2003, in which Australia and other Pacific countries eventually intervened to restore peace and order... |
RSIPV | Royal Solomon Islands Police Vessel | |
| South African Navy South African Navy The South African Navy is the navy of the Republic of South Africa.-Formation:The South African Navy can trace its official origins back to the SA Naval Service, which was established on 1 April 1922.... |
SAS | South African Ship (previously HMSAS - His/Her Majesty's South African Ship) | |
| SATS | South African Training Ship | ||
| Armada Española | SPS | Spanish Naval Ship (Spain does not use prefixes internally) | |
| Sri Lankan Navy Sri Lankan Navy -The Beginning and World War II:In January 1938 the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force was created with Commander W.G. Beauchamp as Commanding Officer under ordinance No I of 1937. On 31 August 1939 at the out set of World War II, the CNVF was mobilized for war duties... |
SLNS | Sri Lanka Naval Ship | |
| Swedish Navy Swedish Navy The Royal Swedish Navy is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet – as well as marine units, the so-called Amphibious Corps .In Swedish, vessels of the Swedish Navy are given the prefix "HMS," short for Hans/Hennes... |
HMS | Hans/Hennes Majestäts Skepp — the same as the Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service... but in Swedish |
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| Republic of China Navy Republic of China Navy The Republic of China Navy is the maritime branch of the Armed forces 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 part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, it was established in the late 19th century. Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy". Similar to the organizational structure of the United States, the Royal Thai Navy includes the... |
HTMS | His Thai Majesty's Ship | |
| Tonga Defence Services Tonga Defence Services The Tonga Defense Services is the armed force of Tonga. It is composed of three operational command components, two support elements .... |
VOEA | Vaka O Ene Afio (His Majesty’s Vessel) | |
| Turkish Navy Turkish Navy The Turkish Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.- Ottoman fleet after Mudros :Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, on November 3, 1918, the fleet commander of the Ottoman Navy, Liva Amiral Arif Pasha, ordered all flags to be... |
TCG | Ship of the Turkish Republic (Turkish: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Gemisi.) | |
| Tuvalu Police Force Law enforcement in Tuvalu Tuvalu has no army, 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 The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago... |
TTS | Trinidad and Tobago Ship | |
| Ships carrying mail | RMS Royal Mail Ship Royal Mail Ship , usually seen in its abbreviated form RMS, a designation which dates back to 1840, is the ship prefix used for seagoing vessels that carry mail under contract by Royal Mail... |
Royal Mail Royal Mail Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide... Steamer/Ship |
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| Fishery protection vessels | FPV | Fisheries Protection Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency was an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. The SFPA is responsible for both deterring illegal fishing in Scottish waters, as well as monitoring the compliance of the fisheries industry in Scotland with the relevant Scottish and European Union laws... Vessel |
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| Royal Air Force Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world... |
HMAFV | His/Her Majesty's Air Force Vessel (not currently in use) | |
| Royal Fleet Auxiliary Royal Fleet Auxiliary The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the British Ministry of Defence. The RFA enables ships of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world. Its primary role is to supply the Royal Navy with fuel, ammunition and supplies, normally by replenishment... ships |
RFA | Royal Fleet Auxiliary | |
| Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service The Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service was a British Government agency which ran a variety of non-combat support vessels for the Royal Navy.-Organisation:... ships |
RMAS | Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service (now obsolete) | |
| Serco Denholm Serco Denholm Serco Denholm is a joint venture between Serco Group and Denholm Group providing marine services support to the Royal Navy at the United Kingdom's three main naval bases, HMNB Portsmouth, HMNB Devonport and HMNB Clyde.... ships |
SD | Vessels previously operated under RMAS prefix that are now operated under contract by Serco Denholm | |
| Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service... |
HM Sloop | His/Her Majesty's Sloop (now obsolete) | |
| HMS Her Majesty's Ship Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time... |
His/Her Majesty's Ship/Submarine | ||
| HMSm Her Majesty's Ship Her or His Majesty's Ship is the ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies, either formally or informally.-HMS:* In the British Royal Navy, it refers to the king or queen of the United Kingdom as appropriate at the time... |
His/Her Majesty's Submarine | ||
| HMT | Hired Military Transport (not currently in use) | ||
| HMAV Her Majesty's Armed Vessel Her or His Majesty's Armed Vessel is a ship prefix used for commissioned units of the Royal Navy. This prefix is no longer in use, and it was replaced by HMS.-References:* *... |
His/Her Majesty's Armed Vessel (not contemporaneously used) | ||
| HMY | His/Her Majesty's Yacht (not currently in use) | ||
| 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. Their small size and high speed made them difficult targets for E-boats or torpedo bombers, but... (not currently in use) |
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| HMM | His/Her Majesty's Monitor Monitor (warship) A monitor was a class of relatively small warship which was neither fast nor strongly armoured but carried disproportionately large guns. They were used by some navies from the 1860s until the end of World War II, and saw their final use by the United States Navy during the Vietnam War.The monitors... (not currently in use) |
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| HMSML | His/Her Majesty's Small Motor Launch | ||
| HBMS | His/Her Britannic Majesty's Ship (archaic) | ||
| HM | His/Her Majesty's, then used with the type of ship in military use (e.g. "HM Trawler") | ||
| Hospital ships | HMHS | His/Her Majesty's Hospital Ship Hospital ship A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital; most are operated by the military forces of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones.... |
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| Joint Services | HMSTC | His/Her Majesty's Sail Training Craft | |
| Trinity House Trinity House The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters... |
THV | Trinity House Vessel (Lighthouse and Buoy Tender) | |
| Northern Lighthouse Board Northern Lighthouse Board The Northern Lighthouse Board is the General Lighthouse Authority for Scotland and the Isle of Man. It is a non-departmental public body responsible for marine navigation aids around coastal areas.-History:... |
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.... ) |
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| British Army British Army The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England... |
HMAV | Her Majesty's Army Vessel | |
| RCLV | Royal Corps of Logistics Royal Logistic Corps The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength... Vessel (not currently in use) |
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| Government research ships | RRS | Royal Research Ship Royal Research Ship A Royal Research Ship is a British-operated merchant ship that conducts research for British Government scientific research organisations, notably the British Antarctic Survey and the Natural Environment Research Council... |
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| HM Revenue and Customs | HMCC, HMC | His/Her Majesty's Customs Cutter HMRC 42m Customs Cutter The UKBA 42m Customs Cutter is a class of four patrol vessels operated by the UK Border Agency.-Construction:The class were built to the Damen Stan Patrol 4207 design in the Damen Shipyards in the Netherlands between 2001 and 2004, and have a steel hull with an aluminium superstructure... shortened to His/Her Majesty's Cutter HMRC 42m Customs Cutter The UKBA 42m Customs Cutter is a class of four patrol vessels operated by the UK Border Agency.-Construction:The class were built to the Damen Stan Patrol 4207 design in the Damen Shipyards in the Netherlands between 2001 and 2004, and have a steel hull with an aluminium superstructure... after being transferred to the UK Border Agency UK Border Agency The UK Border Agency is the border control body of the United Kingdom government and part of the Home Office. It was formed on 1 April 2008 by a merger of the Border and Immigration Agency , UKvisas and the Detection functions of HM Revenue and Customs... |
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| HM Customs and Excise (replaced by HMRC, above) | HMRC | His/Her Majesty's Revenue Cutter (not used since 18 April 2005) | |
| U.S. Air Force United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
USAF, USAFS | United States Air Force ship (not currently in use) | |
| U.S. Army United States Army The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services... |
USAS | United States Army Ship | |
| USAV | United States Army Vessel | ||
| USAT | United States Army Transport (not currently in use) | ||
| USAHS | United States Army Hospital Ship (not currently in use) | ||
| U.S. Navy United States Navy The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S... |
USF | United States Frigate (obsolete) | |
| USFS | United States Flagship (obsolete) | ||
| USS | United States Ship United States Ship United States Ship is a ship prefix used to identify a commissioned ship of the United States Navy and only applies to a ship while she is in commission. Before commissioning, she is referred to as "Pre Commissioning Unit" .After decommissioning, she is referred to by name, with no prefix.From the... |
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| U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command Military Sealift Command The Military Sealift Command 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 Department of Defense's... |
USNS | United States Naval Ship United States Naval Ship United States Naval Ship or USNS is the prefix designation given to non-commissioned ships that are property of the United States Navy.-Overview:... (USN owned, civilian crews) |
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| 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 United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency... |
USCGC | United States Coast Guard Cutter United States Coast Guard Cutter Cutter is the term used by the United States Coast Guard for its commissioned vessels. A Cutter is or greater in length, has a permanently assigned crew, and has accommodations for the crew to live aboard... |
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| 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 from the time of its creation in 1910 until 1939... |
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. Throughout its entire existence the Revenue Cutter Service operated under the authority of the United States Department of the Treasury... |
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 constitutionally subordinate to the president through the Minister of Defense... |
ROU | Republica Oriental del Uruguay | |
| Vanuatu Police Force Law enforcement in Vanuatu Vanuatu has a small mobile military force 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 | |
| ARV | Armada Republica de Venezuela Not in use 1999 | ||
| 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 EmpireEmpire ship
The Empire ships were a series of ships in the service of the British Government. Their names were all prefixed with "Empire". Mostly they were used during World War II by the Ministry of War Transport , who owned the ships but contracted out their management to various shipping lines. Some ships...
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.