Merchant Navy

The Merchant Navy is the collective fleet of civilian-registered merchant ships of a nation and the seafarers who crew them, as distinct from the navy. The British title ‘Merchant Navy’ was conferred by King George V after the First World War to honor the merchant fleet’s service and losses; the British ensign for these ships is the Red Ensign. The term is now used generally; crews, officers, and training are governed by the STCW Convention 1978 as amended.