Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)

British Merchant Navy
Badge of the Merchant Navy
Active	1835 – present
Country	United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Channel Islands
Type	Civil
Size	10th Largest; 30 Million Gross Registered Tonnage 40.7 Million Deadweight Tonnage
Colours	Red
Fleet	Cargo Cruise Civilian/Pleasure
Engagements	U-boat Campaign, (1914–1918) Battle of the Atlantic, (1939–1944) Falklands War, (1982)
Insignia
Red Ensign
Civil Jack

Merchant Navy of the United Kingdom
Components
International Maritime Organisation Royal Fleet Auxiliary Maritime and Coastguard Agency The Marine Society Red Ensign Maritime Colleges
History
Maritime History of the UK
Ships
Merchant Ship Types Marine Transportation
Personnel
Notable Sea Captains Notable Sailors Officers Ratings
v t e

The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom and comprises the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). King George V bestowed the title of "Merchant Navy" on the British merchant shipping fleets following their service in the First World War; ^[1] a number of other nations have since adopted the title. Previously it had been known as the Mercantile Marine or Merchant Service, although the term "Merchant Navy" was already informally used from the 19th century.

Contents

• History
• Merchant Navy today
• Flags
• Ensigns
• House flags
• Notable people
• Medals and awards
• Ranks
• British shipping companies
• See also
• References
• Bibliography
• External links
• Historical
• Educational and professional

History

The Merchant Navy has been in existence for a significant period in English and British history, owing its growth to trade and imperial expansion. It can be dated back to the 17th century, when an attempt was made to register all seafarers as a source of labour for the Royal Navy in times of conflict. ^[2] That registration of merchant seafarers failed, and it was not successfully implemented until 1835. The merchant fleet grew over successive years to become the world's foremost merchant fleet, benefiting considerably from trade with British possessions in India and the Far East. The lucrative trades in sugar, contraband opium to China, spices, and tea (carried by ships such as the Cutty Sark ) helped to entrench this dominance in the 19th century.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, maritime education expanded to train merchant navy officers. For example, in 1855 Leith Nautical College provided training for seafarers in Scotland. ^{[3] [4]} Other maritime colleges developed in this period included the South Tyneside Marine and Technical College, founded 1861 (now the South Tyneside College) and the Southampton School of Navigation, 1902 (now the Warsash Maritime School). ^[5]

In the First and Second World Wars, the merchant service suffered heavy losses from German U-boat attacks. A policy of unrestricted warfare meant that merchant seafarers were at risk of attack from enemy ships. The tonnage lost to U-boats in the First World War was around 7,759,090 tons, ^[6] and around 14,661 merchant seafarers were killed. In honour of the sacrifice made by merchant seafarers in the First World War, George V granted the title "Merchant Navy" to the companies.

In 1928 George V gave Edward, Prince of Wales the title of "Master of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets"; ^[7] which he retained after his accession to the throne in January 1936 and relinquished only at his abdication that December. Since Edward VIII, the title has been held by the sovereigns George VI and Elizabeth II. ^[8] When the United Kingdom and the British Empire entered the Second World War in September 1939, George VI issued this message:

In these anxious days, I would like to express to all Officers and Men and in the British Merchant Navy and the British Fishing Fleets my confidence in their unfailing determination to play their vital part in defence. To each one I would say: Yours is a task no less essential to my people's experience than that allotted to the Navy, Army and Air Force. Upon you, the Nation depends for much of its foodstuffs and raw materials and for the transport of its troops overseas. You have a long and glorious history, and I am proud to bear the title "Master of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets". I know that you will carry out your duties with resolution and with fortitude, and that high chivalrous traditions of your calling are safe in your hands. God keep you and prosper you in your great task. ^[9]

During the Second World War, German U-boats sank nearly 14.7 million tons of Allied shipping, ^[10] which amounted to 2,828 ships (around two-thirds of the total allied tonnage lost). The United Kingdom alone suffered the loss of 11.7 million tons, which was 54% of the total Merchant Navy fleet at the outbreak of the Second World War. 32,000 merchant seafarers were killed aboard convoy vessels in the war, but along with the Royal Navy, the convoys successfully imported enough supplies to allow an Allied victory.

Between 1941 and 1949, the SR Merchant Navy class steam locomotives were built in the UK. ^[11] Each locomotive of the class was named after British shipping lines from the Second World War, principally those operating out of Southampton. ^[11]

In honour of the sacrifices made in both World Wars, representatives of the Merchant Navy lay wreaths of remembrance alongside the armed forces in the annual Remembrance Day service on 11 November. Following many years of lobbying to bring about official recognition of the sacrifices made by merchant seafarers in the two world wars and since, Merchant Navy Day became an official day of remembrance on 3 September 2000.

The merchant navy was also called upon to serve during the Falklands War and provided forty vessels, including transports, tankers and other vessels, with a total of 500,000 grt. ^[12] The merchant ship SS Atlantic Conveyor, being used to ferry Harrier fighters and other aircraft to the South Atlantic, was lost during the conflict after being struck by an air-launched Exocet missile. The ship's captain, Ian North, and 11 other crew members died in the attack which constituted the first loss of a British merchant navy ship to an armed attack since the Second World War. ^[13]

Merchant Navy today

Despite maintaining its dominant position for many decades, the decline of the British Empire, the rise of the use of the flag of convenience, and foreign competition led to the decline of the merchant fleet. For example, in 1939 the Merchant Navy was the largest in the world with 33% of total tonnage. ^[14] By 2012, the Merchant Navy – while still remaining one of the largest in the world – held only 3% of total tonnage. ^[15]

In 2010 the Merchant Navy consisted of 504 UK registered ships of 1,000  gross tonnage  (GT) or over. In addition, UK merchant marine interests possessed a further 308 ships registered in other countries and 271 foreign-owned ships were registered in the UK. ^[16]

In 2012 British merchant marine interests consisted of 1,504 ships of 100 GT or over. This included ships either directly UK-owned, parent-owned or managed by a British company. This amounted to: 59,413,000  GT or alternatively 75,265,000  DWT. ^[15] This is according to the annual maritime shipping statistics provided by the British Government and the Department for Transport.

As a signatory to the STCW Convention UK ships are commanded by Deck Officers and Engineering Officers. ^[17] Officers undergo 3 years of training, known as a cadetship at one of the approved maritime colleges in the United Kingdom. These include Warsash Maritime Academy, South Tyneside College, Fleetwood, Plymouth University and City of Glasgow College. ^[18] Cadets usually have a choice of two academic routes; Foundation Degree or Higher National Diploma. ^[17] Successful completion of this results in a qualification in marine operations or marine engineering. Generally the costs of a cadetship will be met by sponsorship from a UK shipping company. ^[19] During the three years of training, cadets also go to sea, for a period of a year or more, usually spread across the cadetship. This affords a practical education, that along with the academic time in college prepares a candidate for a separate and final oral exam. This oral exam is carried out with a Master Mariner at an office of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Successful completion of the oral exam will result in the award of a certificate of competency. This is the international qualification, issued by the UK government which allows an Officer to work in their qualified capacity on board a ship. Certificates are issued for different ranks and as such an Officer will usually return to complete a subsequent series of studies until they reach the highest qualification.

The first UK Deck Officer certificates of competency were issued in 1845, conducted then, as now, by a final oral exam with a Master Mariner. ^[20] The training regime for Officers is set out in the official syllabus of the Merchant Navy Training Board. ^[21] This training still encompasses all of the traditional trades such as celestial navigation, ship stability, general cargo and seamanship, but now includes training in business, legislation, law, and computerisation for deck officers and marine engineering principles, workshop technology, steam propulsion, motor (diesel) propulsion, auxiliaries, mechanics, thermodynamics, engineering drawing, ship construction, marine electrics as well as practical workshop training for engineering officers.

Historically a person wishing to become a captain, or master prior to about 1969, had three choices: to attend one of the three elite naval schools from the age of 12, the fixed-base HMS Conway and HMS Worcester or Pangbourne Nautical College, which would automatically lead to an apprenticeship as a seagoing cadet officer; apply to one of several training programmes elsewhere; or go to sea immediately by applying directly to a merchant shipping company at about age 17. Then there would be three years (with prior training or four years without) of seagoing experience aboard ship, in work-clothes and as mates with the deck crew, under the direction of the bo'sun cleaning bilges, chipping paint, polishing brass, cement washing freshwater tanks, and holystoning teak decks, and studying navigation and seamanship on the bridge in uniform, under the direction of an officer, before taking exams to become a second mate.

Historically, the composition of the crew on UK ships was diverse. This was a characteristic of the extant of the shipping companies trade, the extent of the British Empire and the availability of crew in different ports. One ship might have a largely all British crew, while another might have a crew composed of many Indians, Chinese or African sailors. Crews from outside Britain were usually drawn from areas in which the ship traded, so Far East trading ships had either Singapore or Hong Kong crews, banana boats had West Indian crews, ships trading to West Africa and Southern Africa had African crews and ships trading to the Indian Ocean (including East Africa) had crews from the Indian subcontinent. Crews made up of recruits from Britain itself were commonly used on ships trading across the North Atlantic, to South America and to Australia and New Zealand. Traditionally and still now, the ships crew is run by the Bosun, as overseen by a responsible Deck Officer, usually the Chief Mate. A ship may also have different sub-departments, such as the galley, radio department or hospitality services, overseen by a Chief Cook, Radio Officer or Chief Steward. Many of these roles have now changed, as ships crews have become smaller in commercial shipping. On most ships the Radio department has disappeared, along with the Radio Officer (colloquially known as 'sparks') replaced by changes in technology and the requirement under the STCW Convention for Deck Officers to hold individual certification in the GMDSS System. Electro-technical Officers (ETO) also serve aboard some ships and are trained to fix and maintain the more complex systems.

Flags

House flags

House flags are personal and designed by a company. A house flag is displayed on a port halyard of a Yardarm.

Notable people

A number of notable Merchant Navy personnel include:

• Fred Blackburn: England footballer.
• Chris Braithwaite (c. 1885–1944): seafarers' organiser and Pan-Africanist.
• Joseph Conrad: joined the Merchant Navy in 1874, rising through the ranks of Second Mate and First Mate, to Master in 1886. Left in order to write professionally, becoming one of the 20th century's greatest novelists.
• James Cook: FRS. (1728–1779) British explorer.
• Lionel 'Buster' Crabb: Naval frogman, cadet at HMS Conway 1923-1925.
• Victoria Drummond: MBE, (1894–1978) Britain's first woman ship's engineer.
• Ian Duncan-Smith Politician. Cadet at HMS Conway 1968-1972.
• Gerry Fitt: founder of the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland
• Air Marshal Sir Peter Horsley: Deputy Commander in Chief of RAF Strike Command 1973–75. He started work as a deck boy in 1939 aboard TSS Cyclops.
• Charles Howard GC FRS FRSE (1906–1941), Earl of Suffolk and of Berkshire. Apprentice officer on the windjammer Mount Stewart; bomb disposal expert in World War II.
• Gareth Hunt: actor, notably in The New Avengers , and Upstairs, Downstairs
• Violet Jessop: stewardess who survived the Titanic sinking, and author of autobiography about sailing.
• Frank Laskier: WWII Merchant Navy steward who became a public icon for recruitment efforts.
• Freddie Lennon: Merchant Navy steward whose son John later founded the musical group The Beatles.
• Kevin McClory: Irishman who spent 14 days in a lifeboat and later went on to write the James Bond movies Never Say Never Again and Thunderball.
• John Masefield: served in Merchant Navy in 1890s: Cadet at HMS Conway 1891-1894. later Poet Laureate.
• Henry Nelson, 7th Earl Nelson
• Peter de Neumann: GM. "The Man From Timbuctoo", The "de Neumann Way" named for him.
• Alun Owen: later wrote the screenplay for A Hard Day's Night .
• Frederick Daniel Parslow: VC. Merchant Navy recipient of the Victoria Cross.
• Arthur Phillip: joined the Merchant Navy in 1751 and 37 years later founded the city of Sydney, Australia as the First Governor of New South Wales, which then included the eastern half of the Australia we know today, plus New Zealand.
• John Prescott: Merchant Navy steward who became Deputy Prime Minister in 1997 under Tony Blair.
• Ken Russell: directed films such as Tommy , Altered States , and The Lair of the White Worm .
• Archibald Bisset Smith: VC. Merchant Navy Victoria Cross recipient.
• Captain Matthew Webb: (19 January 1848 –24 July 1883) Cadet at HMS Conway 1860-1862 was the first recorded person to swim the English Channel without the use of artificial aids.

Medals and awards

Members of the UK Merchant Navy have been awarded the Victoria Cross, George Cross, George Medal, Distinguished Service Order, and Distinguished Service Cross for their actions while serving in the Merchant Navy. Canadian Philip Bent, ex-British Merchant Navy, joined the British Army at the outbreak of World War I and won the Victoria Cross. Members of the Merchant Navy who served in either World War also received relevant campaign medals.

In the Second World War many Merchant Navy members received the King's Commendation for Brave Conduct. Lloyd's of London awarded the Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea to 541 Merchant Navy personnel for their bravery in 1939–45. ^{[22] [23]} Many Royal Humane Society medals and awards have been conferred on Merchant Navy seafarers for acts of humanity in both war and peacetime.

In September 2016 the UK Government introduced the Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service. ^[24] The medal is awarded:

"to those who are serving or have served in the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets of the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands for exemplary service and devotion to duty, rewarding those who have set an outstanding example to others." ^[24]

It is the first state award for meritorious service in the history of the Merchant Navy. ^[25] Recipients must be nominated by someone other than themselves, with at least two written letters of support and are normally required to have completed 20 years service in the Merchant Navy (although in exceptional circumstances it may be less). ^[26]

Ranks

British Merchant Navy Officers Ranks and Rank Badges

Deck Officers	Engineer Officer	Electrical Technical Officer	Ship's Medical Officer	Steward's Department Officer
Master		Chief Engineer		N/A	N/A	N/A
Chief Officer		Second Engineer		Chief ETO		Ship's Surgeon		Chief Purser
Second Officer		Third Engineer		ETO		Ship's Doctor or Dentist		Purser
Third Officer		Fourth Engineer		N/A	Ship's Nurse		Assistant Purser
Cadet Deck Officer		Cadet Engineer Officer		Cadet Electrical Officer		N/A	N/A

^{[27] [28] [29] [30]}

British shipping companies

The British Merchant Navy consists of various private shipping companies. Over the decades many companies have come and gone, merged, changed their name or changed owners. British Shipping is represented nationally and globally by the UK Chamber of Shipping, headquartered in London. ^[31] British shipping registrars belong to the Red Ensign Group.

The Bibby Sapphire is a diving support vessel built in 2005 for the operational shipping company Bibby Line.

The British Emperor, launched in 1916 was a ship of the British Tanker Company that was sunk in 1941.

Queen Mary of 1936 (80,700 GRT) was a ship of the Cunard Line.

Below is a list of some of the British shipping companies, past and present:

See also

• Equivalent Royal Navy ranks in the Merchant Navy
• His Majesty's Coastguard
• List of merchant navy capacity by country
• Ratings in the Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)
• Royal Naval Reserve
• Transport in the United Kingdom
• United States Merchant Marine
• Witherby Publishing Group

Related Research Articles

Maritime transport or more generally waterborne transport, is the transport of people (passengers) or goods (cargo) via waterways. Freight transport by sea has been widely used throughout recorded history. The advent of aviation has diminished the importance of sea travel for passengers, though it is still popular for short trips and pleasure cruises. Transport by water is cheaper than transport by air or ground, but significantly slower for longer distances. Maritime transport accounts for roughly 80% of international trade, according to UNCTAD in 2020.

The United States Merchant Marine is composed of United States civilian mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of the government and private sectors, and engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine primarily transports domestic and international cargo and passengers during peacetime, and operate and maintain deep-sea merchant ships, tugboats, towboats, ferries, dredges, excursion vessels, charter boats and other waterborne craft on the oceans, the Great Lakes, rivers, canals, harbors, and other waterways. In times of war, the Merchant Marine can be an auxiliary to the United States Navy, and can be called upon to deliver military personnel and materiel for the military.

The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) is one of the two volunteer reserve forces of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. Together with the Royal Marines Reserve, they form the Maritime Reserve. The present RNR was formed by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve, created in 1859, and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), created in 1903. The Royal Naval Reserve has seen action in World War I, World War II, the Iraq War, and War in Afghanistan.

The United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and was abolished on May 24, 1950. The commission replaced the United States Shipping Board which had existed since World War I. It was intended to formulate a merchant shipbuilding program to design and build five hundred modern merchant cargo ships to replace the World War I vintage vessels that comprised the bulk of the United States Merchant Marine, and to administer a subsidy system authorized by the Act to offset the cost differential between building in the U.S. and operating ships under the American flag. It also formed the United States Maritime Service for the training of seagoing ship's officers to man the new fleet.

The Royal Indian Navy (RIN) was the naval force of British India and later the Dominion of India till 1950. Along with the Presidency armies, later the Indian Army, and from 1932 the Royal Indian Air Force, it was a member-force of British India serving its maritime duty.

CP Ships was a large Canadian shipping company established in the 19th century. From the late 1880s until after World War II, the company was Canada's largest operator of Atlantic and Pacific steamships. Many immigrants travelled on CP ships from Europe to Canada. The sinking of the steamship RMS Empress of Ireland just before World War I was the largest maritime disaster in Canadian history. The company provided Canadian Merchant Navy vessels in World Wars I and II. Twelve vessels were lost due to enemy action in World War II, including the RMS Empress of Britain, which was the largest ship ever sunk by a German U-boat.

The Hellenic Merchant Navy refers to the merchant navy of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. As of 2020, Greece is the largest ship owner country in the world in terms of tonnage; with a total deadweight tonnage of 364 million tons and 4,901 Greek-owned vessels. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Today it is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags; however, some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.

Alfred Holt and Company, trading as Blue Funnel Line, was a UK shipping company that was founded in 1866 and operated merchant ships for 122 years. It was one of the UK's larger shipowning and operating companies, and as such had a significant role in the country's overseas trade and in the First and Second World Wars.

The Marine Society is a British charity, the world's first established for seafarers. In 1756, at the beginning of the Seven Years' War against France, Austria, and Saxony Britain urgently needed to recruit men for the navy. Jonas Hanway (1712–1786), who had already made his mark as a traveller, Russia Company merchant, writer and philanthropist, must take the chief credit for founding the society which both contributed to the solution of that particular problem, and has continued for the next two and a half centuries to assist many thousands of young people in preparing for a career at sea.

The Marine Engineering and Research Institute (MERI), formerly known as the Directorate of Marine Engineering Training (DMET), now known as Indian Maritime University - Kolkata Campus and Mumbai Port Campus, is India's national institute and one of the institutes for the training of Marine Engineers and Polyvalent Officers.

The maritime history of the United States is a broad theme within the history of the United States. As an academic subject, it crosses the boundaries of standard disciplines, focusing on understanding the United States' relationship with the oceans, seas, and major waterways of the globe. The focus is on merchant shipping, and the financing and manning of the ships. A merchant marine owned at home is not essential to an extensive foreign commerce. In fact, it may be cheaper to hire other nations to handle the carrying trade than to participate in it directly. On the other hand, there are certain advantages, particularly during time of war, which may warrant an aggressive government encouragement to the maintenance of a merchant marine.

A merchant navy or merchant marine is the fleet of merchant vessels that are registered in a specific country. On merchant vessels, seafarers of various ranks and sometimes members of maritime trade unions are required by the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) to carry Merchant Mariner's Documents.

The United States merchant marine forces matured during the maritime history of the United States (1900–1999).

The maritime history of the United States (2000–) delineates the continued readiness of the American merchant marine.

The Maritime history of the United Kingdom involves events including shipping, ports, navigation, and seamen, as well as marine sciences, exploration, trade, and maritime themes in the arts from the creation of the kingdom of Great Britain as a united, sovereign state, on 1 May 1707 in accordance with the Treaty of Union, signed on 22 July 1706. Until the advent of air transport and the creation of the Channel Tunnel, marine transport was the only way of reaching the British Isles. For this reason, maritime trade and naval power have always had great importance.

Commander Samuel Robinson, CBE, RD (1870–1958), born in Hull, England, was an early 20th-century British-Canadian mariner, a Commander in the Royal Naval Reserve established under the Naval Reserve Act of 1859, and a captain of luxury liners in the fleet of Canadian Pacific Steamship Ocean Service Ltd. during the period spanning the first three decades of the 20th century. In addition, Samuel was the recipient of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum, Japan's highest order. He was one of three civilians to ever have received this honour while still living.

A master mariner is a licensed mariner who holds the highest grade of seafarer qualification; namely, an unlimited master's license far higher than a Captain. Such a license is labelled unlimited because it has no limits on the tonnage, power, or geographic location of the vessel that the holder of the license is allowed to serve upon. A master mariner would therefore be allowed to serve as the master of a merchant ship of any size, of any type, operating anywhere in the world, and it reflects the highest level of professional qualification amongst mariners and deck officers.

The Merchant Navy Welfare Board is a registered charity located in Southampton, England, that acts as the welfare umbrella for the United Kingdom Merchant Navy and fishing fleet charity sector. Its mission statement is "Supporting the provision of quality welfare services for seafarers and their dependants."

The California Maritime Academy Corps of Cadets is the undergraduate student body at the California Maritime Academy. As a State Maritime Academy, as required by Title 46 Part 310 of the Code of Federal Regulations students are considered Cadets, required to wear uniforms, and utilize a demerit-based disciplinary system. Participation in the Corps of Cadets is mandatory; participation in the Navy Reserve Merchant Marine program is optional. Cadets still utilize Merchant Marine Navy-style uniforms, customs, and traditions. Based on academic majors cadets are organized into Squads, Sections, Divisions and Companies which regularly muster in Morning Formations multiple times a week, as well as stand watches on campus and aboard the training ship.

Nautical operations refers to the crew operation of a ship. It is the term used in academic education to refer to the studies of this professional field. Nautical operations refers to all the operational procedures, specific roles of officers and crew members, and regular functions and technical processes, which together shape the structure and functions for the general operations of a ship.

References

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Merchant Navy (United Kingdom) .

• The Marine Society
• Mercantile Marine Community
• British Merchant Navy Association
• Records of World War Two Medals issued to Merchant Seamen from The National Archives.
• Search and download WW2 Merchant Shipping movement cards from The National Archives.