Flag state

How it is used

Seafarers talk about the flag, the port of registry and changing flag. Many ships fly the flags of open registries such as Panama, Liberia or the Marshall Islands, which are often called flags of convenience.

Example sentences

1. The flag state must endorse officers' certificates that were issued by another country.

2. Last year the vessel changed her flag state from Malta to Türkiye.

Common collocations

• flag state inspection
• flag state requirements
• change of flag
• flag of convenience

Related terms

• port state controlThe inspection of foreign ships in a country's ports to check that they meet international rules on safety, pollution prevention, crew certificates and working conditions.
• shipownerA person or company that owns one or more ships and either operates them or hires them out to charterers.
• STCWThe International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, which sets minimum international standards for seafarers' training, certificates and watchkeeping.
• SOLASThe International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea: the main IMO treaty that sets minimum safety standards for the construction, equipment and operation of merchant ships.

More terms: Chartering & Shipping Documents

• bill of lading
• charter party
• charterer
• freight
• demurrage
• laytime
• notice of readiness