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I've never seen a fishing boat fly a flag, and I've been sailing in many countries for >20 years. Generally, fishermen don't care for such things. So, since I

by clort 11mo ago

I've never seen a fishing boat fly a flag, and I've been sailing in many countries for >20 years. Generally, fishermen don't care for such things. So, since I am British and have a UK registered boat and know a bit about this. The law that applies (The Merchant Shipping Act 1995 section 5) requires that we should fly the flag when entering or leaving a foreign port or upon a signal by one of Her Majestys ships [1]. Flying a flag routinely in international waters is very much not required, and very few vessels fly a flag out there, because there is not much there to look at it and it just flaps itself to bits. [1] https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/21/section/5 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/21/section/5

belorn 11mo ago
That sounds very much like a cultural thing. Here in the Sound (the strait between Denmark and Sweden), the norm is definitively to fly a flag with so many different nationalities sailing here. In Sweden it is also required (through not punishable) to carry a flag if you are around the port, when in visible range of the coast guard, when in foreign waters, and when in visible range of other ships in international waters. The only exceptions to those requirements is participation during sports events. With the trouble brewing with the Russian shadow fleet in the Baltics, flying a flag seem quite important unless you want the coast guard to stop you (they have also increased their presence significant the last 5-10 years and do a lot of random checks).
- vel0city 11mo ago
  Are shady Russian private military organizations or whatever just completely unable to get their hands on a Norwegian or Finnish or Estonian flag or something? Who needs stealth when a cheap piece of fabric provides cover.
  - gxnxcxcx 11mo ago
    They seem to be able to more easily acquire flags of convenience from further away, and optionally some kind of nominal insurance from different providers likely to pass muster at a first glance (I have zero maritime expertise and just wanted to add some supplementary context to the parent of your post). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_shadow_fleet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_shadow_fleet https://eutoday.net/eu-sanction-issuers-of-fake-flags-to-russias-fleet/ https://eutoday.net/eu-sanction-issuers-of-fake-flags-to-rus... https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/05/30/world/asia/russia-oil-ships-sanctions.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/05/30/world/asia/ru... https://www.nrk.no/vestland/xl/over-100-ships-have-sailed-without-legitimate-insurance-from-the-norwegian-company-ro-marine-1.17565216 https://www.nrk.no/vestland/xl/over-100-ships-have-sailed-wi...

by clort 11mo ago

belorn 11mo ago

That sounds very much like a cultural thing. Here in the Sound (the strait between Denmark and Sweden), the norm is definitively to fly a flag with so many different nationalities sailing here. In Sweden it is also required (through not punishable) to carry a flag if you are around the port, when in visible range of the coast guard, when in foreign waters, and when in visible range of other ships in international waters. The only exceptions to those requirements is participation during sports events. With the trouble brewing with the Russian shadow fleet in the Baltics, flying a flag seem quite important unless you want the coast guard to stop you (they have also increased their presence significant the last 5-10 years and do a lot of random checks).

vel0city 11mo ago
Are shady Russian private military organizations or whatever just completely unable to get their hands on a Norwegian or Finnish or Estonian flag or something? Who needs stealth when a cheap piece of fabric provides cover.
- gxnxcxcx 11mo ago
  They seem to be able to more easily acquire flags of convenience from further away, and optionally some kind of nominal insurance from different providers likely to pass muster at a first glance (I have zero maritime expertise and just wanted to add some supplementary context to the parent of your post). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_shadow_fleet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_shadow_fleet https://eutoday.net/eu-sanction-issuers-of-fake-flags-to-russias-fleet/ https://eutoday.net/eu-sanction-issuers-of-fake-flags-to-rus... https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/05/30/world/asia/russia-oil-ships-sanctions.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/05/30/world/asia/ru... https://www.nrk.no/vestland/xl/over-100-ships-have-sailed-without-legitimate-insurance-from-the-norwegian-company-ro-marine-1.17565216 https://www.nrk.no/vestland/xl/over-100-ships-have-sailed-wi...