A merchant navy or merchant marine is the fleet of merchant vessels that are registered in a country, which varies in capacity. Seafarers on merchant vessels, who hold various military-like ranks and responsibilities and are sometimes members of various maritime trade unions, are required by the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers to carry Merchant Mariner's Documents.
King George V bestowed the title of the "Merchant Navy" on the British merchant shipping fleets following their service in the First World War; since then, a number of other nations have since adopted the title. The following is a partial list of the merchant navies or merchant marines of various countries. In many countries the fleet's proper name is simply the capitalized version of the common noun.
- This transport-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Read more about Merchant Navy: British Merchant Navy, Canadian Merchant Navy, Greek Merchant Navy, New Zealand Merchant Navy, Pakistan Merchant Navy, Polish Merchant Navy, Swiss Merchant Marine, United States Merchant Marine, The International Maritime Organization
Famous quotes containing the words merchant and/or navy:
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
—Bible: New Testament, Matthew 13:45,46.
“I call to mind the navy great
That the Greeks brought to Troye town,
And how the boistous winds did beat
Their ships, and rent their sails adown;
Till Agamemnon’s daughter’s blood
Appeased the gods that them withstood.”
—Henry Howard, Earl Of Surrey (1517?–1547)