Ship name prefixes
A ship name prefix is a combination of letters that is used on ships but is not part of the ship name .
The prefixes in the civil shipping sector are usually used to describe the type of propulsion, the use of the ship or a combination of these properties more precisely. The civil prefixes are inconsistent, not standardized and internationally different. Thus, the "SS" prefix refers in the English language, both the Sailing Ship , so a sailing ship , and the Steamship , so a steamboat . In the German-speaking area, however, "SS" is usually used to designate the sailing ship. If an "S" is added, it denotes a training ship with the prefix SSS. Just as there is no regulation of the spelling, in addition to the pure letter combination, for example for motor ships ("MS"), "MS" or "M / S" is also used in the literature. In addition, it is more difficult for laypeople to distinguish between prefix and name part because owners sometimes give their ships names that start with an abbreviation, such as the French shipping company CMA CGM .
In the naval sector , prefixes were not and are not used universally. For example, there is an order for the United States Navy regarding the binding use of the prefix USS , but - contrary to the widespread use in literature - only valid from 1907. The Imperial Japanese Navy, on the other hand, completely dispenses with such prefixes. Nevertheless, some specialist authors in the literature use prefixes such as "HIJMS" ("His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Ship", ( English ) for "His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Ship") or "IJN" ("Imperial Japanese Navy", (English) for "Imperial Japanese Navy").
The following list gives an orientation about the more well-known prefixes as they appear in the literature, without their official character being checked so far:
| country | service | prefix | meaning | translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English language | CS | Club Ship | Club ship | |
| English language | CV | Container Vessel | Container Ship | |
| English language | DSV | Deep Submergence Vessel | Deep sea submarine | |
| English language | FB, F / B | Ferry boat | Ferry | |
| English language | HSF | High speed ferry | High speed ferry | |
| English language | MF | Motor Ferry | Motor ferry | |
| English language | F / V | Fishing vessel | Fishing ship | |
| English language | GTS | Gas turbine steamer | Gas turbine ship | |
| English language | MS | Motor Ship | Motor ship | |
| English language | MSY | Motor sailing yacht | Motor sailing ship | |
| English language | MT, M / T | Motor tanker | Engine tanker | |
| English language | MV, M / V | Motor Vessel | Motor ship (MS) | |
| English language | NS | Nuclear Ship | Nuclear ship | |
| English language | PS | Paddle steamer | Paddle steamer | |
| English language | RV | Research Vessel | Research ship | |
| English language | SS | Steam Ship | Steamship | |
| English language | SS | Sailing Ship | Sailing ship | |
| English language | SV, S / V | Sailing vessel | Sailing ship | |
| English language | S / Y | Sailing yacht | Sailing yacht | |
| English language | TS | Turbine steamer | Steam turbine ship | |
| English language | TS | Training Ship | Sailing ship as part of Sail Training | |
| Argentina | Argentine Navy | ERA | Armada de la Republica Argentina | Fleet of the Republic of Argentina |
| Australia | Royal Australian Navy | HMAS | His / Her Majesty's Australian Ship | His / Her Majesty's Australian ship |
| Bahamas | Bahamas Armed Forces | HMBS | His / Her Majesty's Bahamian Ship | His / Her Majesty's Bahamian ship |
| Bangladesh | Navy of Bangladesh | BNS | Bangladesh Naval Ship | Bangladeshi naval ship |
| Barbados | Barbados Armed Forces | MBS | His / Her Majesty's Barbadian Ship | His / Her Majesty's Barbades ship |
| Belgium | Belgian Navy | BNS | Belgium Naval Ship ( NATO designation) | Belgian naval ship |
| Denmark | Royal Danish Navy | HDMS | Hans / Hendes Dansk Majestæt Skib | Danish naval ship |
| Denmark | Royal Danish Navy | KDM | Kongelige Danske Marine | Royal Danish Navy |
| German Empire | Imperial Navy | SMS | His Majesty's Ship | - |
| German Empire | Imperial Navy | SMH | His Majesty's auxiliary ship | - |
| German Empire | Imperial Navy | SMY | His Majesty's yacht | - |
| German Empire | Imperial Navy | SM U - ## | His Majesty's Submarine | - |
| German Reich ( Third Reich ) | Navy | - | (no prefix; some authors use "DKM" for "German Navy") | - |
| Germany | civil | CMS | Container motor ship | - |
| Germany | civil | DS | Steamship | |
| Germany | German Navy | FGS | Federal German Ship ( NATO designation) | German ship |
| Germany | civil | SS | Sailing ship | |
| Germany | SSS | Sail training ship | ||
| Ecuador | Ecuadorian fleet | BAE | Buque de la Armada de Ecuador | Ship of the fleet of Ecuador |
| Fiji | Navy of the Republic of Fiji | RFNS | Republic of Fiji Naval Ship | Ship of the Navy of the Republic of Fiji |
| France | French Navy | FS | French Ship ( NATO designation); France itself does not use any name prefixes | French ship |
| Greece | Greek Navy | HS | Hellenic Ship ( NATO designation) | Greek ship |
| Guyana | Guyanese Defense Forces | GDFS | Guyanan Defense Forces Ship | Guyanese Defense Forces ship |
| India | Indian Navy (pre-Republican) | HMIS | His / Her Majesty's Indian Ship | Her / His Majesty's Indian Ship |
| India | Indian Navy | INS | Indian Naval Ship | Indian naval ship |
| Indonesia | Indonesian National Army at Sea | KRI | Kapal Republic of Indonesia | Ship of the Indonesian Republic |
| Indonesia | Indonesian Republic | KL | Kapal Layar | Sailing ship |
| Indonesia | Indonesian Republic | KM | Kapal engine | Motor ship |
| Ireland | Irish naval service | LE | Long Éireannach | Irish ship |
| Ireland | Commissioners of Irish Lights | ILV | Irish Light Vessel | Irish buoy laying tender / lighthouse tender |
| Israel | Israeli Navy | INS | Israeli Naval Ship | Israeli naval ship |
|
Italy , Kingdom (until 1946) |
Marina Regia Royal Italian Navy |
RN | Nave Regia | Royal ship |
|
Italy , Kingdom (until 1946) |
Marina Regia (Royal Italian Navy) |
R.SMG. | Regio Sommergibile | Royal submarine |
|
Italy , Republic (since 1946) |
Marina Militare Italiana (Italian Navy) |
ITS | Italian Ship ( NATO name ); Italy itself no longer uses name prefixes | Italian ship |
| Japan | Imperial Japanese Navy | - | (no prefix; some authors use "HIJMS" for "His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Ship") | - |
| Japan (after World War II ) | Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces | JDS | JMSDF Defense Ship | Defense ship of the Marine Self-Defense Forces |
| Canada | Canadian Forces Naval Command | HMCS | His / Her Majesty's Canadian Ship | His / Her Majesty's Canadian ship |
| Canada | Canadian Coast Guard | CCGS | Canadian Coast Guard Ship | Canadian coast guard ship |
| Canada | Canadian Coast Guard | CCGC | Canadian Coast Guard cutter | Canadian Coast Guard Cutter |
| Kenya | Kenyan Navy | KNS | Kenyan Naval Ship | Kenyan naval ship |
| Colombia | National fleet of Colombia | ARC | Armada de la Republica de Colombia | Fleet of the Republic of Colombia |
| Confederate States of America | Navy of the Confederate States | CSS | Confederate States Ship | Confederate ship |
| Malaysia | Royal Malaysian Fleet | KD | Kapal Di-Raja | Royal ship |
| Mexico | Mexican Navy | POOR | Armada de la Republica Mexicana | Mexican Navy |
| Netherlands | Royal Dutch Navy | Mr.Ms. or Zr.Ms. | Harer Majesteits or Zijner Majesteits | Her / His Majesty's ship |
| Nigeria | Nigerian Navy | NNS | Nigerian Naval Ship | Nigerian naval ship |
| New Zealand | Royal New Zealand Navy | HMNZS | His / Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship | His / Her Majesty's New Zealand ship |
| Norway | Norwegian Merchant Navy | DS | Dampskip | Steamship |
| Norway | Royal Norwegian Navy | KNM (since 1946) | Kongelige Norske Marine | Royal Norwegian Navy |
| Norway | Norwegian Coast Guard | KV | Kystvakt | Coast guard |
| Oman | Omani Navy | SNV | Sultanate Naval Vessel | Ship of the Navy of the Sultanate |
| Austria-Hungary | kuk Kriegsmarine | SMS | His Majesty's Ship | |
| Austria-Hungary | kuk Kriegsmarine | SMU | His Majesty's Submarine | |
| Pakistan | Pakistani Navy | PNS | Pakistani Naval Ship | Pakistani naval ship |
| Papua New Guinea | ? | HMPNGS | His / Her Majesty's Papua New Guinea Ship | His / Her Majesty's Papua New Guinean Ship |
| Peru | Peruvian fleet | BAP | Buque Armada Peruana | Ship of the Peruvian Fleet |
| Philippines | Philippine Navy | BRP | Barka ng Republika ng Pilipinas | Ship of the Republic of the Philippines |
| Poland | Polish Navy | ORP | Okręt Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej | Ship of the Republic of Poland |
| Portugal | Portuguese Navy | NRP | Navio da República Portuguesa | Ship of the Portuguese Republic |
| Portugal | Portuguese Navy | PNS | Portuguese Naval Ship ( NATO designation, Portugal itself, uses the name prefix NRP ) | Portuguese naval ship |
| Portugal | Portuguese Navy | UAM | Unidade Auxiliar da Marinha | Auxiliary Unit of the Navy |
| Portugal | civil | N / A | Navio Vapor | Steamship |
| Portugal | civil | N / M | Navio engine | Motor ship |
| Portugal | civil | N / T | Navio Turbina | Steam turbine ship |
| Romania | Romanian Navy | NMS | Nava Majestății Sale | His Majesty's Ship |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi Navy | HMS | His Majesty's Ship | His Majesty's Ship |
| Sweden | Swedish Navy | HMS | Hans / Hennes Majesty's Skepp | His / Her Majesty's ship |
| Singapore | Republic of Singapore Navy | RSS | Republic of Singapore Ship | Ship of the Republic of Singapore |
| Spain | Armada Española | SNS | Spanish Naval Ship ( NATO name, Spain does not use any name prefixes) | Spanish naval ship |
| Sri Lanka | Navy of Sri Lanka | SLNS | Sri Lanka Naval Ship | Sri Lanka naval ship |
| South Africa | South African Navy | SAS | South African Ship | South African ship |
| Thailand | Royal Thai Navy | HTMS | His Thai Majesty's Ship | His Thai Majesty's ship |
| Turkey | Turkish Navy | TCG | Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Gemisi | Ship of the Republic of Turkey |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force | TTS | Trinidad & Tobago Ship | Ship from Trinidad and Tobago |
| United States | scout | SSS | Sea Scout Ship | Ship of the Sea Scouts of the United States |
| United States | United States Air Force | USAFS | United States Air Force Ship | United States Air Force ship |
| United States | United States Army | USAS | United States Army Ship | Ship of the United States Army |
| United States | United States Army | USAV | United States Army Vessel | United States Army vehicle |
| United States | United States Army | USAT | United States Army Transport | Transport ship of the United States Army |
| United States | United States Army | USAHS | United States Army Hospital Ship | United States Army hospital ship |
| USA (obsolete) | United States Navy | USF | United States Frigate | United States frigate |
| USA (obsolete) | United States Navy | USFS | United States flagship | United States flagship |
| United States | United States Navy | USS | United States Ship | United States ship |
| United States | United States Navy | PCU | Pre-Commissioning Unit | United States ship that has not yet been commissioned |
| United States | Military Sealift Command | USNS | United States Naval Ship | United States naval ship |
| United States | United States Coast Guard | USCGC | United States Coast Guard cutter | United States Coast Guard cutter |
| Uruguay | Uruguayan Navy | ROU | República Oriental del Uruguay | Republic of Uruguay |
| Venezuela | Venezuelan fleet | ARV | Armada República Venezolana | Fleet of the Republic of Venezuela |
| United Kingdom | Mail ships | RMS | Royal Mail steamer | Royal mail steamer |
| United Kingdom | Royal Auxiliary Fleet | RFA | Royal Fleet Auxiliary | Royal Auxiliary Fleet |
| United Kingdom | Hospital ships | HMHS | His / Her Majesty's Hospital Ship | His / Her Majesty's hospital ship |
| United Kingdom | Royal Navy | HMAV | His / Her Majesty's Armed Vessel | His / Her Majesty's armed vehicle |
| United Kingdom | Royal Navy | HMS | His / Her Majesty's Ship / Submarine | His / Her Majesty's ship / submarine |
| United Kingdom | Royal Navy | HMY | His / Her Majesty's yacht | His / Her Majesty's yacht |
| United Kingdom | Royal Navy | HBMS | His / Her Britannic Majesty's Ship (obsolete) | His / Her British Majesty's Ship |
| United Kingdom | Royal Navy | HMT | His / Her Majesty's Tug / Troopship / Trawler | His / Her Majesty's tugboat / troop carrier / trawler |
| United Kingdom | Northern Lighthouse Board | NLV | Northern Lighthouse Vessel | Northern Lighthouse Authority ship |
| United Kingdom | State research vessels | RRS | Royal Research Ship | Royal research ship |
See also
literature
John Jordan: Warship 2015 . 1st edition. Bloomsbury, 2015, ISBN 978-1-84486-296-2 , pp. 179 (English, limited preview in Google Book Search).