Catalogue description Red Ensign Group Website

Please see information at Divisional level

The Red Ensign Group (REG) is comprised of the United Kingdom, UK Crown Dependencies (Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey) and UK Overseas Territories (Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena and the Turks and Caicos Islands) who operate shipping registers.

Any vessel registered in the UK, Crown Dependency or UK Overseas Territory, is a 'British ship' and is entitled to fly the Red Ensign flag.

The United Kingdom Secretary of State for Transport has general superintendence of the Red Ensign Group on all matters relating to merchant shipping and seamen. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has delegated authority from the Secretary of State to ensure that the REG Registers maintain the highest international maritime standards in accordance with their obligations under the Conventions and in accordance with UK policy. The MCA fulfils this role through routine monitoring visits to each REG Register. As a part of its role the MCA organises an annual conference of all the REG Registers and represents the interests of each in international fora such as the IMO and the ILO.