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Vessels/Flag States/United Kingdom
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United Kingdom Flag Vessels

3,560 vessels registered under the United Kingdom flag

Total3,560

United Kingdom Maritime Fleet Overview

United Kingdom has 3,560 registered vessels tracked on MarineRadar. The fleet primarily consists of Pleasure Craft (153), Sailing Vessel (149), Fishing (132), Cargo (88) and Other (78). Track all United Kingdom-flagged ships with live AIS positions and real-time maritime data.

Pleasure Craft153Sailing Vessel149Fishing132Cargo88Other78

About the United Kingdom Flag

Registry Authority

The United Kingdom Ship Register is administered by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) under the Department for Transport. The UK flag is the lead Red Ensign Group registry — a federation that also includes Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, and the British Virgin Islands.

Why Ships Register in the UK

UK registration provides the diplomatic protection of British nationality, access to the British tonnage tax regime, English law as the governing legal system, and Paris MOU and US Qualship 21 white-list status. Although smaller than its 19th-century peak, the UK flag remains attractive for owners with strong London-based finance, insurance (Lloyd's market), and chartering relationships.

Notable Operators

BP Shipping, Shell Shipping, Stena Line UK, P&O Ferries, Carnival UK (Cunard, P&O Cruises), James Fisher, and Bibby Line all flag substantial tonnage in the United Kingdom.

Trade Routes

UK-flagged ships dominate British domestic ferry trades across the English Channel, Irish Sea, and to the Northern Isles, plus offshore-support work in the North Sea oil and gas fields. UK-flagged tankers serve global crude and product trades for the oil majors, while Carnival UK cruise ships sail worldwide itineraries from Southampton.

Showing 1–25 of 1000Page 1 of 40
1
ILFRACOMBE PRINCESS
MMSI 235029351·Passenger
2
VOYAGER
MMSI 235107646·Fishing
3
STAR LIGHT
MMSI 235092375·Fishing
4
SEA FOAM
MMSI 235109498·Fishing
5
JULIE GIRL
MMSI 235062841·Fishing
6
TWO BROTHERS
MMSI 232024706·Fishing
7
AIRY MOUSE
MMSI 235116258·Pleasure Craft
8
RNLI LIFEBOAT 16 19
MMSI 235069211·SAR
9
PULLMOOR
MMSI 232027935·Other
10
CARINAE
MMSI 232015441·Sailing Vessel
11
HMS DRAGON
MMSI 235053408·Other
12
SOUFRIERE
MMSI 232055310·Sailing Vessel
13
ST DAVID
MMSI 232005555·Unknown
14
NORD
MMSI 232056324·Pleasure Craft
15
CORRINGHAM
MMSI 235026165·Tug
16
ERIN
MMSI 235033505·Sailing Vessel
17
FORTH KING
MMSI 232020157·Local Vessel
18
HOPETOUN
MMSI 232002720·Tug
19
FORTH SENTINEL
MMSI 235066369·Tug
20
QUEENSFERRY
MMSI 232026545·Tug
21
DUN I
MMSI 232036676·Passenger
22
KELTIC PRIDE UL61
MMSI 235099169·Fishing
23
RNLI LIFEBOAT 17 39
MMSI 235007798·SAR
24
HOLLIE ROSE
MMSI 232047361·Other
25
LK MITCHELL
MMSI 232004476·Pilot Vessel
...
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Frequently Asked Questions

How many vessels are registered under the United Kingdom flag?+
3,560 vessels are currently tracked on MarineRadar with United Kingdom as their flag state. The fleet primarily consists of Pleasure Craft (153), Sailing Vessel (149), Fishing (132), Cargo (88) and Other (78). Each vessel transmits live AIS data covering position, speed, course, and voyage destination.
What types of ships fly the United Kingdom flag?+
The United Kingdom-flagged fleet on MarineRadar covers 5 principal vessel categories: Pleasure Craft (153), Sailing Vessel (149), Fishing (132), Cargo (88), Other (78). Each category is detailed on its own /vessel-type page with specifications and live tracking.
Who administers the United Kingdom ship registry?+
The United Kingdom Ship Register is administered by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) under the Department for Transport. The UK flag is the lead Red Ensign Group registry — a federation that also includes Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, and the British Virgin Islands.
Why do ships register under the United Kingdom flag?+
UK registration provides the diplomatic protection of British nationality, access to the British tonnage tax regime, English law as the governing legal system, and Paris MOU and US Qualship 21 white-list status. Although smaller than its 19th-century peak, the UK flag remains attractive for owners with strong London-based finance, insurance (Lloyd's market), and chartering relationships.
Where do United Kingdom-flagged vessels typically operate?+
UK-flagged ships dominate British domestic ferry trades across the English Channel, Irish Sea, and to the Northern Isles, plus offshore-support work in the North Sea oil and gas fields. UK-flagged tankers serve global crude and product trades for the oil majors, while Carnival UK cruise ships sail worldwide itineraries from Southampton.
How can I track United Kingdom-flagged vessels in real time?+
You can track every United Kingdom-flagged vessel listed above by tapping its name to open the ship's detail page, where MarineRadar shows the live AIS position, recent track, voyage data, and nearby maritime traffic. The same data is available in the iOS and Android app, with notifications and saved-fleet support.