The Merchant Navy (MN) is the collective name given to British civilian ships and the officers and ratings that man them. Merchant Navy vessels mostly fly the Red Ensign and the ships and ship's companies' are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), a specialist agency of the UK Department of Transport. British merchant ships are registered under the UK or Red Ensign group ship registries. British Merchant Navy deck officers and ratings are certificated and trained according to STCW Convention and the syllabus of the Merchant Navy Training Board in maritime colleges and other training institutes around the UK.
