UK Flag Advantages

Join the flag that gives you access to unrivalled maritime knowledge and experience, all tailored to your commercial requirements.

Our customers receive a personalised, round-the-clock service, with fee packages to suit individual requirements. We are at the forefront of the global maritime sector and are committed to continually improving our offer and responding to the needs of the shipping industry.

We provide our customers with the best possible service experience, designed for 24/7 shipping around the world, 365 days a year. We offer:

• 24/7 registration support
• 24/7 technical support from qualified surveyors
• Paris MOU whitelist status, Tokyo MOU whitelist status
• QUALSHIP 21 status continuously since the inception of QUALSHIP 21
• Non-negotiable safety standards
• Pragmatic, solutions-based approach to regulation
• Fit for industry Seafarer Training and Certification
• Competitive fees
• Crisis response and international diplomacy support
• International representation at the International Maritime Organization (IMO)

Survey and inspection

We have a dedicated team of UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency surveyors or the flexibility of being able to delegate to Class. We offer:

• In-house technical advice and support available 24/7, 365 days a year
• A pragmatic, solution focussed approach
• Straightforward approach to regulation – direct application of international convention standards
• A flexible and supportive flag to build to – alternative design arrangements  
• Tailored survey schemes

Find out more about what we offer on our Survey and Regulation page.

Fees and tax

You can either pay as you go or set up a pre-packaged fee payment options, to allow for more predictable business planning, with no hidden annual taxes. The UK Flag offers:

• One of lowest registration fees for an International Register
• No annual flag taxes
• Average annual commercial fees under £5000
• Access to highly competitive UK Tonnage Tax scheme
• Favourable port fees with China

Seafarer services

Modernised training and certification to meet the changing needs of the shipping industry. Our customers can benefit from recruiting some of the best talent in the industry, from around the world. We offer:

• Certificates of Competency accepted from 54 other maritime administrations
• No requirement to employ UK seafarers
• The very latest seafarer welfare research and advice

The UK at International Maritime Organization

As a Category A member State of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UK is committed to enhancing maritime safety and protecting the marine environment.

The IMO is headquartered in London. The Permanent Representative of the UK to the IMO is Katy Ware, Head of UK Technical Maritime Services at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

You can keep up with the work of the IMO at imo.org

Links across government

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport (DfT) and part of His Majesty’s Government. We work closely with other government agencies and partners to support the maritime industry.

The UK Shipping Concierge is a one-stop shop for maritime businesses wishing to interact with a range of UK Government departments.

To find out more visit the UK Shipping Concierge website.