The red duster or red ensign flag of the merchant navy or british fleet with the union flag or jack in the corner on a red ground.

Merchant ship ensign. Khaki shirts only with khaki work uniforms. Merchant ensignmerchant flagcivil Flag of convenience FOC is a business practice whereby a ships owners register a merchant ship in a ship register of a country other than that of the ships owners and the ship flies the civil ensign of that country called the flag. When a merchant ship passes close to a warship either at sea or in harbour she dips her ensign as an act of courtesy and recognition and the warship acknowledges it also by dipping her ensign.

However it is to note that if a merchant or private ship is passing by a warship the merchant ship must lower its ensign flag as a matter of respect to the warship. A civil ensign is an ensign used by civilian vessels to denote their nationality. When a warship receives a salute while it is not flying its ensign such as in port before 800 am.

Blue or white cap covers depending on uniform of day can be worn with blue dress uniform. A civil ensign usage symbol FIAV 000100svg is worn by merchant and pleasure vessels. It shows the Nationality and the function of the ship for example a warship a merchant ship or a ship in government service namely Coast Guard CoastalRiver Police Customs Private Yachts and so forth.

White or gray shirts are worn with blue dress uniforms. Or after sunset or when steaming in peacetime out of sight of land it hoists an ensign for the purpose of returning the salute then lowers it again after the salute is concluded. Ensign is lowered halfway down the gaff halyard or halfway down the flagstaff when the two ships come abeam of each other.

Merchant ships salute navy ships by dipping their ensign. Ships lowered out of routine times. An ensign is an identifying flag flown to designate a ship - military or civilian.

On no other occasion except when they are half-masted are the colours of HM. Navy Ships respond by lowering the steaming ensign to half-mast for a few seconds then close it up. Some countries have special civil ensigns for yachts and even for specific yacht clubs known as yacht ensigns.