Editing Ship prefix (section)

== Generic (merchant navy) prefixes ==
{{Refimprove section|date=October 2022}}
These prefixes are generally used for [[merchant vessel]]s of any nationality unless specified.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.marineinsight.com/types-of-ships/what-are-ship-prefixes-for-naval-and-merchant-vessels/|title=What are Ship Prefixes for Navy and Merchant Vessels?|last=Dasgupta|first=Soumyajit|date=4 March 2013|work=Marine Insight|access-date=2018-10-30|language=en-US}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
|-
! {{nbsp|2}}Prefix{{nbsp|2}}
! Meaning
|-
|AE
|[[Ammunition ship]]
|-
|AFS 
|[[Combat stores ship]]
|-
|AHT
|[[Anchor handling tug]]
|-
|AHTS
|[[Anchor handling tug supply vessel]]<ref name="RINAacronyms1" />
|-
|AO
|[[United States Navy oiler]]
|-
|AOG
|[[T1 tanker|Gasoline tanker]] 
|-
|AOR
|Auxiliary [[replenishment oiler]]
|-
|AOT
|[[Transport oiler]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|ASDS
|[[Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship]]
|-
|ATB
|[[Articulated Tug Barge]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|CRV
|[[Coastal Research Vessel]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|C/F
|[[Roll-on/roll-off|Car ferry]]
|-
|CS
|[[Container ship]]<ref name="RINAacronyms1" /> or <br/>[[Cable layer|Cable ship]]
|-
|DB
|[[Crane vessel|Derrick barge]]
|-
|DEPV
|[[Diesel Electric Paddle Vessel]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|DLB
|[[Derrick Lay Barge]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|DCV
|[[Deepwater Construction Vessel]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|DSV
|[[Diving support vessel]] or <br/>[[deep-submergence vehicle]]
|-
|DV
|[[Dead vessel]]<ref>{{cite web |title="Dead Vessel" doctrine |url=http://admiralty.uslegal.com/jurisdiction-over-the-parties-or-property-involved/dead-vessel-doctrine/ |website=USLegal.com |publisher=US Legal, Inc. |access-date=7 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="SHIP PREFIX -- GLOSSARY – CONTINUED">{{cite web |title=Ship Prefix Glossary – continued |url=http://www.richatlanticinterserv.com/ship_update.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805062904/http://www.richatlanticinterserv.com/ship_update.html |archive-date=5 August 2012 |website=richatlanticinterserv.com |publisher=Rich Atlantic International Services |access-date=7 February 2015 }}</ref>
|-
|ERRV
|[[Emergency Response Rescue Vessel]]<ref name="SHIP PREFIX -- GLOSSARY – CONTINUED" />
|-
|EV
|[[Exploration Vessel]]
|-
|FPSO
|[[Floating production storage and offloading]] vessel<ref name="RINAacronyms1" />
|-
|FPV
|[[Free Piston Vessel]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|FPV
|[[Fishery Protection Vessel]]<ref name="RINAacronyms1" />
|-
|FT
|[[Factory Ship|Factory Stern Trawler]]
|-
|FV
|[[Fishing Vessel]]
|-
|GTS
|[[Gas Turbine Ship]]
|-
|HLV
|[[Heavy lift vessel]]
|-
|HMT
|Hired military transport<ref name="HMT.MilTran2">{{cite web
   |url=https://www.encyclopediabritannia.org/index.php/Troopship
   |title=Troopship
   |quote=The designation HMT (Hired Military Transport) ...
   |access-date=9 March 2020
   |archive-date=7 July 2022
   |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707141826/https://www.encyclopediabritannia.org/index.php/Troopship
   }}</ref> (not currently in use)
|-
|HMHS
|His(/Her) Majesty's Hospital Ship
|-
|HSC
|[[High Speed Craft]]<ref name="RINAacronyms1" />
|-
|HSF
|[[High Speed Ferry]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|HTV
|[[Heavy-lift ship|Heavy transport vessel]]
|-
|IRV
|[[International Research Vessel]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|ITB
|[[Integrated Tug barge]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|LB
|[[Liftboat]]
|-
|LNG/C
|[[LNG carrier|Liquefied natural gas carrier]]
|-
|LPG/C
|[[LPG carrier|Liquefied petroleum gas carrier]]
|-
|MF
|[[Ferry|Motor ferry]]
|-
|MFV
|Motor fishing vessel (mainly UK Royal Naval Reserve)
|-
|MS (M/S)
|[[Motor ship]]<ref name="RINAacronyms1" /> (interchangeable with MV)
|-
|MSV
|Multipurpose support/[[platform supply vessel|supply vessel]]
|-
|MSY
|[[Motorsailer|Motor Sailing Yacht]]
|-
|MT
|[[Motor Tanker]]
|-
|MTS
|Marine towage and salvage/[[tugboat]]
|-
|MV (M/V)
|[[Motor Vessel]]<ref name="RINAacronyms1" /> (interchangeable with MS)
|-
|MY (M/Y)
|[[Motor Yacht]]
|-
|NB<!-- Yes, this is normally written in lower case -->
|[[Narrowboat]]
|-
|NRV
|[[Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation|NATO Research Vessel]]
|-
|NS
|[[Nuclear marine propulsion|Nuclear ship]]
|-
|OSV
|[[Offshore supply vessel]]
|-
|PS
|[[Paddle steamer]]
|-
|PSV
|[[Platform supply vessel]]
|-
|QSMV
|Quadruple [[propellor|screw]] motor vessel<ref name="RINAacronyms1" />
|-
|QTEV
|Quadruple turbo electric vessel
|-
|RMP
|Royal Mail [[Packet boat|Packet]]
|-
|RMS
|[[Royal Mail Ship]]<ref name="RINAacronyms1" /> or Royal Mail Steamer
|-
|RMV
|[[RMV_Scillonian_III|Royal Mail Vessel]]<ref name="RINAacronyms1" />
|-
|RNLB
|[[Royal National Lifeboat]]
|-
|RNMB
|Royal Navy Motor Boat <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2024/march/13/240313-harrier-in-the-gulf | title=Autonomous minehunting test team mark one year in the Gulf }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.navylookout.com/royal-navy-autonomous-mine-hunting-at-the-sharp-end/ | title=Royal Navy autonomous mine hunting at the sharp end &#124; Navy Lookout | work=Navy Lookout &#124; Independent Royal Navy news and analysis | date=30 March 2023 | author1=Navylookout }}</ref>
|-
|RRS
|[[Royal Research Ship]]
|-
|RV / RSV
|[[Research vessel]]/Research Survey Vessel<ref>[https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/history/transportation/shipping/aurora-australis/ RSV ''Aurora Australis'' 1989–2020] Australian Antarctic Division, 25 January 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2021.</ref>
|-
|SB
|[[Sailing Barge]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|SL
|[[Steam Launch]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|SS (S/S)
|[[Screw steamer|Single-screw steamship]]<ref name="RINAacronyms1" /><br/>(also used as generic term for any steam-powered ship)
|-
|SSCV
|[[Semi-submersible#Crane vessels|Semi-submersible crane vessel]]
|-
|SSS
|[[Sea Scout|Sea Scout Ship]]
|-
|SSV
|[[Sailing School Vessel]],{{cn|date=October 2022}} or <br/>Submarine and Special Warfare Support Vessel<ref name="Sub/SW">{{cite web |url=http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/print.asp?command=type&action=Submarine%20and%20Special%20Warfare%20Support%20Vessel |title=Submarine and Special Warfare Support Vessel |publisher=Military Sealift Command |access-date=3 December 2010 |archive-date=7 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607174905/http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/print.asp?command=type&action=Submarine%20and%20Special%20Warfare%20Support%20Vessel }}</ref>
|-
|ST
|[[Tugboat|Steam tug]] or <br/>[[Fishing trawler|Steam trawler]]
|-
|STS
|[[Training ship|Sail training ship]]
|-
|STV
|[[Training ship|Sail Training Vessel]] or <br/>Steam Turbine Vessel
|-
|SV (S/V)
|[[Sailing ship|Sailing Vessel]]
|-
|SY (S/Y)
|[[sailing yacht]] or <br/>[[steam yacht]]
|-
|TB
|[[Tug boat]] 
|-
|TIV
|[[Turbine Installation Vessel]]
|-
|TEV
|[[Turbo-electric|Turbine electric vessel]]
|-
|TrSS
|Triple-screw [[steamship]] or steamer<ref name="RINAacronyms1">{{cite web|url=http://www.rina.org.uk/maritime_acronyms1.html|title=Maritime Acronyms and Abbreviations|website=Royal Institution of Naval Architects|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819043306/http://www.rina.org.uk/maritime_acronyms1.html|archive-date=19 August 2016}}</ref>
|-
|TS
|[[Training Ship]] or <br/>turbine [[steamship]] or [[turbine steam ship]]
|-
|Tr.SMV
|Triple-Screw [[Motor Vessel]]
|-
|TSMV
|Twin-Screw [[Motor Vessel]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk/help.asp |title=Ships of CalMac |access-date=2 July 2016 |archive-date=28 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428011734/http://www.shipsofcalmac.co.uk/help.asp }}</ref>
|-
|TSMS
|Twin-Screw [[Motor Ship]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.acronymfinder.com/Twin-Screw-Motor-Ship-(TSMS).html |title=Acronym Finder}}</ref>
|-
|TSS
|[[Twin-screw steamer|Twin-screw steamship]] or steamer<ref name="RINAacronyms1"/>
|-
|TST
|Twin-screw tug
|-
|TT (T/T)
|"[[Ship's tender|Tender]] to" ..., the prefix is placed on the tender followed by the name of the [[mother ship]]; or [[Turbine Tanker]]{{cn|date=October 2022}}
|-
|TV
|[[Training vessel]]
|-
|ULCC
|[[Ultra Large Crude Carrier]]
|-
|-
|VLCC
|[[Very Large Crude Carrier]]
|-
|-
|YD
|[[Crane vessel|Yard derrick]]
|-
|YT
|[[Type V ship|Yard Tug]]
|-
|YMT
|[[Type V ship|Yard Motor Tug]]
|-
|YTB
|[[Type V ship|Yard Tug Big]]
|-
|YTL
|[[Type V ship|Yard Tug Little]]
|-
|YTM
|[[Type V ship|Yard Tug Medium]]
|-
|YW
| [[Type B ship#World War II barge types|Water barge, self-propelled]]
|-
|YWN
| [[Type B ship#World War II barge types|Water barge, non-propelled]]
|-
|YOS
|[[Type B ship|Concrete vessel]]
|}