Last modified: 2025-10-11 by rob raeside
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by Zoltan Horvath, 13 February 2014
The PNA (Prefectura Naval Argentina (Argentine Naval Prefecture) is a service of the Argentine Interior Ministry charged with protecting the
country's rivers and maritime territory. It therefore fulfills the functions of other countries' coast guards, and furthermore acts as a
gendarmerie force policing navigable rivers.
Esteban Rivera, 02 October 2011
The Prefectura Naval Argentina (PNA) is the Argentine maritime law enforcement agency. It grew out of the port captaincies established by the Spanish beginning in 1756 and was established under its current name in 1896.
My translation from an unofficial Spanish language website on the PNA:
The first known distinguishing pennant of the institution was included in the approval of modifications to the signal code by the decree of August 1, 1903, signed by the President of the Republic, General Julio A. Roca, and the Minister of the Navy, Admiral Onofre Betbeder. It consisted of a blue flag with the initials "PM" in white in the center.Unfortunately, there’s no indication of how these stars are arranged on the flag.
In 1924, when that year’s edition of the aforementioned code was approved, the distinguishing flag was modified in favor of that currently used, that is to say a white flag surrounded by a blue border, enclosing two crossed anchors of the same color in the center. It was used only in the bows of vessels of what was then the General Maritime Prefecture until April 25, 1941, when it began to be hoisted on the masts of all the organs and dependencies of the institution as well.
In 1934 the command flags of the top authorities of the institution were established, consisting of the previously described flag with three red five-pointed stars for the National Naval Prefect, two for the National Naval Subprefect, and one star for prefects of zones.
The PNA website says the following about the badge and flag used by the service:
The current PNA badge – two crossed anchors – had already been used for letter headings at the times of the old Captainships of the Port in Buenos Aires by 1834. On October 6, 1893, it was included – by Decree – as a part of the escutcheon on the front side of the top rank officers’ caps. In 1924, it was incorporated into the PNA insignia, which consisted of a white, blue-bordered flag and two centered anchors in the same colour.
Joseph McMillan, 08 October 1999
I noted that Album 2000 omits
the Prefectura Naval Argentina (coast guard) flag – something
of a surprise.
Joseph McMillan, 03 February 2001
The flag was in use on the official correspondence of the Capitanía de Puerto de Buenos Aires (ca. 1834). It was officially established by
Decree on October 6, 1893, to be worn by its members (cadets) on their hats. In 1924 it became the guidon of the PNA.
Source:
http://www.prefecturanaval.gov.ar/web/es/html/inst_historia.php
Esteban Rivera, 2 Oct 2011
image by Zoltan Horvath, 24
September 2025
The Prefecture also has a flag, which is white with its coat of arms placed on
the white field.
Image of flag:
https://www.capitanes.org.ar/novedades/acuerdo-con-la-prefectura-naval-argentina/
Image of coat of arms:
https://www.diariouno.com.ar/sociedad/30-junio-dia-la-prefectura-naval-argentina-n1124764
It is a grey shield defaced with a ship, supported by two gold crossed
anchors, and a silver trident vertically. They surround a dolphin and a cod fish
facing each other and surrounding the whole, two silver ribbons with the
inscriptions "Prefectura Naval Argentina" on the top and "ROBUR ET QUIES IUXTA
LITORA ET IN UNDIS" (courage and security on the coasts and in the waters), on
the bottom.
Zoltan Horvath, 24
September 2025
image by Zoltan Horvath, 24
September 2025
The Argentine Naval Prefecture (Prefectura Naval Argentina) is responsible
for protecting the country's rivers and maritime territory. It therefore
fulfills the functions of other countries' coast guards, and furthermore acts as
a gendarmerie force policing navigable rivers.
The coast guard racing
stripe consists of a light blue and a white narrow stripes with an additional
wider light blue stripe charged with its logo. The logo is two crossed white
anchors and its Spanish name written over and under the anchors.
Image of
coast guard racing stripe:
https://nuevaregion.com
https://defonline.com.ar/seguridad
https://www.flickr.com/photos