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Gibraltar (United Kingdom): Civil ensign

Civil ensign of Gibraltar and badge detail - Images by Martin Grieve, 2 April 2005

Civil ensign of Gibraltar
Specifications of the flag

See also:

Gibraltar (United Kingdom)

Civil ensign of Gibraltar

The red ensign for ships registered in Gibraltar is prescribed by Royal Order in Council No. 281 "The Gibraltar Shipping (Gibraltar) Colours Order 1996" (text) made on 14 February 1996, laid before Parliament on 26 February 1996 and effective 19 March 1996.

Article 2.
(1) The adoption for the purpose of section 2(3)(b) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 as proper colours for ships registered in Gibraltar of the red ensign defaced with the arms of Gibraltar as specified in paragraph (2) below is hereby authorised.
(2) The positioning and proportions of the defacement shall be in accordance with the illustration in the Schedule hereto.
Explanatory Note (This note is not part of the Order)
This Order authorises ships registered in Gibraltar to fly as proper colours a flag consisting of the red ensign defaced with the arms of Gibraltar.

Jan Mertens, 28 May 2009

Specifications of the flag

image by Martin Grieve, 2 April 2005

In Article (2) of the Royal Order, it is stated that: "The positioning and proportions of the defacement shall be in accordance with the illustration in the Schedule hereto." The Schedule attached to this Order shows a flag with the conventional proportions of 1:2 and this illustration is an integral part of a legal document, is referred to in it and so is definitive.
The image contained in the schedule attached to the Order differs from that in the current Edition of BR20 (image) by showing a differently shaped shield (narrowing from top edge to point), is slightly differently detailed, and is centred in the fly half, is 5/11 of flag height overall, with the shield itself 4/11 high in proportions of 40:38.

Christopher Southworth, 2 April 2005

The Merchant Shipping (Gibraltar Colours) Order 1996:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/281/made/data.xht?view=snippet&wrap=true

Image of ensign:
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-flag-of-gibraltar-flying-from-passenger-ship-33555244.html
Zoltan Horvath, 6 June 2024