Here at the Royal Maritime Hotel , in keeping with our name,  we have an impressive collection of Ships plaques.

Ships plaques, also known ship badges and are decorative plaques or badges typically displayed on the bridge or other prominent locations of a ship. They often feature the ship's name and emblem or crest, as well as other details such as the ship's date of construction, its builder, and its place of registration.

Often donated to us, we try to display as many as possible in our library and on the walls of our mezzanine. Our Veterans Outreach Support partners have also had a project to restore some of the older plaques.

A history of ships plaques

Ships plaques have a long history and were traditionally used to identify the ship and its owner, as well as to show off the ship's prestige and craftsmanship. They were also used to commemorate important events, such as the ship's launch or commissioning, or to recognize the service of crew members or officers.

Ships plaques today

Today, ships plaques are still commonly used on both military and civilian vessels, although they may have different designs and purposes depending on the type of ship and its owner. Military ships, for example, may feature the emblem or coat of arms of the navy or branch of service to which they belong, as well as other symbols or inscriptions that reflect the ship's history or mission.

In addition to their decorative and commemorative functions, ships plaques can also have practical uses. They can be used to identify the ship in port or at sea, for example, or to provide information to visitors or crew members about the ship's history and specifications.

Ships plaques are an important and traditional part of ship design and culture, and continue to be used on ships of all types and sizes around the world.