To dip a
flag
A flag is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular or quadrilateral) with a distinctive design and colours. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design employ ...
that is being carried means to lower it by turning it forward from an upright position to 45° or horizontal. This is done as a sign of respect or deference. At sea, it is done by lowering to half-mast and returning to full mast position.
[K. V. Singh, Indian tricolor -Flag Foundation of India 2005 - Page 297 "Dipping a flag: Means lowering a flag briefly and then instantly raising it again at sea while sailing past a ship, particularly a warship. It is an old custom to honour, greet and salute an important person or a ship at sea."]
To dip the flag on a merchant vessel passing a naval vessel involves lowering the stern flag (the country flag) to the half-mast position and back to the truck as the vessels pass abeam of each other. The half-mast position in this case being one flag width from the truck as in the case of half mast. Some jurisdictions have laws that discourage or prohibit the dipping of the national flag, including
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
, and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
(with its non-binding
flag code only allowing vessels to dip the ensign as a salute to other ships).
Gallery
File:Ship meeting in the Atlantic - Note the flags 1958.png, The German cargo ship ''Helga Howaldt'' to starboard of ''Sabine Howaldt'' (Note the two flags at the top of the ship)
File:Ship at sea, the merchant ship dippt flag - 1958.png, Abeam with dipped stern flag
File:The ship of our company has passed us with dipped flag - 1958.png, And now astern, the dipped stern flag and the house flag at the top of the mainmast
References
External links
Canadian Heritage: Dipping the flag
Flag practices
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