HMS
Transportation & Travel abbreviation · Maritime
| Stands for | His Majesty's Ship |
|---|---|
| Categories | Transportation & Travel |
HMS stands for His Majesty's Ship, a maritime abbreviation also used in the military.
Prefix for ships of the British Royal Navy, as in HMS Queen Elizabeth. When the monarch is a queen it becomes Her Majesty's Ship, and the change back to "His" followed the accession of King Charles III in 2022.
Example: HMS Prince of Wales led the carrier strike group on its deployment to the Indo-Pacific.
Usage notes
HMS Victory, Nelson's flagship at Trafalgar in 1805, remains in commission in Portsmouth and is the world's oldest naval ship still in commission. Other Commonwealth navies use similar forms, such as HMCS for Canada and HMAS for Australia. Submarines are also styled HMS, though sailors call them "boats."
Related abbreviations
More maritime abbreviations
- FV – Fishing vessel
- GMDSS – Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
- GRT – Gross register tonnage
- GT – Gross tonnage
- HMAS – His Majesty's Australian Ship
- HMCS – His Majesty's Canadian Ship
- IALA – International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation
- IMO – International Maritime Organization
- ISM – International Safety Management Code
- ISPS – International Ship and Port Facility Security Code
- LCL – Less than container load
- LOA – Length overall