flag of convenience

American

noun

the foreign flag under which merchant ships register in order to save on taxes or wages, or to avoid government regulations.

flag of convenience British

noun

a national flag flown by a ship registered in that country to gain financial or legal advantage

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of flag of convenience

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Another popular method of deception is to adopt a false flag or flag of convenience.

From The Wall Street Journal

In implementing PSI, the U.S. relied on a variety of authorities and techniques to conduct interdictions, including “ship-boarding agreements” with “flag of convenience” states, which allow foreign-owned ships to register under their flag.

From The Wall Street Journal

A shadow tanker often uses a “flag of convenience” provided by smaller, non-Western nations such as Gabon, Comoros or Cameroon.

From The Wall Street Journal

ITF data shows that in 2024, around 90% of the abandoned vessels sailed under a flag of convenience.

From BBC

Among them: choosing a “flag of convenience and a ship register for a vessel,” in Malta, Cyprus, Panama, Belize and other countries.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023