118 



Arliclc 6 



1. Ships shall sail under the flag of one 

 State only and, save in exceptional cases ex- 

 pressly provided for in international treaties 

 or in these articles, shall be subject to its 

 exclusive jurisdiction on the high seas. A 

 ship may not change its flag during a voyage 

 or while in a port of call, save in the case of 

 a real transfer of ownership or change of 

 registry. 



2. A ship which sails under the flags of 

 two Of more States, using them nccofding to 

 convenience, may not claim any of the na- 

 tionalities in question with respect to any 

 other State, and may be assimilated to a 

 ship without nationality. 



Article y 



The provisions of the preceding articles 

 do not prejudice the question of ships em- 

 ployed on the official service of an inter- 

 governmental organization flying the flag of 

 the organization. 



Article 8 



1. Warships on the high seas have com- 

 plete immunity from the jurisdiction of any 

 State other than the flag State. 



2. For the purposes of these articles, the 

 term "warship" means a ship belonging to 

 the naval forces of a State and bearing the 

 external marks distinguishing warships of 

 its nationality, under the command of an 

 officer duly commissioned by the govern- 

 ment and whose name appears in the Navy 

 List, and manned by a crew who are under 

 regular naval discipline. 



Article 9 



Ships owned or operated by a State and 

 used only on government non<ommercial 

 service shall, on the high seas, have com- 

 plete immunity from the jurisdiction of 

 any State other than the flag State. 



Article 10 



1. Every State shall take such measures 

 for ships under its flag as are necessary to 

 ensure safety at sea with regard inter alia 

 to: 



(fl) The use of signals, the maintenance 

 of communications and the prevention of 

 collisions; 



(^) The manning of ships and labour 

 conditions for crews taking into account the 

 applicable international labour instruments; 



(f) The coni^tpuction, equipment and 

 seaworthitiess of ships. 



2. In taking such measures each State is 

 required to conform to generally accepted 

 international standards and to take any steps 

 which may be necessary to ensure their 

 observance. 



Article 11 



1. In the event of a collision or of any 

 other incident of navigation concerning a 

 ship on the high seas, involving the penal 

 or disciplinary responsibility of the master 

 or of any other person in the service of the 

 ship, no penal or disciplinary proceedings 

 may be instituted against such persons except 

 before the judicial or administrative authori- 

 ties either of the flag State or of the State 

 of which such person is a national. 



2. In disciplinary matters, the State which 

 has issued a master's certificate or a certifi- 

 cate of competence or licence shall alone be 

 competent, after due legal process, to pro- 

 nounce the withdrawal of such certificates, 

 even if the holder is not a national of the 

 State which issued them. 



3. No arrest or detention of the ship, even 

 as a measure of investigation, shall be or- 

 dered by any authorities other than those 

 of the flag State. 



Article 12 



I. Every State shall require the master of 

 a ship sailing under its flag, in so far as he 



