304 



are entitled to fly. There must exist a genuine link between the State 

 and the ship; in pa,rticular, the State must effectively exercise its 

 jurisdiction and control in administrative, technical and social matters 

 over ships flying its flag. 



2. Each State shall issue to ships to which it has granted the right to 

 fly its flag documents to that effect. 



Article 6 



1. Ships shall sail under the flag of one State only and, save in excep- 

 tional cases expressly 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 m the case of a real transfer of ownership or change of 

 registry. 



2. A ship which sails under the flags of two or more States, using 

 them according to convenience, may not claim any of the nationalities 

 in question with respect to any other State, and may be assimilated to 

 a ship without nationality. 



Article 7 



The provisions of the preceding articles do not prejudice the ques- 

 tion of ships employed on the official service of an inter-governmental 

 organization flying the flag of the organization. 



Article 8 



1. Warships on the high seas have complete 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 government and whose name 

 appears in the Navy List, and manned by a crew who are under regu- 

 lar naval discipline. 



Article 9 



Ships owned or operated by a State and used only on government 

 non-commercial service shall, on the high seas, have complete immuni- 

 ty 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 : 



{a) The use of signals, the maintenance of communications and 

 the prevention of collisions ; 



(6) The manning of ships and labour conditions for crews tak- 

 ing into account the applicable international labour instruments ; 



{c) The construction, equipment and seaworthiness of ships. 



2. In taking such measures each State is required to conform to gen- 

 erally accepted international standards and to take any steps which 

 may be necessary to ensure their observance. 



