Fishing vessels shall be marked with vessel markings, including, at least, the Chinese and English vessel name, name of registry port, CT numbers and IRCS. The characters and the edges of characters shall maintain clear and identifiable at all times.
Where fishing vessels are fishing or berthing at ports, the IRCS shall be displayed clearly identifiable for the sighting by other vessels from the water surface or airplanes from the air.

The IRCS of a fishing vessel is its radio call sign.
Vessel markings shall be painted with marine coating. Characters of the Chinese vessel name shall be block letters, and the numbers may be Arabic numerals. Characters of the English vessel name, CT numbers and the IRCS shall be capital letters and Arabic numerals. The height, width, and colors of characters shall meet the specifications as shown in Appendix 3.

• Appendix 3 Specification of Width Height and Color of Characters for Vessel Markings.PDF

Vessel markings shall be placed in accordance with the following:
(1) The Chinese vessel name shall be placed on the port bow and the starboard bow, and the center of stern or port quarter or starboard quarter, where the vessel name is clearly visible.
(2) The English vessel name shall be placed on the port bow and the starboard bow, and the center of stern or port quarter or starboard quarter, under the Chinese vessel name.
(3) The CT numbers shall be placed on the port bow and the straboard bow, under the English vessel name.
(4) The IRCS shall be placed above the waterline on both sides of any fishing vessels and on a deck where the IRCS is not obscured by fishing gear(s), and shall be clear of the bow, stern, discharge, or areas which might be prone to damage or discoloration. In case that the lowest edge of characters is under the waterline when the fish holds are full, the IRCS shall be placed on the fishing vessel’s superstructure.