The Law of Ships Article 10

Any ship shall be marked with the following signs:1. Name of the ship;2. Name of the port of registry or the place of small-ship registration;3. Distinctive number;4. Load line mark and draft marks, except those exempted from making load line mark or draft mark pursuant to the provision of Article 51 and the proviso in Paragraph 1 of Article 80;5. Other marks specified in laws and regulations.None of the marks mentioned in the previous paragraph shall be defaced or obliterated, except for avoidance of capture in time of war.The following alteration timelines shall apply when the items of ship markings have to be changed:1. When markings of Subparagraphs 1 to 3, Paragraph 1 need to be changed, it shall be done at the same time of registration.2. When markings of Subparagraphs 4 and 5, Paragraph 1 need to be changed, it shall be done within 3 months from the date of occurrence.Name of the ship, name of the port of registry, place of registration, distinctive number, draft marks, load line mark, other markings and other regulated items shall be set down by the competent authority.