Hospital Ship, Do’s and Don’ts

The picture above is a US Naval Hospital Ship that was in use during the Vietnam War. The idea of the hospital ship goes all the way back to Ancient Greece and the Athenian Navy. Rome also had at least one hospital ship in their fleet. So they have been around forever.

The modern incarnation of the hospital ship came about during the Crimean War. The British had several steamships that were equipped with facilities comparable to hospitals of the day. Their decedents would be seen through both World Wars and up to today.

Most countries with a Navy have some sort of hospital ship or something designated in that class.  Today there are also several civilian groups that outfit and maintain hospital ships for humanitarian relief.

Treaties Covering The Rules

 

The Hague Convention X of 1907 covers what designates a hospital ship under article four.

• The ship must be clearly marked and lighted as a hospital ship.
• The ship must give medical assistance to wounded personnel of all nationalities.
• It must not be used for any military purpose.
• The ship must not interfere with or hamper enemy combatant vessels.
• Belligerents, as designated by the Hague Convention, can search any hospital ship to investigate violations of the above restrictions.
• Belligerents will establish the location of a hospital ship.

In 1994 the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea further refined the rules for hospital ships and laid out the rules under which action may be taken against the ships. A non-complying ship may only be fired upon under the following circumstances:

• Diversion or capture is not feasible.
• No other method to exercise is available.
• The violations are grave enough to allow the ship to be classified as a military objective.
• And if fired upon, the damage and casualties will not be disproportionate to the military advantage.