Argentine Coast Guard (original) (raw)

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Prefectura Naval Argentina

image by Zoltan Horvath, 13 February 2014

About the Prefectura Naval Argentina
Origin and description of the flag
Flag with coat of arms
Coast Guard racing stripe See also:
Argentine Navy
Argentine Defense Forces
Argentine flags at sea
Argentina Other sites:
Prefectura Naval Argentina official website
reported by Jarig Bakker, 10 Oct 1999

About the Prefectura Naval Argentina

The PNA (Prefectura Naval Argentina (Argentine Naval Prefecture) is a service of the Argentine Interior Ministry charged with protecting the country's rivers and maritime territory. It therefore fulfills the functions of other countries' coast guards, and furthermore acts as a gendarmerie force policing navigable rivers.
Esteban Rivera, 02 October 2011

Origin and description of the flag

The Prefectura Naval Argentina (PNA) is the Argentine maritime law enforcement agency. It grew out of the port captaincies established by the Spanish beginning in 1756 and was established under its current name in 1896.

My translation from an unofficial Spanish language website on the PNA:

The first known distinguishing pennant of the institution was included in the approval of modifications to the signal code by the decree of August 1, 1903, signed by the President of the Republic, General Julio A. Roca, and the Minister of the Navy, Admiral Onofre Betbeder. It consisted of a blue flag with the initials "PM" in white in the center.

In 1924, when that year�s edition of the aforementioned code was approved, the distinguishing flag was modified in favor of that currently used, that is to say a white flag surrounded by a blue border, enclosing two crossed anchors of the same color in the center. It was used only in the bows of vessels of what was then the General Maritime Prefecture until April 25, 1941, when it began to be hoisted on the masts of all the organs and dependencies of the institution as well.

In 1934 the command flags of the top authorities of the institution were established, consisting of the previously described flag with three red five-pointed stars for the National Naval Prefect, two for the National Naval Subprefect, and one star for prefects of zones.

Unfortunately, there�s no indication of how these stars are arranged on the flag.

The PNA websitesays the following about the badge and flag used by the service:

The current PNA badge – two crossed anchors – had already been used for letter headings at the times of the old Captainships of the Port in Buenos Aires by 1834. On October 6, 1893, it was included – by Decree – as a part of the escutcheon on the front side of the top rank officers� caps. In 1924, it was incorporated into the PNA insignia, which consisted of a white, blue-bordered flag and two centered anchors in the same colour.

Joseph McMillan, 08 October 1999

I noted that Album 2000 omits the Prefectura Naval Argentina (coast guard) flag – something of a surprise.
Joseph McMillan, 03 February 2001

The flag was in use on the official correspondence of the Capitan�a de Puerto de Buenos Aires (ca. 1834). It was officially established by Decree on October 6, 1893, to be worn by its members (cadets) on their hats. In 1924 it became the guidon of the PNA.
Source: http://www.prefecturanaval.gov.ar/web/es/html/inst_historia.php
Esteban Rivera, 2 Oct 2011

Other sites:

Description of the flag and coat of arms at the PNA official website
reported by Esteban Rivera, 2 October 2011

Flag with coat of arms

image by Zoltan Horvath, 24 September 2025

Coast Guard racing stripe

image by Zoltan Horvath, 24 September 2025

The Argentine Naval Prefecture (Prefectura Naval Argentina) is responsible for protecting the country's rivers and maritime territory. It therefore fulfills the functions of other countries' coast guards, and furthermore acts as a gendarmerie force policing navigable rivers.

The coast guard racing stripe consists of a light blue and a white narrow stripes with an additional wider light blue stripe charged with its logo. The logo is two crossed white anchors and its Spanish name written over and under the anchors.

Image of coast guard racing stripe:
https://nuevaregion.com
https://defonline.com.ar/seguridad
https://www.flickr.com/photos