Many nations have depicted ships on stamps, since ships have long been a means of transporting the mail over long distances. Ships are also symbols of economic or military prowess, and in some cases specific ships are associated with events of historical significance to the issuing nation.
The protocol for listing ships is similar to that for people on stamps. If a specific ship is listed, it is by name, and others are by type and/or era. While this list could conceivably include any sort of watercraft, the emphasis is on large seagoing vessels.
Abu Dhabi 1964-1972
- patrol boat (1971)
- dhow (1937)
- freighters (1973)
La Aguera none 1920-1922
Aitutaki 1903-1976
- sailing ships in harbor (1920)
- HMS Bounty (1974)
- HMS Resolution (1974)
Alaouites none 1925-1930
Albania 1913-1969
- Aurora (1957)
- ship with soldier et al (1963)
- freighter Teuta (1963)
- freighter Vlora (1963)
- galleys (1963)
- 18th century sailing ship (1963)
- 19th century sailing ship (1963)
Algeria 1924-1969
- freighter unloading cargo (1939)
- battleship Richelieu (1949 airmail)
- aircraft carrier Arromanches (1949 airmail)
Andorra none 1928-1990
Angola 1870-1990
- sailing ship (1949)
- cruiser Dom Carlos I (1967)
- corvette Mindelo (1967)
- mail ships (1970)
- galleon (1972)
Anguilla 1967-1975
- Magninime (1971)
- Aimable (1971)
- HMS Duke (1971)
- HMS Agamemnon (1971)
- Glorieux (1971)
- HMS Formidable (1971)
- HMS Namur (1971)
- Ville de Paris (1971)
- HMS Canada (1971)
- HMS St Albans (1971)
- Santa Maria (1973)
Annam and Tonkin none 1888
Antigua 1862-1969
- HMS Victory (1932)
- Sir Thomas Warner ship (1932)
- steam packet in harbor (1962)
- 17th century sailing ship (1967)
- freighter, plane, trucks (1969)
- Santa Maria (1892)
- Nina (1892)
- Pinta (1892)
- ships at La Plata (1933)
- training ship Presidente Sarmiento (1939, 1947)
- rescue ship Uruguay (1953)
- frigate Hercules (1957, 1969)
- caravel (1960)
- sailing ships at Battle of San Nicolas (1961)
- icebreaker General San Martin (1965)
- clipper Mimosa (1965)
- schooner Invencible (1967)
- training ship General Brown (1967)
- frigate Libertad (1968)
- schooner Juliet (1970)
Aruba none 1986-1991
Ascension 1922-1971
- sailing ship (1924)
- sailing ship, Sullivan Cove, Hobart (1953)
- sailing ship and Abel Tasman (1963)
- Roebuck and William Dampier (1963)
- Investigator and Matthew Flinders (1963)
- 17th century sailing ship (1966)
- S.S. Maria Anna (1937)
- S.S. Uranus (1937)
- S.S. Oesterreich (1937)
Azores none 1868-1924
