RIGEL SCHIFFAHRTS GMBH & CO. K.G.

The quartered flag has red triangles at hoist and fly, black above and blue below. A central white disc outlined black contains a white six-pointed star outlined black and a black italic R. Nüsse’s example appears to incline both star and R towards the fly; the Canadian flag photograph confirms the inclined R but appears to show an upright star. The flag blue is medium compared with the funnel shade. The funnel follows an unnamed vessel on the German website; most photographs show the emblem overlapping the funnel band.

Photographs of Travestern, Emerald Star and Jade Star show the same funnel and quartered flag used by the German and Canadian fleets. Rosanoski records one variation with the logo confined to the white funnel band rather than overlapping it. German vessels generally have names ending in stern, while Canadian vessels have Star as their second name.

The German website also shows a plain blue flag with a red disc wholly charged by a white six-pointed star and a black R slightly inclined towards the fly. Nüsse supplies a table flag of this design. Its purpose is unexplained: Rosanoski’s ship photographs show the quartered flag for both parent and Canadian company, so the plain blue design should not be treated as a national distinction between their fleets.

On Wolgastern, photographed on 2 June 2010, the R is upright and the circle touches the top and bottom of the funnel band. The circle’s black outline is clear, while the star’s is less certain.