A ship identifier refers to one of several types of identifiers used for maritime vessels. An identifier may be a proper noun ; a proper noun combined with a standardized prefix based on the type of ship ; a serial code; a unique, alphanumeric ID ; or an alphanumeric ID displayed in international signal flags. Some identifiers are permanent for a ship while others may be changed at the owners' discretion although regulatory agencies will need to approve the change. Modern ships will usually have several identifiers.