The Order of the White Crest was formerly known as the Order of the Shipping Lanes, but that name was not romantic enough for them. They officially changed their name to their nickname (White Crest) based on their symbol, the white wave on a field of sky blue.
The Order was developed to hunt down pirates and started as a naval unit. As they developed over the generations, they became more of a marine force, transported by ship, but mainly fighting in melee. This eventually split the Order into two: land based and sea based. While they still have a few patrol boats, the majority of the Order is now land based soldiers who attack pirate dens and strongholds.
When the Order was first created, they complained that they were being restricted by certain rules of warfare given to all Anglic military units. They felt they needed more leeway in choosing the proper weapons for certain fights than they might be allowed in a normal military conflict. They were granted this mandate and are now allowed to use any weapons or other military gear appropriate for the situation. This is most often used when they send soldiers into pirate dens in disguise or undercover, but it is also used in some odd schemes, such as using fishing nets to contain pirates seeking to flee out back doors and such.