Maritime English

Beginner

Overview
Curriculum

Description

English is the working language of the sea. The IMO's Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP) and Model Course 3.17 are the two benchmarks every Maritime English course should be built on.

STCW requirement: Officers in charge of a navigational watch (A-II/1) and engineering watch (A-III/1) must have adequate English to use charts and publications, understand weather and safety messages, and communicate with other ships, shore stations and multilingual crews.
SMCP (IMO, adopted Nov 2001): A fixed set of English phrases covering ship-to-ship, ship-to-shore and onboard communication. Its aim is to cut language barriers and misunderstandings that cause accidents. Example: “I am sinking. Please proceed to my assistance.”
IMO Model Course 3.17 (2015 edition): Two core sections — General Maritime English (GME) for basic communication in a maritime context, and Specialized Maritime English (SME) for deck and engine officers. It recommends a communicative, task-based teaching approach.
Testing: Standardised tests such as MarTEL assess maritime English proficiency.

A full 3.17 programme is a long, multi-level syllabus built into cadet training. The short course below is a focused, practical subset aimed at working seafarers.

Course overview

Maritime English for Seafarers — 5-day short course (30 hours). Six hours a day: three morning hours of input and practice, three afternoon hours of role-play and radio drills.

Item	Detail
Aim	Speak, listen, read and write English safely and clearly on board and on VHF
Learners	Ratings, junior officers, cadets, galley and hotel crew on merchant and offshore vessels
Entry level	Basic English (about CEFR A2); a short placement test on day 1
Class size	8–12 learners, so everyone gets speaking time
Duration	5 days, 30 contact hours (option: 10 evening sessions of 3 hours)
Delivery	Classroom with VHF handsets or bridge simulator; can run online with audio drills
Basis	IMO SMCP and the GME section of Model Course 3.17

By the end, learners can:

Use SMCP message markers and standard phrases on VHF.
Give and confirm orders on deck, in the engine room and at mooring.
Report emergencies, injuries and defects in clear English.
Read and fill in logbook entries, checklists and safety notices.
Talk with a multinational crew, pilots and port officials without misunderstanding.

Day-by-day syllabus

Day	Theme	What is taught	Sample phrases	Practical task
1	Ship, crew and SMCP basics	Ship parts and types, ranks and departments, numbers, time, positions, phonetic alphabet, SMCP rules (no contractions, one message at a time, confirm everything)	“My position: 27° 15′ N, 093° 40′ W.” “Say again.” “I spell: B-R-A-V-O.”	Placement test; spell ship names and call signs; read positions off a chart
2	Onboard communication and daily work	Watch handover, giving and confirming orders, deck and engine vocabulary, tools, cargo and mooring commands, galley and hotel duties	“Let go forward spring.” “Stop engine.” “Confirm: lower the gangway.”	Mooring-station role-play; engine-room order chain; watch handover dialogue
3	External (VHF) communication	Message markers (INSTRUCTION, ADVICE, WARNING, INFORMATION, QUESTION, ANSWER, REQUEST, INTENTION), calling a ship or VTS, pilot boarding, port entry	“QUESTION: What is your ETA at pilot station?” “INTENTION: I will alter course to starboard.”	VHF drills in pairs; VTS reporting; pilot-exchange role-play
4	Safety, emergencies and medical	Distress, urgency and safety (MAYDAY, PAN-PAN, SECURITE), fire, flooding, man overboard, abandon ship, injuries, first-aid reporting	“MAYDAY. I am on fire after explosion. I require assistance.” “Person overboard. Hard to port.”	Full emergency drill run in English; medical advice call (TMAS) role-play
5	Documents, port State and culture	Logbook entries, checklists, incident reports, emails to agents, port State control questions, intercultural crew communication	“The fire pump was tested at 0900.” “Please show me the oil record book.”	Write a logbook entry and a short incident report; mock PSC inspection; final assessment

How it is taught

Teaching follows the communicative, task-based approach that Model Course 3.17 recommends: learners spend most of the time speaking and doing tasks, not studying grammar.

Daily rhythm: 30 min warm-up and vocabulary review → 90 min new language with listening clips → 60 min guided practice → 3 h afternoon role-play, drills and feedback.
Role-play and simulation: Bridge, engine-room and mooring scenarios; VHF handsets or a bridge simulator for radio work.
Listen and repeat: Recorded VHF traffic and SMCP audio, then learners repeat and respond.
Real documents: Logbook pages, checklists, safety signs, muster lists and PSC forms.
Pair and group work: Mixed-nationality pairs to practise clear speech and confirmation.
Instructor: An English teacher with maritime knowledge, ideally paired with a serving or former officer.
Materials: SMCP handbook, vocabulary cards per department, a phrase pocket-card for every learner.

Assessment and certification

Learners pass with 70% overall and at least 60% in each part; the speaking and VHF test weighs most because that is where errors cause accidents.

Part	Weight	Format
Speaking and VHF	40%	One-to-one radio exchange and emergency scenario with the instructor
Listening	20%	Recorded VHF and onboard messages, short answers
Reading and writing	20%	Logbook entry, short incident report
Continuous assessment	20%	Participation in daily role-plays and drills

Successful learners receive a certificate of completion for a 30-hour Maritime English course based on IMO SMCP. This is a training certificate, not a flag-state endorsement; learners who need a formal score can sit a recognised maritime English test such as MarTEL afterwards.