Maritime English and Communication
What the communication paper tests
Practical use of SMCP and GMDSS: distress, urgency and safety traffic, VHF and DSC procedure, message markers, position reporting, and clear bridge-to-bridge exchanges.
Core rules
- Priority: MAYDAY (distress, grave and imminent danger), PAN PAN (urgency), SECURITE (safety). Each is spoken three times on the distress and calling channel.
- Distress message content: MAYDAY, name and call sign, position, nature of distress, assistance required, persons on board, and any other useful information.
- SMCP message markers: INSTRUCTION, ADVICE, WARNING, INFORMATION, QUESTION, ANSWER, REQUEST, INTENTION. They signal how the following text is to be understood.
- VHF: channel 16 for distress, urgency, safety and calling; channel 13 for bridge-to-bridge; channel 70 for DSC only, never voice. NAVTEX international transmissions on 518 kHz in English.
- Do not use the word repeat to ask for a repetition at sea, because it carries a special meaning in naval signalling; use say again.
- A distress relay or acknowledgement is handled by the coast station; keep the channel clear unless you can actually assist.
Worked example
A vessel is taking water and needs immediate assistance. Transmission: MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY, this is Norwegian Star, November Oscar Sierra Tango, MAYDAY, position latitude 60 degrees 12 minutes north, longitude 005 degrees 05 minutes east, taking water, require immediate assistance, six persons on board, over. Position first, then the nature of distress, then assistance required, then persons on board.
Traps that cost marks
- Sending PAN PAN for a life-threatening situation, or MAYDAY for a breakdown with no danger.
- Using channel 70 for voice traffic.
- Omitting the position from the first distress call.
- Using repeat instead of say again, and dropping the message marker in a formal SMCP exchange.