If you are a seafarer who wants to advance your career, get a better contract, or communicate more confidently on board, improving your maritime English is the single most important step you can take. This guide gives you a clear, practical roadmap — from assessing your current level to mastering the skills that shipping companies actually test in interviews.
Why Improving Maritime English Is Worth the Effort
Maritime English is not the same as everyday English. It is a specialised register used in ship-to-shore communication, safety management, port state control inspections, and crew coordination. Officers who speak it fluently are hired faster, earn more, and advance to senior ranks sooner.
Here are three reasons to invest in your maritime English skills today:
- Career advancement — Companies such as Anglo-Eastern, Maersk, and NYK require a minimum maritime English score in their selection tests.
- Safety at sea — The IMO reports that language barriers contribute to up to 80% of maritime incidents. Clear communication saves lives.
- Higher earnings — Senior officers with strong English skills negotiate better contracts and are considered for more prestigious vessels.
Step 1: Assess Your Current Maritime English Level
Before you start studying, you need to know where you stand. The two most widely used maritime English proficiency tests are:
MARLINS Test
The MARLINS test evaluates reading, listening, and vocabulary across maritime contexts. A score of 65+ is generally considered acceptable by most employers. The test is available online and results are valid for two years.
Seagull CES Test
The Seagull CES (Computer-based Evaluation System) is used by many crewing agencies, especially in Eastern Europe and Asia. It tests grammar, vocabulary, and maritime-specific comprehension. Most companies require a score between 70 and 85 depending on rank.
Tip: Take a practice test before your real assessment. Knowing the format reduces test anxiety and improves your score significantly.
Step 2: Focus on the Four Core Skills
Maritime English improvement comes down to four skills. Each one is assessed differently in interviews and tests.
1. Reading
Read maritime documents in English every day. Good sources include:
- SMS (Safety Management System) manuals
- Port state control checklists
- IMO circulars and SOLAS amendments
- Cargo handling plans and stowage instructions
Start with short documents and work up to longer ones. Focus on vocabulary you do not recognise and build your personal glossary.
2. Listening
Listening is often the most challenging skill for seafarers because of regional accents and radio distortion. Practise by:
- Watching maritime safety videos in English (VIDEOTEL, Seagull TV)
- Listening to VHF radio recordings from ship traffic services
- Attending online webinars on maritime topics
3. Speaking
Speaking is what matters most in interviews and on board. Build this skill by:
- Using SMCP (Standard Marine Communication Phrases) in daily watch handovers
- Role-playing radio conversations with a colleague
- Recording yourself speaking and listening back to identify mistakes
4. Writing
Strong writing skills are needed for voyage reports, near-miss reports, and email correspondence with charterers and agents. Practise by writing short incident summaries, drafting emails to port agents, and using English-language deck logbook entries as templates.
Step 3: Learn Maritime Vocabulary by Department
Generic English vocabulary is not enough. You need to master the technical terms used in your specific role on board.
Deck Officers
- COLREGs terminology: give-way vessel, stand-on vessel, restricted visibility
- Cargo operations: stowage, lashing, ullage, trim, stability
- Navigation: waypoint, COG, SOG, set and drift, DR position
- Mooring: breast line, spring line, head line, stern line, heaving line
Engine Officers
- Engine room: fuel injection, cylinder liner, crankshaft deflection, turbocharger
- Maintenance: overhaul, inspection, calibration, replacement, clearance
- Alarms: high temperature, low pressure, overload, fault code, trip
Ratings and Bosun
- Safety drills: fire, abandon ship, man overboard, enclosed space rescue
- Deck maintenance: chipping, painting, greasing, splicing, tightening
- Working aloft: permit to work, risk assessment, safety harness, safety net
Step 4: Use Standard Marine Communication Phrases Every Day
The IMO SMCP (Standard Marine Communication Phrases) is the official language of maritime safety communication. Every officer should know these phrases by heart.
Distress call example: “MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY. This is [vessel name]. Position [coordinates]. Nature of distress: [fire/flooding/medical]. Persons on board: [number]. Require immediate assistance.”
VHF channel 16 calls, port approach, pilotage, and berthing all have standardised SMCP phrases. Using them correctly shows professionalism and eliminates dangerous misunderstandings. Download the IMO SMCP handbook and review one section per week.
Step 5: Build a Daily English Practice Habit
Consistency beats intensity. Thirty minutes of daily practice is more effective than a four-hour session once a week. Here is a simple routine you can start today:
- Morning (10 min): Read one page of an English maritime document.
- Afternoon (10 min): Write five sentences in English about something that happened on watch.
- Evening (10 min): Watch one English maritime video or listen to a VHF recording.
This adds up to 3.5 hours per week — enough to see measurable improvement in three to six months.
Step 6: Prepare for Maritime English Job Interviews
Most crewing companies conduct a maritime English interview before hiring senior officers. Common questions include:
- Describe your last vessel and your main responsibilities.
- What would you do in a man overboard situation?
- How do you prepare for a port state control inspection?
- What is the difference between a Mayday and a Pan-Pan call?
- How do you handle a crew member who does not understand your instructions?
Practise answering these questions out loud, not just in your head. Record yourself, listen back, and refine your answers until they feel natural and confident.
How Sea Service Helps You Improve Faster
At Sea Service School of Maritime English, we work exclusively with seafarers. Our instructors are maritime professionals who understand the language you need in your specific role — not general English teachers who have never stepped on board a ship.
Our courses cover:
- Maritime vocabulary and SMCP phrases for your rank
- Interview preparation for Anglo-Eastern, Maersk, Columbia, MSC, and other major companies
- MARLINS and CES test preparation with practice tests
- Speaking practice with personalised feedback from a maritime English specialist
Book a free trial lesson and find out your current level in 45 minutes. Over 1,400 seafarers have already improved their maritime English with Sea Service — join them today.