What Are Standard Marine Communication Phrases?

Every ship needs communication systems that allow the crew and personnel to communicate with each other about technical matters related to i) internal aspects of everything on board and ii) external aspects related to navigation and voyage, either with the shore or another vessel.

While we are more or less aware of the various systems and constantly evolving technologies governing communication modes, it is crucial to know the rules, regulations, and guidelines that dictate how these communications are carried out.

 

Standard Marine Communication Phrases
Image for representation purposes only.

These communications need to adhere strictly to a formal code and avoid outliers. Thus, for all practical purposes, any form of internal or external communication encompassing technical aspects in a vessel under operation is under the purview of a set of well-defined verbal protocols, as stipulated by IMO under the resolution of Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP).

They are similar in framework to the protocols that pilots need to follow when communicating with Air Traffic Control. Still, in the case of vessels, they are on a much more extensive scale owing to the time, complexity of operations, large number of stakeholders, and a litany of reasons at various levels.

The SMCP guidelines were adopted by IMO in 1977 as a replacement for the Standard Marine Navigation Vocabulary. The language of communication is universally English, but in some rare cases, like communication between two vessels of a particular country where English is not an official language but adheres to the same rules applicable to the given language. The SMCP, as a whole, can be divided into two main parts for reference:

  • Part A
  • Part B

Part A deals with all phrases and communication protocols dealing with external matters. These include communications between a vessel and port of call, between two vessels, or between a vessel and any other point of communication on land, air, or water that may be of interest. For all practical purposes, external forms of communication adhere to the ITU Radio regulations. Part B deals with internal communications only, as mentioned, and will be followed by crew and personnel on board.

However, these terms and phrases do not entail any form of offendable violation or stringency in practice. They can be missed, supplanted by general or informal dialect, and spoken anyway as per our intention.

However, they are mostly considered general conventions that should be followed universally as a standard form of communication to avoid miscommunication, misinformation, misinterpretation, language barriers, or any other gaps in information exchange. Moreover, they are also independent of codes for communication like those alluded to in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea or the International Code of Signals, which are more stringent in application.

 

Standard Marine Navigation Vocabulary
Image for representation purposes only.

Some key features of the applicability of these protocols are:

  • They need to be said as it is without an abbreviation or synonym.
  • Try to answer in full even when it can be answered with a “yes” or “no”. For instance, when there is a question posed in a very generic format, “Is this X?”, the answer should be “Yes, this is X.” (Instead of only Yes or No).
  • When spelling or understanding a word or term is difficult, there is a set list of acrophony that should be used.
  • Hence, for example, when spelling a random term, ‘ABC,’ you say ‘A for Alfa, B for Bravo, C for Charlie’ instead of the very simple universal linguistic practice ‘A for Apple, B for Ball, C for Cat’ that we use elsewhere.
  • The pronunciation is also an important aspect, though depending on his or her nationality, different people have very different accents in English. For instance, a French person conversing with a Russian person in English may face serious problems discerning each other. Partially, to address this problem, the pronunciation of numbers adheres to certain yardsticks, as shown below.
  • Only numbers come under this purview as it is practically impossible to formulate and implement a definite pronunciation for each and every word in the English lexicon, and moreover, numbers may have the most severe implications when it comes to exigent situations or times of distress.
  • For example, during a very foggy situation, when there are two vessels about some X nautical miles apart without mutual visibility, the value X being misinterpreted by some other value Y by either of them can create very serious repercussions.
  • Numbers are mostly said to be individual breakups of the digits. For example, 175 is to be said as “One-seven-five” instead of ‘One seventy-five’. Similarly, any other informal practises should be refrained from, such as saying the number 0 as the English alphabet ‘O’ ‘knot’ instead of a proper ‘Zero’.
  • When defining positions, the proper notations in terms of North or South of the Equator and East or West of Greenwich should be used. Angles and positions are often per standard 360-degree rotation, starting incrementally from 0 towards the clockwise direction.
  • Speeds and distances are always expressed in knots and nautical miles, respectively.
  • Avoiding conditionals like “can”, “could”, “would”, “should”, “may”, and “might”. For example, when you ask about entering a channel, you should not ask, “Can I or may I enter the channel?” Instead, it should be framed as: “Question. Do I have permission to enter the channel?”. Similarly, instead of saying, “You should not move. There might be an iceberg ahead”, it should be framed as: “Danger. Do not move. Iceberg warning ahead”.
  • If a message is exigent or critical, the word ‘Repeat’ stresses the message. For example, “Do not move. Traffic ahead. Repeat. Do not move. Traffic ahead.”
  • When a message is not understood or comprehended properly, the phrase “Say again (please)” is used instead of the colloquial “Pardon?” or “I am sorry?”
  • Only specific usage of fixed terminology, like Distress, urgency or safety signals. MAYDAY, PAN PAN, etc.
  • To supersede a message, it should be an aid in the format, “Mistake. _____________________________. Correction ”

SMCP includes many terms, phrases, abbreviations, and words. It is beyond the scope of this article to write about all of them, and references to them are available in the IMO publication and other resources.

Some examples and interpretations include:

  • Abandon Ship: Evacuating all passengers and crew during an accident or distress.
  • Jettison: Throw goods or expendables on board to reduce weight or improve stability
  • Proceed: To continue sailing or head towards the desired location.
  • Fathom: Water depths measure (equivalent to 6 feet linear measure)
  • Crash-Stop: Reversing engine power to force stop while avoiding a collision or obstacle.
  • MMSI: Maritime Mobile Service Identity number
  • Give Way: Make way for another vessel to pass by.
  • Muster: Gather all passengers, crew, and personnel to a designated place.
  • ETA: Expected Time of Arrival
  • Off Air: When there are no communications and telemetry functions available.
  • SAR: Search and Rescue

 

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About Author

Subhodeep is a Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering graduate. Interested in the intricacies of marine structures and goal-based design aspects, he is dedicated to sharing and propagation of common technical knowledge within this sector, which, at this very moment, requires a turnabout to flourish back to its old glory.

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Disclaimer :
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. While we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.


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