Unit 4: Standard Maritime Communication Phrases

SMCP
Unit 4
Standard Maritime Communication Phrases
OBJECTIVES:
The main objectives of Unit 4 are:

 familiarizing students with the concept of maritime
communication
 understanding the main maritime communication
terminology
 focusing on the main maritime communication systems
of ships
 practicing routine messages and standard
communication phrases
 successfully applying the VHF – Communication Search
and Rescue
4.1 Standard Maritime Communication Phrases

Maritime communication must be short and precise, unambiguous and simple.
In all types of messages the standardised maritime language, known as the SMCP, must
therefore be
used to reduce the risk of accidents.
Under the International Convention on Standards for Training, Certification and
Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) the ability to understand and apply the Standard Marine
Communication Phrases is required for the certification of Officers Of the Watch (OOW) on
vessels of 500 Gross Tonnage or more.
4.1.1 Message Markers

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Maritime English
SMCP
It is advised to use the following message-markers as often as possible.

- INSTRUCTION usually followed by "You must " or "Do not ";
only to be given by authorities;
- ADVICE usually followed by "Youmust "or "Donot The decision to
follow the advice or not will always stay with the recipient.
- WARNING often followed by the phrase "You are running into danger",
followed by information concerning the exact sort of danger.
- INFORMATION usually concerning ship-movement and traffic image.
- QUESTION
- ANSWER if the answer to a question is affirmative or negative, "Yes" or "No"
must be followed by part of question {"ANSWER: No, 1 do not
require pilot service").
- REQUEST often followed by "....do / have permission to...").
- INTENTION always followed by "/ will .".
4.1.2 Standard Verbs

Do not use the verbs HAVE TO / WANT / MAY/ MIGHT/ CAN / COULD / SHOULD.
Do not say: "You have to alter course to port", but say: "You must alter course to port".
Do not say: "Do 1 have to take a pilot? ", but say: "Must I take a pilot".
Do not say: "I want to pass ahead of you", but say: "Intention: I wish to pass ahead of you".
Do not say: "You may not enter the fairway", but say: "Do not enter the fairway".
Do not say: "May I proceed?", but say : "Do I have permission to proceed?".
Do not say: "I might enter the fairway now", but say: "Intention: I will enter the fairway now".
Do not say: "Can I heave up anchors ?" but say: "Do I have permission to heave anchors".
Do not say: "You might run into danger", but say: "Warning: you are running into danger!".
Do not say: "You could run into danger", but say: "Warning: you are running into danger!".
Do not say: "You should reduce your speed", but say: "You must reduce speed".
4.1.3 Shortened forms

Do not use I'M / YOU'RE / DON'T/ I'VE.
Do not say "I'm underway", but say "1 am underway".
Do not say "You're heading towards my tow", but say "You are heading towards my tow". Do
not say "Don't cross the fairway", but say: "Do not cross the fairway". Do not say "I've a list to
port", but say "I have a list to port".
4.1.4 Signal Strength

The question "How do you read me" may be answered by using the phrase "I read you bad",
"- poor", "- fair""- good"or "- excellent", or by a signal-strength indication.
I read you bad OR I read you signal strength 1 ( = barely perceptible)

I read you poor OR I read you signal strength 2 ( = weak)
l read you fair OR I read you signal strength 3 ( = fairly good)
I read you good OR I read you signal strength 4 ( = good)
I read you excellent OR I read you signal strength 5 (= very good).
21
Maritime English
SMCP
"You must "-"I will "

Coast stations often give instructions or advices, followed by "You must.....".
Always answer "You must "with "I will " to indicate that you have understood and indeed
will
execute the instruction.
"You must ."-"I will
Stella Maris, Papa Kilo November Sierra; this is Dover Coastguard Dover Coastguard.
Instruction: you must reduce speed to eight knots. Repeat: you must reduce speed to eight
knots. OVER
Dover Coastguard;
this is Stella Maris, Papa Kilo November Sierra.
Message understood.
I will reduce speed to eight knots.
OUT
"Repeat"/"Say again"
"Repeat' (or"_/ say again") is used when an important message or part of a message is
repeated. "Say agairf' is used when a message or part of a message has not been clearly
heard. The VHF-transceiver button is pushed to talk and released to listen.
Dangerous situations may arise when after mistakenly having used "Repeat" the button is
"pushed to talk", while the operator intends to listen.
"REPEAT / SAY AGAIN"
Seaborne Seaborne
Seaborne - Delta Kilo Echo Lima; this is Garland Garland
Garland - Golf Foxtrot Charlie Charlie. Intention: I will alter course to port -repeat: I will alter
course to port.
OVER
Garland - Golf Foxtrot Charlie Charlie; this is Seaborne - Delta Kilo Echo Lima. Say again!
OVER
"Mistake - correction ."

"Mistake: correction " is used when incorrect information has been passed through.
"Mistake - correction
My draft aft is six decimal five metres. Mistake - correction:
my draught aft is seven decimal five metres.
4.2 Spelling
Letter Code Letter Code
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Maritime English
SMCP
A Alfa N November
B Bravo O Oscar
C Charlie P Papa
D Delta Q Quebec
E Echo R Romeo
F Foxtrot S Sierra
G Golf T Tango
H Hotel U Uniform
1 India V Victor
J Juliet w Whisky
K Kilo X X-ray
L Lima Y Yankee
M Mike z Zulu
Spelling of digits and numbers
Number Pronunciation
0 ZEERO
1 WUN
2 TOO
3 TREE
4 FOWER
5 FIFE
6 SIX
7 SEVEN
8 AIT
9 NINER
1000 TOUSAND
4.2.1 Positions
When latitude and longitude are used, these shall be expressed in degrees and minutes (and
decimals of a minute if necessary), North or South of the Equator and East or West of
Greenwich. Example: "WARNING. Dangerous wreck in position 15 degrees 34 minutes North
061 degrees 29 minutes West".
When the position is related to a mark, the mark shall be a well-defined charted object.
The bearing shall be in the 360 degrees notation from true north and shall be that of the
position
FROM the mark.
Example: "Your position bearing 137 degrees from Big Head lighthouse distance 2.4 nautical
miles."
4.2.2 Courses
Always to be expressed in 360 degree notation from (true) north. Whether this is to TO or
FROM a mark can be stated.
4.2.3 Distances
To be expressed in nautical miles or cables (tenths of a mile). Speed
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Maritime English
SMCP
To be expressed in nautical miles per hour = knots.
4.2.4 Times
Times are expressed in the UTC-notation.
If an other time-notation is used - local time or zone time - it should be clearly indicated.
"OUT" and "STAND BY"
A VHF-conversation is ended and closed by saying the word "OUT". It is advised to have a
conversation between coast station and ship ended and closed by the coast station. The
instruction to wa/f for further information is indicated by the term "STAND BY".
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Maritime English

Unit 4: Standard Maritime Communication Phrases

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SMCP

The main objectives of Unit 4 are:

4.1 Standard Maritime Communication Phrases

4.1.1 Message Markers

It is advised to use the following message-markers as often as possible.

4.1.2 Standard Verbs

4.1.3 Shortened forms

4.1.4 Signal Strength

I read you bad OR I read you signal strength 1 ( = barely perceptible)

"You must "-"I will "

"You must ."-"I will

"REPEAT / SAY AGAIN"

"Mistake - correction ."

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