Improving safety at sea and in ports by developing standards for maritime English

Improving safety at sea and in ports by developing standards for maritime English
According to IMO, most maritime accidents result from the human factor, one of the causes being a deficiency in the maritime standard English. A seafarer’s ability to communicate effectively and interpret maritime procedures onboard a ship, particularly during emergencies, can mean the difference between lives saved or lost.
Unfortunately, the only standards regulating maritime English are basic testing methods like TOEFL, which mostly focus on grammar rather than skills and competency. Studies and investigations show that the English standards of seafarers in the industry are so low that communication between crew members onboard and with outside agencies is notably challenged.
Luckily IMO has also identified the need to establish higher standards for maritime English. In response, various EU member states have also encouraged efforts to improve the standards. A European Union transnational project, MARTEL (Maritime Test of English Language), comprising eight member states through a Leonardo-funded project, has been formed to address the need for these standards.
The MARTEL project will act as the maritime language competency assessment project for the language certification. The goal will be to identify and address major problems concerning maritime English for the entire maritime workforce’s safety and security onshore and offshore. The team is developing a series of maritime English language standards for the industry’s three different ranks. The team also focuses on developing effective training programs for the standards set forth.