WHY YOU NEED

The Standard Marine

Communication Phrases (SMCP)
Oleh: Capt. Suzdayan, M.M.Tr,. M.Mar
 What is it the SMCP ?
As Navigation officers you cannot avoid verbal communications from and
to shore, and so as to avoid confusion and error, there is a need to
standardize the language used. Sure this become important with
multinational crews with different languages style and may cause cause
misunderstandings which is leading to dangers to the vessel, the people
on board and the environment.

In 1973 the IMO Maritime Safety Committee agreed at its twenty-seventh

session that, where language difficulties arise, a common language should
be used for navigational purposes and that language should be English. At
its sixty-eighth session in 1997 the IMO Maritime Safety Committee
adopted the Draft Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP)
developed by the IMO Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation
 What is it the SMCP ?
The IMO SMCP builds on a basic knowledge
of English and has been drafted in a simplified
version of maritime English. It includes phrases
for use in routine situations such as berthing as
well as standard phrases and responses for
use in emergency situations.

Under the International Convention on

Standards of Training, Certification and
Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as
amended, the ability to understand and use the
SMCP is required for the certification of officers
in charge of a navigational watch on ships of
500 gross tonnage or above.
Means of communication on
board ship:
❑Verbal communication.
❑Non verbal communication.
❑Formal communication.
 Verbal communication
❑ Verbal communication may be informal , such as occurs in
casual conversation, advice or instruction that allows levels of
voluntary participation. It may alternatively be a formal order or
command that is required to be obeyed and implemented.
❑ Written communications include reminder memos and temporary
signs, letters and advisories notices, emails and other print out
radio services such as;
✓Telex, Digital Selective Calling, Navtex and Immarsat.
✓All must be considered as formal by their nature of being an
article that can be stored as permanent evidence.
 Written communication
✓ Clear-it can be easily read
✓ Concise-it is not too long
✓ Complete-everything necessary should be included
✓ Correct-it is accurate
✓ Log book
▪ it should not falsify ,otherwise it a legal offence.
▪ It should not contain oponion,observation or coarse
language.
 Formal communication
✓ Traditional ,formal communications at sea are provided in the
written standing orders of the Master.
✓ The entries in the ship’s logbooks,
✓ The records of reports .
✓ The safety management documentation.
✓ Formal signaling is used in both traditional and state of the art
systems. The coded information that is displayed (transmitted)
requires the receiver to interpret it using the agreed decoding
manual. Radio signals
✓ These systems include Semaphore, Flags and Code Flags,
Morse code by lights or sound signals and modern radio
communications systems.
 Lesson Learned
Real Life Accident: Ineffective BRM and Lack of
Communication Results In Collision of Two Vessels

❑ There was no relevant communication between the pilots of the two

vessels throughout the developing situation.
❑ Ineffective Bridge Resource Management (BRM) aboard vessel A
resulted in critical information not being shared with the pilot, thus
precluding timely action.

A very common subject matter of case studies often points out authority
gradient as a major contributing factor in accidents related to
Navigation.
Bridge team failures where due to one sided or restricted
communication between senior and junior deck officers, the vessel
ran aground, collided with a berth or another vessel or escaped a
near collision situation
 Lesson Learned
Real Life Incident: Lack of Communication Leads To
Close Quarters Situation Between Two Vessels

A ro-ro passenger ferry departed berth and, as usual, made a securité

broadcast on VHF radio. Once underway and in the midst of a turn at
about 15 knots, an inbound fishing vessel was observed. The bridge
team on the ferry deemed the fishing vessel to be on the wrong side of
the fairway.
Hence, the starboard turn was slowed and the ferry continued on the
south side of the fairway to give some room for the fishing vessel;
ostensibly dictating a green to green passing.

The investigation found, among others, that the situation was caused by:
•Inadequate positioning of both vessels.
•Lack of communication resulting in misunderstanding of intentions.

Lessons learned
•If you intend a green to green encounter, best communicate with the other vessel to confirm their
understanding of the situation.
 Always remember –
Do not say ‘Yes Sir’
if you do not
understand it.
 Key Elements On Board Ships
Communication – The first cluster of Bridge Resources Management /BRM skills includes
those related to effective communication. Good communication between the crew members is the
key to successful BRM. The effective transfer of information is a complex process. It requires
information be conveyed when needed, understood and acknowledged by the receiver and
clarified if needed. In many cases it has been seen that the information needed always existed but
it was not made available to those who needed it at the right time. The message was either not
received or misunderstood.

Another common cause of major incidents was inaccurate, incomplete, ambiguous or garbled
messages. It is important for crew members to acknowledge and repeat orders to ensure that
they are well understood. Continuous interaction between humans and equipment leads to the
vessel being navigated in a safe and efficient manner. It is the duty of all officers and crew
members to cross check and cross question.

Only then effective communication can be achieved. It is also important to maintain a common
language on board the vessel so that communication can become easier and quicker.
 EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION
Distress Communications
➢ Fire, explosion
➢ Flooding
➢ Collision
➢ Grounding
➢ List, danger of capsizing
➢ Sinking
➢ Disabled and adrift
➢ Armed attack / piracy
➢
➢
Undesignated distress
Abandoning vessel
➢ Person overboard
PHRASES
Search and Rescue communications
➢ SAR communications
➢ Acknowledgement and / or relay of
SAR-messages
➢ Performing / co-ordinating SAR-
operations
➢ Finishing with SAR-operations
The condition need
Navigational warnings
➢ Land- or seamarks
➢ Drifting objects
➢ Electronic navigational
aids
➢ Seabottom
characteristics, wrecks
➢ Miscellaneous

standard communication ..
see more details in SMCP
 ONBOARD COMMUNICATION
PHRASES
Handing over the watch Safety on Board Occupational Safety
➢ Briefing on position, ➢ Raising alarm ➢ Instruction
movement and draft ➢ Briefing crew and passengers ➢ Practical occupational
➢ Briefing on traffic ➢ Checking status of escape routes safety
situation in the area ➢ Checking status of lifeboats / ➢ Occupational
➢ Briefing on navigational liferafts accidents
aids and equipment ➢ Ordering evacuation ➢ Fire Protection and
status ➢ Ordering abandon vessel Fire Fighting
➢ Briefing on
meteorological conditions
➢ Briefing on standing The condition need
orders and bridge
organization
➢ Briefing on special standard communication ..
navigational events
➢ Briefing on record
keeping Handing and see more details in SMCP
taking over the watch