Is there an international language at sea?
When the Russian pilot of an Aeroflot jet is approaching Moscow's airport staffed by Russian Air Traffic controllers, convention still holds that everybody is speaking English. Even if that English isnt great, there is still enough to know that the basics can be covered. This is necessary because there isn't a lot of time to react, negotiate language, etc. and, since aviation really "took off" first in English speaking countries, the precedent eventually became standardized and the safety and efficiency benefits were realized.
Going back to my "private sailboat enters a foreign harbor" thing, can I expect the same treatment in a boat? I'm thinking that it would be really easy to ask for customs if I could assume that the Harbor master or some other official could be counted on to speak English. Otherwise, it would be wise to bring along a dictionary.
So, is there an international language of the sea that can be counted on.
Best Answer
As stated by Karlson, there are some mandates about basic proficiency in English, but the reality can be something quite different.
Some years ago I was sailing from Sicily to Croatia and visited several harbours on the southern shore of Italy. I didn't find many places where officials would understand a word of English (or Finnish, my native tongue ;-) ), but had to manage with my rusty Italian.
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Do sailors need to speak English?
Speak-English-Only Rule: A rule requiring Marines/Sailors to speak only English at all times on the job may violate Title VII, unless the Command shows it is necessary for conducting business.What is marine English?
Maritime English, also known as Standard Maritime Communication Phrases (SMCP), is the lingua franca at sea so to speak, and is vitally important for a multitude of reasons; the safety of the crew, the efficiency of daily tasks and the integrity of the ship.What language do seamen speak when they are in foreign ports?
Since 2001, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has deemed English the "official" maritime language worldwide. The Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW '95) regulations mandate the use and understanding of English for commercial mariners.How do ship captains communicate?
Seaspeak is a controlled natural language (CNL) based on English, designed to facilitate communication between ships whose captains' native tongues differ. It has now been formalised as Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP).Universal Language vs. French and English 🇫🇷 🇬🇧 | Loic Suberville Language Tiktok Compilation
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Answer 2
There have been various attempts to introduce ‘simplified marine English’ (the commonest is Seaspeak), but the reality is that you don't need to pass any exams, in language or anything else, to become a fisherman, lifeboatman, or (in some places) harbourmaster. English is more widely understood at sea than in the world in general, for a variety of reasons; but it would be unwise to enter a foreign harbour without a phrasebook, at least. (Or, of course, you could resort to speaking English loudly and slowly, putting -o on the end of half the words; let me know how it works.)
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