Subscribe to our Mailing Lists (It's free!)
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
SAFETY4SEA
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    njord forseti

    Jersey Investigation: Improper lookout leads to collision

    safe warehouse

    How to operate a secure warehouse

    maritime jobs

    Singapore, Pacific Carriers, Pacific International Lines partner to enhance attractiveness of maritime jobs

    seafarers charity

    The Seafarers’ Charity becomes member of Diversity in Maritime Charter programme

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    india hydrogen electric ship

    India could launch its first indigenous hydrogen-fueled electric ship by 2023

    Aqaba Container Terminal

    Aqaba Container Terminal to achieve net zero by 2040

    indonesia shipping energy transition

    Indonesia can be at the centre of shipping’s energy transition, says new report

    port of corpus christi

    Port of Corpus Christi to launch solar farm

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    one digital rates

    ONE to enable automatic digital rate transfer

    uk maritime strategy

    UK: New maritime security strategy to address physical and cyber threats

    cyprus shipping

    Cyprus to accelerate digitalization for shipping

    hapag lloyd

    Hapag-Lloyd to track containers in real time

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    uk mca ships detentions

    Seven new foreign flagged ships detained in UK ports during July 2022

    indonesia coal exports ban

    Indonesia to impose more coal export bans

    black sea mou cic stcw

    Black Sea MoU announces PSC Concentrated Inspection Campaign on STCW

    amsa psc annual report 2021

    AMSA PSC Annual Report 2021

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Reports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    Ghana ics

    Ghana Chamber of Shipping now an ICS member

    Aqaba Container Terminal

    Aqaba Container Terminal to achieve net zero by 2040

    port of corpus christi

    Port of Corpus Christi to launch solar farm

    Baltic Exchange

    Baltic Exchange: Maritime market highlights 06 August-12 August

  • Columns
    EPS

    EPS: Decarbonization and crew welfare as top priorities

    undewater noise

    Port of Vancouver: Slowing ships down supports healthier ecosystems

    human sustainability

    Wilhelmsen: Competence is vital for industry’s sustainability

    Trending Tags

    • Career Paths
    • Industry Voices
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    njord forseti

    Jersey Investigation: Improper lookout leads to collision

    safe warehouse

    How to operate a secure warehouse

    maritime jobs

    Singapore, Pacific Carriers, Pacific International Lines partner to enhance attractiveness of maritime jobs

    seafarers charity

    The Seafarers’ Charity becomes member of Diversity in Maritime Charter programme

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    india hydrogen electric ship

    India could launch its first indigenous hydrogen-fueled electric ship by 2023

    Aqaba Container Terminal

    Aqaba Container Terminal to achieve net zero by 2040

    indonesia shipping energy transition

    Indonesia can be at the centre of shipping’s energy transition, says new report

    port of corpus christi

    Port of Corpus Christi to launch solar farm

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    one digital rates

    ONE to enable automatic digital rate transfer

    uk maritime strategy

    UK: New maritime security strategy to address physical and cyber threats

    cyprus shipping

    Cyprus to accelerate digitalization for shipping

    hapag lloyd

    Hapag-Lloyd to track containers in real time

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    uk mca ships detentions

    Seven new foreign flagged ships detained in UK ports during July 2022

    indonesia coal exports ban

    Indonesia to impose more coal export bans

    black sea mou cic stcw

    Black Sea MoU announces PSC Concentrated Inspection Campaign on STCW

    amsa psc annual report 2021

    AMSA PSC Annual Report 2021

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Reports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    Ghana ics

    Ghana Chamber of Shipping now an ICS member

    Aqaba Container Terminal

    Aqaba Container Terminal to achieve net zero by 2040

    port of corpus christi

    Port of Corpus Christi to launch solar farm

    Baltic Exchange

    Baltic Exchange: Maritime market highlights 06 August-12 August

  • Columns
    EPS

    EPS: Decarbonization and crew welfare as top priorities

    undewater noise

    Port of Vancouver: Slowing ships down supports healthier ecosystems

    human sustainability

    Wilhelmsen: Competence is vital for industry’s sustainability

    Trending Tags

    • Career Paths
    • Industry Voices
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
SAFETY4SEA

Language differences onboard: A barrier to ship safety?

by The Editorial Team
May 13, 2020
in Accidents, Maritime Knowledge
crew change Singapore

Credit: Shutterstock / Wan Fahmy Redzuan

FacebookTwitterEmailLinkedin

The need for a common language onboard is considered essential for safe operation of a ship, at a time when the nature of seafaring itself means ships are manned with crew members from different parts of the world.

Many studies have attempted to investigate the impact of national culture on human failures at sea revealing that lack of a common language could make ship a high-risk work environment. Crews coming from various nationalities have different mother tongues, even body language and gestures, while different cultures may interpret things differently.

Meanwhile, communication is a complex concept of its own, involving emotional triggers and audiovisual perception, and barriers to its effectiveness vary from physical to physiological factors.

As such, even people who speak the same language sometimes misunderstand each other. However, consequences of misunderstandings may be fatal onboard vessels, especially in case of emergencies, when time is limited and people normally tend to revert to their mother tongue.

RelatedNews

Jersey Investigation: Improper lookout leads to collision

Watch: Wood cargo washed ashore after falling from cargo ship

To address language differences, in 1983, linguists and shipping experts created Seaspeak, a system of communication setting the rules on how to talk on a vessel’s radio. The number of words that can be said is limited, and English was chosen as the principle lexicon. In 1988, IMO made Seaspeak the official language of the seas.

Unfortunately, there have still been examples of incidents where better language skills could have avoided accidents and, in some cases, could have saved lives:

  • On passenger vessels, the ability to communicate with passengers in an emergency is fundamental for swift evacuation: Lack of a commonly understood language among crew was highlighted after 161 people lost their lives from fire on “Scandinavian Star” ferry in Skagerrak in 1990.
  • During maneuvering, language differences in VHF may prove problematic: After collision of bulker Huayang Endeavour with tanker Seafrontier, investigators said the language in VHF conversation between the two vessels was not precise or simple, and, had the watchkeepers adopted SMCP under STCW, confusion risks would have dropped.
  • Master-pilot collaboration depends on shared understanding: The container ship Cosco Busan hit the San Francisco Bay Bridge in November 2007, causing significant pollution and a major cause was lack of effective communication between American pilot and Chinese Captain. Also, most crew had limited knowledge of English and could not adequately understand SMS.

Selection by shipowners of a certain mix of seafarers onboard with compatible cultural backgrounds could be helpful, but not resolving. On their part, seafarers could dedicate time with their mates to develop mutual understanding, which can also partly address the issue.

Either way and while there is no recipe for addressing language barriers, open feedback can always serve as the golden rule of any communication; if you don’t understand, ask; if you think the others did not understand, ask for feedback, repeat, explain.

Did you know?

  • Today, 80% of ship’s crews do not speak English as first language.
  • Communications deficits account for up to 35% of ships’ accidents.
  • Communication constitutes one of UK MCA’s ‘Deadly Dozen’ factors at sea.
Tags: communication onboardlife onboard

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

njord forseti

Jersey Investigation: Improper lookout leads to collision

August 17, 2022
Ghana ics

Ghana Chamber of Shipping now an ICS member

August 17, 2022
MARITIME EVENTS

RISK4SEA Facts

Did you know that Bulk Carriers had an increase in detentions in Australia? 15% increase in detentions within 2020 vs. Last3Y.

Learn more risk4sea.com

Explore

  • Safety
  • Green
  • Smart
  • Risk
  • Others
  • Events
  • Plus

Useful Links

  • About
  • Disclaimer
  • Editorial Policies
  • Advertising
  • Contact

© 2021 SAFETY4SEA

No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Alerts
    • Accidents
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Reports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Opinions
    • Career Paths
    • Industry Voices
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
  • Events
  • Plus

© 2021 SAFETY4SEA

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Disclaimer.