French Marine English

Department of English at Ecole Navale – French Naval Academy
Document version (06-2015)
Edited by Alcino FERREIRA
Licence: CC-BY-NC-ND
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Although I am the editor of this booklet, this is a collective work, and I am by no means its sole
contributor. The work, research, and contributions of the following people are hereby gratefully
acknowledged:
- Guillaume Baranger, Adjunct Professor, Ecole Navale

- Anne Bellas-Viars, Adjunct Professor, Ecole Navale
- Senior Chief Petty Officer Olivier Bichon, French Navy
- Lt. Bryan G. Cable, United States Navy
- Lt. Victoria Carrington, Royal Navy
- LCDR Armando Castellanos, United States Navy
- Jean-François Jaouen, Adjunct Professor, Ecole Navale
- Frank Marion, Adjunct Professor, Ecole Navale
- Ens. Virginie Merlin, French Navy
- Caroline Moncomble, Adjunct Professor, Ecole Navale
- Dr. Ivane Pautler, Adjunct Professor, Ecole Navale
- Sylvie Police, Adjunct Professor, Ecole Navale
- Pascale Sammartano, Adjunct Professor, Ecole Navale
- Fiona Simoneau-Byrne, Adjunct Professor, Ecole Navale
- Philippe Tanguy, Adjunct Professor, Ecole Navale
- Peter C. Van Kluijven, Lecturer at Rotterdam Mainport University of Applied Sciences
- Nicole Vincent, Adjunct Professor, Ecole Navale
- Lt. Sarah White, Royal Navy
Together, we have sought to craft a progressive and comprehensive intermediate-level course for
junior watch-keeping personnel. By doing the exercises herein and treasuring this booklet as a
reference work, you will undoubtedly improve the quality of your maritime English, so as to
accomplish your mission to the best of your possibilities.
Picture and image sources have been given where appropriate, and possible. In some cases, we have
lost track of the original source. If you feel we are infringing your rights to copyright, please let us
know, and we will remove the infringing content. We hope everyone understands this was done for
educational purposes only.
Fair winds and following seas…
Alcino FERREIRA
21st June 2015
Adjunct Professor of Naval English
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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
This document is published under the Creative Commons license CC-BY-NC-ND. This means that:
CC: You are free to make this available online, reprint, and photocopy it, provided you do not modify it
or remove any part. You must abide by the following restrictions and always include the license.
BY: The author(s) must always be cited.
ND: you may not do any derivative work. You may not include any portion of this document in your
documents (except for short excerpts, with proper credit).
NC: No commercial profit of any kind is allowed by anyone else than the authors. This includes making
this document available within a course that is not free.
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FOREWORD
a) Description of the course
This document was designed as a handbook for the Maritime English Basics course taught at Ecole
Navale, the French Naval Academy. This is a foundation-level course for French Navy Officers of the
Watch. The goal of the course is to teach junior personnel the basics of maritime language in general,
in particular to allow learners to master Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP), published
by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
This document attempts to abide by STCW 78 as amended (in 1995 and 2010). Learners should
nonetheless keep in mind that this is a language course, and thus, this booklet should not be viewed as
a substitute for a seamanship manual, a GMDSS course, a meteorology handbook, or a navigation
manual.
Completion of this course requires about 30-40 hours of work. This will consist of:
- Online video lectures, available on the accompanying website

- In-class book-based training
- Computer-based training
- Practice, primarily through VHF role-plays both in class and on a bridge simulator
b) Learning objectives
By the end of this first volume, learners will master all the basic vocabulary required to conduct SMCP-
compliant ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore VHF conversations.
c) CALL
Students are advised to make the best of computer-assisted language training tools such as:
- MarEng
- MarEng +
- N.E.P.T.U.N.E
d) About the TEST YOURSELF section, at the end of chapters
The test section is not intended to be done immediately after completing a chapter, but at least one
week later. It is meant as a revision tool. Moreover, not all answers appear in this booklet. Some are
only in the corresponding videos.
e) Assessment
Assessment of the course generally consists of:
- An online quiz (50 questions, randomly selected from a database; 45 minutes)

- A one-hour, in-class listening comprehension test
- An oral test, comprising two exercises (one formatted message, one VHF conversation)
We hope you enjoy the course.
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CONTENTS
Chapter 1: ABC, 123 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 8

1. Alphabet ......................................................................................................................................................................................................8
2. Numbers .....................................................................................................................................................................................................8
Chapter 2: Sailors and Mariners............................................................................................................................................ 12
1. On a merchant vessel ......................................................................................................................................................................... 12
2. On a military vessel............................................................................................................................................................................. 14
3. Test yourself .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Chapter 3: In Port ........................................................................................................................................................................ 19
1. On a port visit / in a port of call .................................................................................................................................................... 19
2. Mooring, docking, anchoring or berthing? ............................................................................................................................... 21
3. Test yourself: ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
Chapter 4: Ships ........................................................................................................................................................................... 29
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 29
2. Warships .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 31
3. Civilian ships .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 34
4. Test Yourself .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
Chapter 5: Onboard .................................................................................................................................................................... 41
1. Ship parts ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 41
2. Inboard: Inside a ship ........................................................................................................................................................................ 47
3. Measurements and dimensions .................................................................................................................................................... 49
4. Cargo on board ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 50
5. Test yourself .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 52
Chapter 6: On a Sea Chart ........................................................................................................................................................ 56
1. Tides .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 56
2. Charts ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 58
3. Buoys ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
4. Traffic separation schemes ............................................................................................................................................................. 62
Chapter 7: Movement, Positions ........................................................................................................................................... 67
1. Standard position indicators .......................................................................................................................................................... 67
2. Position Fixing ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 70
3. Distance, Course and Speed ............................................................................................................................................................ 76
4. Movements of the ship on water .................................................................................................................................................. 77
5. Restricted movement: day shapes and night lights.............................................................................................................. 80
6. Test yourself .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 81
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Chapter 8: Pilot on board ......................................................................................................................................................... 85
1. The pilot card ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 85
2. Helm orders ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 86
3. Engine orders ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 90
Chapter 9: The Weather ........................................................................................................................................................... 93
1. Sea areas .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 93
2. Structure of a shipping forecast .................................................................................................................................................... 94
3. The wind .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 94
4. The sea state .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 96
5. Visibility ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 97
6. The pressure .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 97
7. Describing the general weather (general synopsis) ............................................................................................................ 98
Chapter 10: Health matters! .................................................................................................................................................102
1. The Human Body .............................................................................................................................................................................. 102
2. Trauma and diseases ...................................................................................................................................................................... 103
Chapter 11: VHF Basics ...........................................................................................................................................................108
1. Message markers .............................................................................................................................................................................. 108
2. Address and identify ....................................................................................................................................................................... 109
3. PROWORDS (Procedure words) ................................................................................................................................................ 110
Chapter 12: VHF- Routine Conversations .......................................................................................................................120
1. Introduction to routine VHF conversations .......................................................................................................................... 120
2. Entering/leaving port ..................................................................................................................................................................... 122
3. Give-way / stand on? ...................................................................................................................................................................... 127
4. Routine interrogation of a vessel............................................................................................................................................... 128
Chapter 13: VHF – Priority messages ...............................................................................................................................132
1. Introduction to priority messages ............................................................................................................................................ 132
2. MAYDAY (Distress) .......................................................................................................................................................................... 133
3. PAN-PAN (Urgency) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 135
4. SECURITE (Safety) ........................................................................................................................................................................... 137
5. Practice .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 140
Appendix .......................................................................................................................................................................................146
1. Day shapes ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 146
2. Acronyms and abbreviations ...................................................................................................................................................... 147
3. MAREP/POSREP ............................................................................................................................................................................... 148
4. Distances and Units ......................................................................................................................................................................... 148
5. Replenishment at Sea...................................................................................................................................................................... 149
6. Tonnage ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 152
7. Classification Of Dangerous Goods ........................................................................................................................................... 153
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CHAPTER 1: ABC, 123
1. ALPHABET
Names and numeric data are of vital importance at sea. Therefore, an international alphabet ensures
that a common standard is used to transmit this important information. Words and names are to be
spelt using the international alphabet below:
A Alpha K Kilo U Uniform

B Bravo L Lima V Victor
C Charlie M Mike W Whiskey
D Delta N November X X-Ray
E Echo O Oscar Y Yankee
F Foxtrot P Papa Z Zulu
G Golf Q Quebec
H Hotel R Romeo Tack / break = espace
I India S Sierra
J Juliet T Tango
Say “tack” or “break” to indicate a space, a hyphen, or a dash.
Exercise 1. Transmit the following ship names, like in the example :
Ex: This is GLORIEUSE, I spell Golf-Lima-Oscar-Romeo-India-Echo-Uniform-Sierra-Echo
CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI TONNERRE GEORGE H. W. BUSH

FARFADET ARLEIGH BURKE OHIO
LATOUCHE TREVILLE MISTRAL CHARLES DE GAULLE
2. NUMBERS
2.1. Cardinals and ordinals
Cardinal Ordinal Cardinal Ordinal

1 one 1st first 16 sixteen 16th sixteenth
2 two 2nd second 17 seventeen 17th seventeenth
3 three 3rd third 18 eighteen 18th eighteenth
4 four 4th fourth 19 nineteen 19th nineteenth
5 five 5th fifth 20 twenty 20th twentieth
6 six 6th sixth 21 twenty-one 21st twenty-first
7 seven 7th seventh 22 twenty-two 22nd twenty-second
8 eight 8th eighth 30 thirty 30th thirtieth
9 nine 9th ninth 40 forty 40th fortieth
10 ten 10th tenth 50 fifty 50th fiftieth
11 eleven 11th eleventh 60 sixty 60th sixtieth
12 twelve 12th twelfth 70 seventy 70th seventieth
13 thirteen 13th thirteenth 80 eighty 80th eightieth
14 fourteen 14th fourteenth 90 ninety 90th ninetieth
15 fifteen 15th fifteenth 100 a hundred 100th hundredth
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As monosyllables can be difficult to understand, some of those figures are pronounced differently in
maritime communications.
Exercise 2. Listen to the following list and note the figures with a modified pronunciation:
Number Spelling Pronunciation

0 Zero
1 One
2 Two (numbers.mp3)
3 Three
4 Four
5 Five
6 Six
7 Seven
8 Eight
9 Nine
00 Hundred
000 Thousand
- “0” is always pronounced “zero”

- Preliminary zeros MUST be transmitted (especially in positions: 026° = zero two six degrees)
- 00 may be pronounced as “zero zero” or as “hundred”. 000 may be pronounced as “zero zero
zero” or as “Touzand”(sic).
- the decimal in a number is said “decimal”
e.g: 8.5m eight decimal five meters
2.2. Time
Use the 24-hour clock: 11:00 p.m. ⇒ 23:00

Pronounce each figure separately: 10:25 ⇒ one zero two five
If the time you are giving contains only hours and no minutes, you can replace the last two
zeros by the word “hundred”: 19:00 ⇒ nineteen hundred or one nine hundred (hours)
Make your time zone clear by adding “local time”, “UTC” (coordinated universal time) or the
letter of your time zone: 14:20 A ⇒ one four two zero alpha.
Going east from the prime meridian at Greenwich, letters Alpha through Mike (skipping "J", see
below) are used for the 12 time zones with positive UTC offsets until reaching the International
Date Line.
Going west from Greenwich, letters November through Yankee are used for zones with
negative time offsets.
The letter J ("Juliet"), originally skipped, is now used to indicate the speaker’s local time.
The letter Z ("Zulu") indicates Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or Coordinated Universal Time
(see UTC±00:00, in the table below).
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 GOING WEST GOING EAST
Time Zone UTC offset Time Zone UTC offset
N – NOVEMBER UTC-01:00 A – ALPHA UTC+01:00
O – OSCAR UTC-02:00 B – BRAVO UTC+02:00
P – PAPA UTC-03:00 C – CHARLIE UTC+03:00
Q – QUEBEC UTC-04:00 D – DELTA UTC+04:00
R – ROMEO UTC-05:00 E – ECHO UTC+05:00
S – SIERRA UTC-06:00 F – FOXTROT UTC+06:00
T – TANGO UTC-07:00 G – GOLF UTC+07:00
U – UNIFORM UTC-08:00 H – HOTEL UTC+08:00
V – VICTOR UTC-09:00 I – INDIA UTC+09:00
W – WHISKEY UTC-10:00 K – KILO UTC+10:00
X – X-RAY UTC-11:00 L – LIMA UTC+11:00
Y – YANKEE UTC-12:00 M - MIKE UTC+12:00
Z – ZULU = GMT / UTC / UTC±00:00 J – JULIET = Observer’s local time
2.3. Date time group

Sometimes (particularly in SECURITE messages, as we will see later), a date and a time are transmitted
together. This is called a date time group or day time group. At sea, this is often in the form of 6
digits. The first two will indicate the date in the current month or following month, and the last four
will indicate the time.
e.g.: “My ETA to Brest is 182030Z” on the 18th at 08:30 pm GMT, which means 09:30 pm local (in
winter).
Exercise 3. Transmit the following VHF call signs, MMSI numbers, IMO numbers, or times :
Call signs (“My international call sign is…”)

2GWL9 / BZVI / 3EFU4 / ASDM / VRCJ9 / POGY / JKUX / QNBK / LORE
MMSI numbers (“My MMSI number is…”)

235 101 092 / 355 031 000 / 309 168 000 / 477 607 900 / 636 016 238
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IMO numbers (“My IMO number is…”)
9166754 / 9547520 / 8813116 / 9066667 / 9201695
Times (“Time …” or “Date time group …”)

08:00 Z / 09:50 A / 11:30 D / 14:45 B / 02:10 V /22:00 Z / 160600H / 091430UTC
Exercise 4. Listen to the recording, and fill in the blanks:
My position is latitude 48°34’N and longitude 005°48’.6 W (figures.mp3)

My MMSI number is 227 675 000
My call sign is FGTR
My IMO number is 7865467
My ETA to Brest port is 1400 local time tomorrow
My position is Latitude 49°31.7' N and longitude 004°40' W

My international call sign is 3RTP8
My ETA to Rotterdam is the 3rd of March at 0630 UTC
My position is Latitude 25°09' N and longitude 004°27' W

My international call sign is UH7T
My ETA to Port Said is the 5th of January at 1500 local time
My position is Latitude 50°56' N and 003°45' W

My international call sign is GHY5U
My ETA to Brest is the 14th of October at 0600 UTC
My position is Latitude 28°25' N and longitude 007°24' W

My international call sign is H7UI
My ETA to Bastia is the 5th of March at 0200 UTC
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CHAPTER 2: SAILORS AND MARINERS
1. ON A MERCHANT VESSEL
On a merchant vessel, personnel will usually belong to one of three departments:
- The deck department

- The engine department
- The catering department
1.1. The Captain / the Master

The captain, often called “the master” in the merchant navy, is the ship's highest responsible officer,
acting on behalf of the ship's owner. He is legally responsible for the day-to-day affairs of the ship as he
is in command. He generally does not stand watch when the ship has a third mate.
1.2. The deck department

1.2.1. First Mate / Chief officer / Chief mate
The chief officer/first mate (often called the chief mate in the United States) is the head of the deck
department on a merchant vessel, second-in-command after the ship's master. The chief mate's
primary responsibilities are the vessel's cargo operations, its stability, and supervising the deck crew.
The mate is responsible for the safety and security of the ship, as well as the welfare of the crew on
board. He typically stands the 4-8 navigation watch. Additional duties include maintenance of the
ship's hull, cargo gears, accommodations, the lifesaving appliances and the firefighting appliances. The
chief mate also trains the crew and cadets on various aspects like safety, firefighting, search and
rescue, and various other contingencies. The chief officer assumes command of the whole ship in the
absence or incapacitation of the master. The boatswain (bos’n/bo’sun) is the most senior non-officer
in the deck department (in charge of deck hands), and reports to the First Mate.
1.3. The engine department

The engineers are also called technical officers. They are
responsible for keeping the ship and the machinery running. Today,
ships are complex units that combine a lot of technology within a
small space. This includes not only the engine and the propulsion
system, but also for example, the electrical power supply, devices for
loading and discharging, garbage incineration and fresh water
generators.
1.3.1. Chief engineer
The chief engineer on a merchant vessel is the official title of

someone qualified to oversee the engine department. The Chief Engineer, commonly referred to as
"The chief", and addressed as "Chief", is responsible for all operations and maintenance that have to
do with all machinery and equipment throughout the ship. The chief engineer cannot assume
command and the command always rests with the Captain of the ship, or the First Mate.
1.3.2. Second engineer/first assistant engineer
The second engineer or first assistant engineer is the officer responsible for supervising the daily
maintenance and operation of the engine department. He or she reports directly to the chief engineer.
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1.3.3. Third engineer/second assistant engineer
The third engineer or second assistant engineer is junior to the second engineer/first assistant
engineer in the engine department and is usually in charge of boilers, fuel, auxiliary engines,
condensate, and feed systems. This engineer is the third highest marine engineer in rank. He is
typically in charge of fueling or bunkering, if qualified for fuel transfer operations.
1.3.4. Fourth engineer/third assistant engineer
The fourth engineer or third assistant engineer is junior to the second assistant engineer/third
engineer in the engine department. The most junior marine engineer of the ship, he or she is usually
responsible for electrical, sewage treatment, lube oil, bilge, and oily water separation systems.
Depending on usage, this person is called "The Third", or "The Fourth", and usually stands a watch.
Moreover, the fourth engineer may assist the third mate in maintaining proper operation of the
lifeboats.
1.3.5. Electrotechnical Officer
The electrotechnical officer is in charge of all the electrical systems on the ship. The electrical
engineer is one of the most vital positions in the technical hierarchy of a ship and is responsible for
their assigned work under the chief engineer’s instructions. Some shipping companies do not carry
electrical officers on their ship to cut down the manning cost and the electrical duties are carried by
someone from the engineer’s side, normally third engineer. As the technology is advancing, more and
more automations and electronic circuit is replacing conventional and electrical systems. Hence the
international Maritime Organization has introduced a certified position of Electro-technical officer.
1.4. The catering department
1.4.1. Chief steward
The chief steward directs, instructs, and assigns personnel performing such functions as preparing
and serving meals, cleaning and maintaining officers' quarters and steward department areas, and
receiving, issuing, and inventorying stores. The chief steward also plans menus, compiles supply,
overtime, and cost control records. The steward may requisition or purchase stores and equipment.
1.4.2. Chief cook
The chief cook is the senior unlicensed crew member working in the steward's department of a ship.
He can be regarded as equivalent to a chief petty officer in the Navy. The chief cook directs and
participates in the preparation and serving of meals; determines timing and sequence of operations
required to meet serving times; inspects galley and equipment for cleanliness and proper storage and
preparation of food.
1.5. Ratings
All other people without a certificate of competence are called ratings. They assist in all other tasks
that can arise during a voyage. This includes for example, mooring, cleaning of the ship and its holds
and repairing broken lines and ropes. These are physically challenging jobs and have to be done
regardless of the weather.
(Adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
13
Exercise 5. Read the text above and use it to fill in this chart:
Radio/Coms Officer
DECK Department Second MATE

(FIRST MATE )
Third Mate
DECKHANDS
BOATSWAIN Able bodied seamen (AB)
Ordinary seamen (OS)
ENGINE Department SECOND Engineer
MASTER (CHIEF)
THIRD Engineer, FOURTH Engineer
ELECTROTECHNICAL officer
CATERING Department
(Chief STEWARD)
Chief COOK
2. ON A MILITARY VESSEL
2.1. Ranks and ratings
Officers have a rank, while non-officers (a.k.a “enlisted personnel”, “NCO: non-commissioned
officers” or “Petty Officers”) have a rating (both a pay grade and a specialty).
Any superior officer is addressed as “Sir” or “Ma’am”. No sentence should be pronounced
without these words.
Any more junior officer is addressed as “Mr HISNAME” / “Ms HERNAME” or by their rank if
name is unknown.
Any non-officer is addressed as Mr HISNAME / Ms HERNAME or by their ‘short rate’. For
example a Master Chief Petty Officer will be addressed as “Master Chief”, a Senior Chief Petty
Officer as “Senior”, and a Chief Petty Officer as “Chief”.
Here is a list of French / British / American ranks and ratings:
14
15
2.1. Functions onboard
Exercise 6. Match these personnel with the definition of their function:
He is in charge of the ship during a

Captain / C.O ⦿ ⦿ particular watch. His duties include
overseeing the movements of the vessel.
Exec / X.O ⦿ ⦿ He is the officer in charge of the vessel.
He is the second-in-command. He is in
Opso ⦿ ⦿ charge with everything not related to
navigation/ops.
Cheng / Chief Engineer ⦿ ⦿ He is in charge of Operations
OOW / OOD ⦿ ⦿ He is the Lord of the engine room.
Conning Officer ⦿ ⦿ He is in charge of the maneuvers of the ship
SUPPO ⦿ ⦿ He is in charge of supplies
2.2. On the bridge

Exercise 7. Several people are present on the bridge during a watch. Match them with their role.
He/she directs the ship’s movements by helm

The Captain and engine orders. He/she can be the captain, or
⦿ ⦿
(Commanding Officer or Master) another watch officer. He/she has responsibility
for the vessel’s safe navigation.
He/she assists the OOW in navigational matters,

The Officer of the Watch
and reports to him/her all changes of weather,
(OOW, or Officer of the Deck or ⦿ ⦿
and temperature and barometer readings.
Conning Officer)
He/she is responsible for the ship’s log.
He/she steers the ship according to the OOW’s

The Quartermaster of the
⦿ ⦿ orders. He/she repeats every order and also
Watch (QMOW)
reports when the order has been carried out.
He/she stands watch at the engine order

The Helmsman ⦿ ⦿ telegraph. In this capacity he/she rings up the
OOW’s orders to the engine room.
He/she is ultimately responsible for the safe

The EOTO
⦿ ⦿ navigation of the vessel. His/her judgment
(or Lee Helmsman)
regarding navigation is final.
16
3. TEST YOURSELF
1 What is the commanding officer of a merchant vessel generally called?
( ) the XO
( ) the Chief
( ) the Master
( ) the First Mate
2 Who rules in the engine room?

( ) the Chief
( ) the CHENG
( ) the Chief Engineer
( ) all of the above (they’re all equivalent)
3 Who is the equivalent of the First Mate onboard a military vessel?

( ) the Chief
( ) the XO
( ) the Chef
( ) the OOW / OOD
4 Who is in charge of the bridge during a watch at sea?

( ) the helmsman
( ) the quartermaster of the watch
( ) the Chief
( ) the officer of the deck
5 Who actually steers the ship (physically)?

( ) the helmsman
( ) the lee helmsman
6 Who assists the OOW during a watch at sea, by transmitting his orders to the
engine room?
( ) the helmsman
( ) the lee helmsman / EOTO
7 Who is the equivalent of the Chief Mate onboard a military vessel?

( ) the Chief
( ) the XO
( ) the Chef
( ) the OOW / OOD
8 Who would probably not be on the bridge during a berthing maneuver?

( ) the harbor pilot
( ) the Chief
( ) the OOW / OOD
( ) the helmsman
17
9 How is an unknown Master Chief Petty Officer addressed, in the Navy?
( ) Sir
( ) Mister
( ) Officer
( ) Master Chief
10 Which is equivalent to NCO?

( ) QMOW
( ) petty officer
( ) junior rating
( ) midshipman
11 What is a naval cadet called?

( ) midshipman
( ) enlisted
( ) seaman
( ) sailor
12 If a Captain is an O6, what is a Lieutenant Commander?

( ) O7
( ) O5
( ) O4
( ) O3
13 How is a Navy Captain addressed by a young NCO?

( ) Good morning Cap!
( ) Good morning Master!
( ) Good morning Sir!
( ) Good morning Skipper!
14 Which is the odd one?

( ) enlisted
( ) NCO
( ) midshipman
( ) petty officer
15 Which is the odd one?

( ) AB
( ) deckhand
( ) rating
( ) XO
18
CHAPTER 3: IN PORT
1. ON A PORT VISIT / IN A PORT OF CALL
1.1. Port facilities
Exercise 8. Let us do a port visit to Brest Harbor. Here is a satellite picture of the military harbor in
Brest, France. Fill in the labels in the picture with the words from the table below.
8 MARINA
4 DRY DOCK
11 QUAY
3 BERTH 5 BREAKWATER
7 CHANNEL
12 SHALLOW WATERS
6 ENTRANCE TO
NAVAL HARBOR
1 LIGHTHOUSE
10 SEA WALL
2 PIER/ JETTY
9 BAY / ROADSTEAD
lighthouse 1 bay/roadstead 9 fairway 7 dry dock / basin 4
marina 8 pier / jetty 2 quay 11 berth 3
sea wall entrance to naval

10 breakwater 5 6 shallow waters 12
(embankment) (sheltered) harbor
Exercise 9. Complete the following sentences with words from the exercise above. Note the
vocabulary in bold letters:
1. The Portzic l i g h t h o u s e stands opposite the Spaniards’ point on the Crozon peninsula and
shows the way into Brest h a r b o r .
2. All the vessels seen passing the e n t r a n c e to Brest harbour are entering or leaving port.
3. Warships will generally b e r t h alongside a q u a y called “Quai des Flotilles”.
4. When no berth is available there, warships will dock alongside the p i e r s that extend from
the main s e a w a l l , opposite the “Quai des Flotilles”.
5. Sailing vessels are requested to berth in the m a r i n a exclusively.
19
6. The marina used to be protected from waves by a b r e a k w a t e r of old decommissioned
warships.
7. LNG tankers sometimes drop anchor in the middle of the b a y when no berth is available in
the commercial harbor (or harbour UK).
8. Only small vessels can proceed into the Penfeld river f a i r w a y .
9. Large vessels that ignore s h a l l o w waters are at risk of running aground.
10. After a collision, a vessel will be repaired in the d r y d o c k .
1.2. Harbor personnel
Exercise 10. Harbor personnel: who does what? Match each job with its job description.
an official responsible for enforcing the

regulations of a particular harbor or
The harbormaster port, in order to ensure the safety of
A⦿ ⦿1
The dock master navigation, the security of the harbor
and the correct operation of the port
facilities.
The stevedore a mariner who guides ships through the
The dockworker congested waters of a harbor. However,
B⦿ ⦿2
The docker he is only an advisor, as the captain
The wharfie remains in command of the vessel.
a person in charge of organizing the
The forwarding agent
C⦿ ⦿3 succession of transports for a specific
The shipping agent
cargo.
a person who uses a large derrick or
The shipchandler D⦿ ⦿4 crane to load and unload goods onto a
ship.
The dock pilot a man whose job it is to load and unload
E⦿ ⦿5 ships.
The harbor pilot
a retail dealer in special supplies or
The crane operator F⦿ ⦿6 equipment for ships.
Pictures : Danny Cornellissen, portpictures.nl
20
2. MOORING, DOCKING, ANCHORING OR BERTHING?
2.1. Definitions
According to the definition of the IMO, a ship that is underway is a vessel that is not:
- berthed/docked
- moored
- anchored
- aground
Ships can be B E R T H E D T O a pier, a quay, a wharf, a jetty or a dock. A ship can also be D O C K E D ,
a term used more specifically when the ship is in dry-dock.
It can also be M O O R E D , to a mooring buoy or directly A T anchor. In that case, it is said to be

ANCHORED.
Exercise 11. In the following picture, color in:
- Blue, the ship that is berthed

- Green, the ship that is docked
- Black, the ship that is moored
- Red, the ship that is anchored
21
2.2. Coming alongside
2.2.1. Port side to / starboard side to
The ship is berthed A L O N G S I D E the pier.
It is berthed S T A R B O A R D S I D E T O (the pier).
The ship is berthed

P O R T S I D E T O (the pier).
In this situation, ship A is berthed P O R T S I D E T O the pier.
Ship B is berthed A L O N G S I D E ship A.
You can say that these ships are berthed A L O N G S I D E .
Between the ships, there are protections called F E N D E R S .
Look at the two pictures below:
Ship A is M O O R E D to a mooring buoy, while ship B is A T A N C H O R .
22
Exercise 12. Match the conversations below with the ships on the picture:
D
A
E
B
Conversation Ship Conversation Ship

- Port Control, this is MV Orion. We will be - Port Control, this is Yacht Sea Sprite. We
underway in about 5 minutes. Over. are entering the harbor. We cannot find
- MV Orion, this is Port control. Roger. Be berthing position A on our chart. I request
careful, there is a vessel undocking on information on its position. Over.
your port bow. Advise you delay your B - Yacht Sea Sprite, this is Port control. D
departure. Over. Berthing position A will be on your
- Port control, this is MV Orion. Roger. I starboard bow, near the wharf. Be
will delay my departure 15 minutes. Out. mindful of the large container vessel
turning just ahead of you. Out.
- Port Control, this is MV Rigel. We are now - Port Control, this is MV Arcturus. We have
underway and departing to the port of a pilot onboard and have been assigned
Rotterdam. Our ETA to our destination is berthing position D. From what the pilot
the 15th, at 1100 local. Thank you for says, this position is unsuitable due to our
your cooperation. Over. draft. I request new berthing instructions.
- MV Rigel, this is Port control. You are Over.
very welcome. Have a safe onward - MV Arcturus, this is Port control. Your
passage to Rotterdam, your port of orders are changed to: Berth E2. I say
destination. Be on the lookout for a large F again E2. Please read back. Over. A
inbound vessel, as you exit the harbor. - Port Control, this is MV Arcturus. I read
Out. back My assigned berth is E2. Thank you.
Over.
- MV Arcturus, this is Port control. All
correct. Please be aware a small outbound
unit will be passing you on your port side.
Out.
23
2.2.2. Mooring lines
The lines, used to secure the ship to a wharf, a pier, or another ship are called mooring lines.
Mooring lines must be as light as possible for easy handling and, at the same time, strong enough not
to part when the ship is coming alongside and to hold a vessel in place when secured.
The mooring line which runs through the bull-nose or chock1 near the eyes of the ship is called the
bow line or head line (i). The corresponding line aft is the stern line (a). These lines should lead well
up the dock to reduce the fore and aft motion of the ship. Other mooring lines are either breast lines
or spring lines. They are called bow, waist, or quarter breasts and springs, depending on the part of
the ship from which they are run.
Breast lines are run at right angles to the keel and prevent a ship from moving away from the
pier. An after breast line is tied to the stern (c), while a forward breast line is tied to the bow (g).
Spring lines leading forward away from the ship at an angle with the keel are forward (bow, or
quarter) springs (d and h). Spring lines leading astern from the ship are called after spring lines
(b and f ).
Adapted from Boatswain’s mate, NAVEDTRA.
Exercise 13. Fill in the blanks in the diagram below:
[origin (on the quay)] + [part of ship where secured] + [“spring line”]
REMEMBER: [forward / midships / after] + [“breast line”]
1
Bull-nose (= Chaumard central). See page 46.
24
2.3. Anchoring
Mouillage Anchoring
Je suis au mouillage (à…) I am at anchor (at…)
Je vire/ lève l’ancre I am heaving up anchor
J’appareille I am weighing anchor
Mon ancre est dérapée My anchor is clear of the bottom
Vous pouvez/devez mouiller You may/must anchor
à… (heure) at… hours
au point… in… position
au point … d’un pilote until pilot arrives
jusqu’à l’arrivée du (des) remorqueur(s) until tug(s) arrive(s)
jusqu’à ce qu’il y ait une profondeur d’eau suffisante until there is sufficient depth of water
Ne mouillez pas au point… Do not anchor (in position…)
Il est interdit de mouiller Anchoring is prohibited
Je vais mouiller (à…) I will anchor (at…)
Le navire… est mouillé (à…) Vessel… is at anchor (at…)
Chassez-vous sur l’ancre ? Are you dragging anchor?
Faites-vous draguer votre ancre ? Are you dragging anchor?
Mon/votre ancre chasse My/Your anchor is dragging
Ne faites pas draguer l’ancre Do not drag 2anchor
Vous devez virer l’ancre You must heave up anchor
Vous devez raccourcir votre chaîne à… maillons You must shorten your cable to… shackles3
Mon ancre est engagée My anchor is foul
Vous obstruez le chenal/le trafic You are obstructing the fairway/other traffic
Vous devez mouiller à un autre emplacement You must anchor in a different position
Vous devez mouiller à l’écart du chenal You must anchor clear of the fairway
Quel est l’emplacement où je dois mouiller ? What is the anchor position for me?
L’emplacement où vous êtes mouillé n’est pas le bon You are at anchor in the wrong position
J’ai filé par le bout mon ancre (et sa chaîne) I have slipped my anchor (and cable) (and buoyed it) in
(et l’ai marquée d’une bouée) au point… in position…
J’ai perdu mon ancre (et sa chaîne) (et l’ai I have lost my anchor (and cable) (and buoyed it) in
marquée d’une bouée) au point… position
2 note that in English there is no distinction between “chasser l’ancre” and “draguer l’ancre”.
3
shackle or shot of chain
25
3. TEST YOURSELF:
1 This is a lighthouse. True or false?
( ) True
( ) False
2 Which of these are walls built for the protection of ships?

[x] An embankment
[x] A jetty
[x] A breakwater
[x] A berth
3 What is a "marina"?
( ) A marina is a dry space where ships are repaired
( ) A marina is a place where yachts are berthed
( ) A marina is a place where warships are berthed
( ) A marina is a permanent structure against which vessels can come alongside
4 Where would a warship not drop anchor?

[x] A marina
[x] A fairway
[x] A berth
[x] A roadstead
[x] A dry dock
5 In the list below, which one is a high light-emitting tower?

( ) A pier
( ) A lighthouse
( ) A dry dock
( ) A marina
6 This picture shows…

( ) A fairway
( ) A seawall
( ) A roadstead
7 This picture shows…

( ) A breakwater
( ) A dry dock
( ) A pier
8 Which word refers to the portion of a body of water where it is recommended to navigate, for
safety reasons?
( ) The berth
( ) The fairway
( ) The pier
( ) The Chanel
26
9 Where would a ship come alongside?
[ ] A pier, a jetty
[ ] A berth
[ ] A fairway
[ ] A breakwater
[ ] A quay
10 This picture shows...

( ) A pier
( ) A breakwater
( ) A dry dock

( ) A fairway
( ) A roadstead
( ) A seawall

( ) A marina
( ) Piers, jetties
( ) A dry dock
13 What do you call the place (in a harbor) where a ship is repaired?
( ) A pier
( ) A dry dock
( ) A berth
( ) An embankment
14 Which is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbor

or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbor and
the correct operation of the port facilities?
( ) The harbormaster
( ) The line handlers
( ) The harbor pilot
( ) The stevedore
( ) The shipchandler
( ) The crane operator
( ) The forwarding agent
15 Whose job is it to load and unload ships?

( ) The stevedore
27
16 Who organizes the succession of transports for a specific
cargo?
( ) The stevedore
17 Who uses a large derrick or crane to load and unload goods onto a ship?
( ) The stevedore
18 Who is a retail dealer in special supplies or equipment for ships?

( ) The stevedore
19 Which is an experienced mariner who guides ships through the

congested waters of a harbor?
( ) The stevedore
20 Who assists a ship in her berthing by pulling on ropes to bring the

vessel alongside?
( ) The stevedore
28
CHAPTER 4: SHIPS
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. It or She?
In English we preferably use the pronoun SHE for a boat or ship, rather than the usual IT. Why? Here is
a possible list of explanations. Choose your preferred version:
a) It is because ships are like women: while the initial cost is all right, the upkeep costs a lot!
b) It takes an experienced man at the helm to avoid disasters!
c) It takes quite a lot of paint to keep them decent!
d) When arriving to port, they both head for the buoys!
e) All of the above…
More seriously, even though in recent years official institutions have attempted to neuter ships, they
remain she for the majority of sailors and mariners. This means that you should not only use the
pronoun “she”, but also the possessive “her”, when talking about a vessel... even when her namesake
is a male. Note that the relative pronoun used is “which”.
Exercise 14. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate pronoun or possessive:
1) The Captain ordered to bring H E R alongside at berth A23.

2) S H E is not answering the wheel, Sir!
3) I want H E R decks sparking clean by 1400 today!
4) Steady as S H E goes! (see page 87 - 88)
5) The ship W H I C H is berthed alongside the pier is a warship.
1.2. Boat or ship?

Naval vessels are usually called ships, except for submarines, which are always boats. What difference
is there between a ship and a boat?
Some have argued that a ship has a mast, while a boat does
not. Others have posited that it is simply a question of size:
you can put a boat on a ship, but you cannot put a ship on a
boat. You can, however, put a ship on another ship (see
section 3, in this chapter, for an example).
When one uses the word boat for a ship (warships or

civilian), it is generally negatively connoted, and may
offend the crew of that vessel. So, as a rule of thumb, only
use the word boat for smaller watercraft like tenders,
dinghies, dhows, RHIBs or whalers.
29
Exercise 15. Match the terms below with their definition:
any of various small boats. As a small ship’s boat,

the dinghy may be a rowboat but more often is
⦿ ⦿ powered and has a pointed bow, transom stern,
and round bottom. Small, inflatable life rafts are
also sometimes called dinghies.
Dhow
one- or two-masted Arab sailing vessel, usually

⦿ ⦿ with lateen rigging (slanting, triangular sails),
common in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Dinghy
⦿ ⦿ a boat used on naval ships as the captain's taxi
Gig
light, double-ended, boat, initially developed for

⦿ ⦿ use by whaling crews and now used more
generally. It now often serves as a gig.
RHIB
⦿ ⦿ rigid-hulled inflatable boat.
Tender
any type of boat that provides a service to a ship.

There are dive tenders, submarine tenders,
⦿ ⦿
destroyer tenders, water tenders, fuel tenders,
transport tenders, etc...
Watercraft
⦿ ⦿ any vehicle that moves on or through water.
Whaler
30
2. WARSHIPS
A ship that is designed to wage war (a naval vessel) is a warship. A ship that (warships.mp3)
will combat in war is a man-of-war. Not all naval vessels are men-of-war,
though: hospital ships, for example, are not, even though they are warships.
The word battleship is not a synonym of warship. Battleships were very
heavy armored warships that fought in WW1 and WW2, such as the IJN
Yamato or the USS Arizona.
Let us consider the most frequent types of warships.
Exercise 16. Scan the QR code to listen to an audio track, and use it to fill in the blanks:
This is an A I R C R A F T C A R R I E R .
It is propelled by a nuclear power plant.
It is thus referred to as a N U C L E A R - P O W E R E D
AIRCRAFT CARRIER.
Technically, a H E L I C O P T E R C A R R I E R is also an
aircraft carrier. This one (FS Jeanne d’Arc) is now
D E C O M I S S I O N E D or retired.
This ship is designed to protect capital ships from air

attacks. It is a Forbin-class AAWD. French
D E S T R O Y E R S are easy to recognize because they sport
the letter D (for “destroyer”) and the number 4 0 0
something on their hull. From the superstructure of this
ship, one can tell she is fitted with radars to conduct AAW
(A N T I - A I R W A R F A R E ).
This elegant ship is also a French ship.

It is an ASWD or A N T I - S U B M A R I N E W A R F A R E
D E S T R O Y E R . She is designed to protect the task force
from submarine attacks, and is therefore fitted with several
types of sonar.
This is not a French vessel. It is a T I C O N D E R O G A -class

C R U I S E R . Only the U S N and the R U S S I A N N A V Y
still have C R U I S E R S . They are usually larger than
destroyers (± 9,000 MT of displacement), but smaller than
carrier vessels or amphibious ships.
31
Time for a trap: this is a F R I G A T E .
It does not correspond to the French word frégate.
A Frigate is a smaller type of warship than a
destroyer. The French call them Aviso. In this particular case,
her shape is designed to reduce her radar signature: it is a
S T E A L T H ship.
There are also smaller warships such as this P A T R O L

VESSEL.
Ships may also be designed to carry troops to overseas

destinations. These troops will then disembark to do their
job. These vessels come in all sizes. The smallest one is the
LANDING CRAFT.
These rather larger ships are L A N D I N G S H I P S . They

are designed to hit the beaches and unload troops and their
support capabilities directly where they are needed.
An LSD (L A N D I N G SHIP D O C K ) is a larger

amphibious ship designed to land troops and support
vehicles primarily with landing craft stored in the well deck
(or well dock). They also carry helicopters.
This is a L A N D I N G H E L I C O P T E R D O C K (LHD), a
large ship designed to land up to 450 troops and support
vehicles primarily with helicopters but also with landing
craft. They can also be used a hospital ship or transport over
50 armored vehicles, or 16 helicopters.
This ship provides oil, spare parts and other supplies to

other ships. It is a S U P P L Y V E S S E L , also known as oiler
or R E P L E N I S H M E N T S H I P .
32
Other ships are useful because they ensure the safety of the
task force. Here is a M I N E H U N T E R which seeks and
destroys mines and can also lay them, although France has
agreed not to use any. These ships are not made of metal.
This is an S S N , (for Sub-surface Ship Nuclear or Sub

Surface Nuclear). She is a nuclear-propelled attack
submarine, a.k.a “hunter-killer”. She is armed primarily
with torpedoes. The French Navy currently has 6 in its OOB
(Order Of Battle).
Submarines with diesel-electric propulsion are known as
S S K (K for K I L L E R ).
The (larger) missile-launching submarine is known as Sub-

Surface Ballistic Nuclear (S S B N ), a.k.a “boomers”. The
French Navy currently operates 4 .
The USN also operates SSGN (with guided missiles).
USS Independence and USS Freedom are new types of ships in

the US Navy. They are called LCS, which stands for
LITTORAL COMBAT SHIP.
USS Independence (LCS2) is quite revolutionary because of
her T R I M A R A N hull.
USS Freedom (LCS1) was designed to fulfill the same
missions. She has a very different shape though.
France too has recently designed innovative vessels. The

OPV O F F S H O R E P A T R O L V E S S E L (Adroit class)
was designed for similar missions. She is armed with light
weapons and is fitted with a drone or UAV (U N M A N N E D
A E R I A L V E H I C L E ). She is also fitted with two docks for
RHIBs and accommodation for 12 marines.
33
3. CIVILIAN SHIPS
As world trade has expanded, the volume of cargo carried by ships has (civilian_ships.mp3)
also increased. At the same time, the transport industry has become more
efficient. These developments have encouraged the construction of
special-purpose ships. Let us see some of them.
NOTE: please note that the word CARGO never designates a ship in
English. The cargo is what the ships transports, not the ship herself.
Exercise 17. Scan the QR code to listen to an audio track, and use it to fill in the blanks:
A vessel designed to transport mineral cargo (such as coal, iron
ore, etc.) in bulk, in her holds, is an O R E C A R R I E R .
A vessel designed to transport dry unpackaged cargo in bulk is a
B U L K C A R R I E R or bulker. It is recognizable thanks to its
hatch covers and cranes.
A vessel designed to transport wet cargo (= liquid) in bulk is a
T A N K E R . It has many pipes on the weather deck.
Some tankers carry crude oil. Large ones are called
supertankers. If they are heavier than 160,000 DWT, they are
called VLCC (V E R Y L A R G E C R U D E C A R R I E R ). If they
are heavier than 320,000 DWT, they are known as ULCC
(U L T R A L A R G E C R U D E C A R R I E R ).
A vessel designed to transport gaseous cargo is called an LNG
tanker or LPG tanker, which stands for L I Q U I F I E D
N A T U R A L G A S or L I Q U I F I E D P E T R O L E U M G A S .
They are nicknamed “camel-back” ships, and most of the time
they are orange, and have the letters LNG painted on their hull.
34
C H E M I C A L T A N K E R S are a smaller type of tanker. Their
size is reduced because of the dangerous nature of their cargo.
Indeed, they are loaded with dangerous chemicals. Like gas
tankers, these ships also are generally orange, so that other ships
can easily recognize them, and give a wide berth.
This very large ship is a ship designed to transport passengers
for pleasure cruises. They are known as C R U I S E L I N E R ,
O C E A N L I N E R , or P A S S E N G E R L I N E R .
Some ships are designed to transport perishable goods in
refrigerated compartments or containers. These are known as
REEFERS.
Most large vessels require the assistance of strong powerful
boats when maneuvering in port or in constrained waters.
These powerful boats are known as T U G or T U G B O A T . They
can T O W much larger ships. Some have conventional
propellers, but other ones have vertical-blade cycloidal
propellers which let them push or pull in any direction. These are
called VSP tugs (Voith-Schneider Propeller).
Sometimes, sediments accumulate in the river mouths or
fairways, hindering local traffic. To remedy that, D R E D G E R S
excavate the sea bottom, by digging or sucking up mud, sand or
sediment. One should always steer clear of these vessels
because they cannot maneuver freely.
35
These large vessels which have the capability of laying
underwater cables (for telecommunications) are known as
C A B L E ships, cable-laying vessels, or simply C A B L E -
L A Y E R S . Often, their name is prefixed with the letters CS, so
that other ships identify them clearly, because they are often
restricted in their ability to maneuver.
Some powerful and strongly-built vessels can break open a
passage through floating ice. These ships are called I C E -
B R E A K E R S or I C E -B R E A K I N G ships. Some of them even
have nuclear propulsion, and all have a reinforced hull.
This very special ship has the capacity to lift heavy cargo
(sometimes entire ships!) at sea. It is known as a F L O A T I N G
C R A N E or C R A N E ship.
Some ships are designed to catch fish and immediately freeze
them. They are known as F I S H -F A C T O R Y ships, or F I S H
PROCESSING VESSELS.
This ship can fill up her ballast tanks to sink down in the water so
that other ships can maneuver onto her deck. Then she can
refloat herself to transport her cargo to another place. She is
known as a S E M I -S U B M E R S I B L E H E A V Y -L I F T
CARRIER.
36
This ship can lift and transport very heavy cargo. She is known as
aHEAVY LIFT CARGO SHIP.
This is a R O R O F E R R Y ( roll-on, roll-off), in which bow and
stern doors and adjustable steel ramps permit vehicles to drive
on board and drive off again, requiring only minimum dockside
facilities. Such vessels navigate on scheduled routes between
France and England, across the English Channel, for instance.
The majority of consumer goods is transported on very large
C O N T A I N E R S H I P S , also called C O N T A I N E R
V E S S E L S . Their cargo capacity is measured by the number of
steel containers they can transport. The unit used is the T.E.U or
T W E N T Y -F O O T E Q U I V A L E N T U N I T .
There are also smaller container vessels (that navigate up
rivers), which are called F E E D E R S .
The most common type of fishing vessel is the T R A W L E R
which drags a long sock-shaped net (called a trawl) astern of
her. Mariners should be careful not to pass too close astern of
her, as this can be dangerous.
A pleasure craft is known as a Y A C H T . A yacht can be a sailing
yacht, or a motor yacht. Often, motor yachts are prefixed MY.
37
Exercise 18. What do you remember? Match the following definitions with the names and complete the
chart below by writing down the names of the ships under the photographs.
a ship transporting cargo that is not divided into parts or

aircraft carrier ⦿ ⦿
packaged in separate units
a warship with a flight deck on which aircraft can be
bulk-carrier ⦿ ⦿
launched and landed
a cargo ship transporting portable steel compartments in
container-ship ⦿ ⦿
which freight is placed for convenience of movement
ferryboat ⦿ ⦿ a modern warship that is smaller than a destroyer
fishing boat ⦿ ⦿ a boat used to transport passengers, vehicles, or goods
frigate ⦿ ⦿ a ship used for catching fish
patrol boat ⦿ ⦿ a strongly built powerful boat used for towing and pushing
a ship that steams in a particular area for observation or the

a supply ship ⦿ ⦿
maintenance of security
tanker ⦿ ⦿ a ship that is used to replenish other ships at sea
tugboat ⦿ ⦿ a cargo ship fitted with tanks for carrying liquid in bulk
warship ⦿ ⦿ a naval (=military) vessel
Which ship from the list above is not depicted in the photographs? S U P P L Y S H I P .
38
4. TEST YOURSELF
1 What is the FFG ship designation code most likely used for?
( ) a frigate
( ) a destroyer
( ) a submarine
( ) an amphibious warfare vessel
2 What is the DDG ship designation code most likely used for?
( ) a frigate
( ) a destroyer
( ) a submarine
3 What is the CG ship designation code most likely used for?

( ) a coastal patrol ship
( ) a submarine
( ) a ship with guided missiles
4 What is the most likely ship designation code for a nuclear-powered aircraft
carrier, in the US Navy?
( ) CV
( ) CVN
( )R
( ) RN
5 What is the French ship designation code most equivalent to the USN’s CVN?
( ) CV
( ) CVN
( )R
( ) RN
6 What kind of ship is most probably a LHD?

( ) an amphibious unit
( ) a destroyer
( ) a supply vessel
( ) a nuclear-powered unit
7 Which is not an amphibious ship/boat?

( ) LCAC
( ) LHA
( ) LST
( ) LCS
8 Which is armed with nuclear ballistic missiles?

( ) SSN
( ) SSBN
( ) CVN
( ) RHIB
39
9 Which prefix is best for a pleasure craft?
( ) MV
( ) FS
( ) MY
( ) SS
10 Which is not a fishing vessel?

( ) a trawler
( ) a troller
( ) a reefer
( ) a scalloper
11 Which will generally not be painted orange?

( ) a chemical tanker
( ) a LNG tanker
( ) a VLCC
( ) a reefer
12 Which will most probably be the smallest?

( ) RO-RO
( ) ULCC
( ) LHD
( ) RHIB
13 Which ship will most probably serve the best Tandoori onboard?
( ) USS Anzio
( ) HMAS Anzac
( ) INS Vikramaditya
( ) HMS Astute
14 Which is not primarily a cargo-carrying vessel?

( ) bulk carrier
( ) dredger
( ) ore carrier
( ) reefer
15 What does ASWD mean?

( ) Anti-Ship Weapon Design
( ) Anti-Surface Warfare Destroyer
( ) Anti-Submarine Warfare Destroyer
( ) Anti-Submerged Weapon Detector
40
CHAPTER 5: ONBOARD
1. SHIP PARTS
1.1. Outboard: The hull, decks, etc…
Fellow mariners will expect you to designate specific ship parts with the appropriate vocabulary.
Watch the video/presentation and fill in the blanks below.
The front part of a ship is called the B O W ( S ) . The word is often used
in the plural.
The forwardmost part of the bow, where the two sides come together, is
known as the S T E M . Originally, this word designated the short mast
that sticks out from the bow on some sailing vessels.
The other end of the ship is called the
S T E R N In between is the watertight
body of a ship, called the H U L L .
The ship floats on the water and the limit between the part of the ship
below the water and that above the water is called the W A T E R L I N E .
The series of figures or marks at the stem or stern of a vessel indicating
the draft (or draught) are called D R A U G H T /D R A F T M A R K S .
Floors on ships are called D E C K S . The main deck is known as the
WEATHER DECK.
41
Above the main deck stands the superstructure. It holds the B R I D G E ,
where the ship is commanded from. It is also called P I L O T H O U S E or
wheelhouse.
On the superstructure (or on the deck if on a sailing ship), one can see
one or several M A S T S . On warships, it is often fitted with aerials and
radar antennas.
There is no chimney on a ship, but there is a F U N N E L or
smokestack (or stack), which expels boiler steam and/or smoke or
engine exhaust. Often, it is painted black.
The deck above the bow is called the F O R E C A S T L E , or foc’sle.
Note: always pronounce [fəʊksəl].
Similarly, the part above the stern is called the F A N T A I L .
Sometimes it is called the Q U A R T E R D E C K even though this term
designates the ceremonial deck (which is generally at the fantail, but
not always). Also, note that on a USN vessel, the quarterdeck
designates the place where one comes on-board (where the sentry is).
The term P O O P D E C K designates a deck that is higher than the main
deck, at the stern.
On an aircraft carrier or on an amphibious ship, the main deck is called
the F L I G H T D E C K . Helicopters can also land on smaller ship fitted
with a H E L I C O P T E R L A N D I N G P A D or H E L I P A D .
42
Warships may be fitted with various types of weaponry or equipment such as:
MACHINE
MM38 GUN
MISSILE (0.50 cal.)
LAUNCHER
GUN TURRET ROCKET

LAUNCHER CRANE
Modern ships are no longer propelled by wind power.
They use engines which drive a P R O P E L L E R or
S C R E W , connected to the engine by a
PROPELLER SHAFT. SHAFT
A controllable P I T C H propeller (CPP) or V A R I A B L E pitch propeller (VPP)
is a type of propeller with blades that can be rotated to change their pitch.
A F I X E D -B L A D E propeller or fixed-P I T C H propeller (FPP) is a
propeller whose blades are attached to the boss (or hub) and cannot
move independently.
Pictures and CPP/VPP definition from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propeller
In order to assist in the ship’s berthing, additional propellers called
T H R U S T E R S are fitted in the bow or stern of the ship. In this
picture, the thruster is just above the B U L B O U S B O W .
43
The steering of the ship is done thanks to the steering
gear. The H E L M is a wheel which is used to transmit
the steering orders to the R U D D E R . The part of the
rudder which moves is called the rudder B L A D E .
Stability is ensured thanks to the K E E L and
B I L G E K E E L S or fins, also known as
STABILIZERS.
Exercise 19. Read the following list, and write the French equivalents of these words:
1. the rudder: G O U V E R N A I L 14. aerial mast : M Â T D ’ A N T E N N E
2. the propeller: H É L I C E 15. the funnel: C H E M I N É E
3. propeller shaft: A R B R E D ’ H É L I C E 16. the bridge: P A S S E R E L L E
4. the hull: C O Q U E 17. fantail: P L A G E A R R I È R E
5. the main deck: P O N T P R I N C I P A L 18. a crane: U N E G R U E
6. bow thruster: P R O P U L S E U R 19.double bottom hull: C O Q U E À D O U B L E

D’ÉTRAVE FOND
7. anchor: A N C R E 20. hold: C A L E
8. bulbous bow: B U L B E D ’ É T R A V E 21. hatch cover: P A N N E A U D E C A L E
9. capstan: C A B E S T A N 22. bunkers: S O U T E S ( D E P R O P U L S I O N )
23. aft / stern thruster: P R O P U L S E U R

10. forecastle / foc’sle: P L A G E A V A N T
ARRIÈRE
24. fixed-blade propeller: H É L I C E À P A L E S
11. windlass: G U I N D E A U
FIXES
25. variable pitch propeller : H É L I C E À P A S
12. containers: C O N T E N E U R S
VARIABLE
13. the castle / the superstructure:
26. light mast: C O L O N N E D E F E U X
CHÂTEAU
44
Exercise 20. Use the word in the previous exercise to fill in the boxes:
HATCH COVER
AERIAL CRANE
FUNNEL FOC’SLE
MAST
RUDDER HOLD DOUBLE BOTTOM
Exercise 21. Number the following arrows, with the words from the list above:
AERIAL MAST
FANTAIL BOW
BRIDGE FUNNEL (proue, avant)
CASTLE
CONTAINERS
FOC’SLE
WINDLASS (plage avant)
(guindeau)
RUDDER
PROPELLER
PROPELLER
DECK
SHAFT
BOW
HULL THRUSTER
ANCHOR BULBOUS BOW
45
1.2. The foc’sle (forecastle)
This is the C E N T E R F A I R L E A D
This is or B U L L N O S E or P A N A M A F A I R L E A D This is a spare
a F A I R L E A D or ANCHOR
CLOSED CHOCK
Those are
H A W S E P I P E S or
HAWSE HOLES
This is a D E A D M A N
Those are the anchor
C H A I N S or
CABLES
Those are B I T T S
This is the
WINDLASS
This is a W A R P I N G
DRUM
This is the or G I P S Y H E A D
CAPSTAN
This is a T U R N B U C K L E This is the

This is a S T O P P E R
or M O O R I N G S W I V E L WILDCAT
Note: A capstan is a vertical W I N C H while a windlass is a horizontal winch.
46
2. INBOARD: INSIDE A SHIP
2.1. General arrangement of a commercial cargo vessel
Exercise 22. Read the text below and look at the diagram. Then, match the highlighted vocabulary
with the letters on the diagram.
Onboard a vessel, the compartments are formed by vertical separations (longitudinal and transverse
bulkheads) and horizontal separations (decks). These compartments and spaces serve as storage
spaces for cargo, stores, equipment, spare parts, liquids, etc. They also serve as accommodation spaces
for passengers and/or crewmembers, or
as domestic spaces such as galley,
pantries, dispensary, etc.
The foremost end of the vessel is called

the stem, while the extreme aft of the
vessel is called the stern.
The upper deck, or main deck [ n ] is

often the deck that is exposed to sea and
weather. This is why it is sometimes
called the “weather deck”. The foremost
part of the main deck is called the
forecastle [ j ]. The part of the ship that is above the main deck is the superstructure [ a ]. The
tweendeck [ m ] is the intermediate deck between the main deck and the inside bottom of the vessel,
called tanktop [ l ]. The tweendeck divides the vessel into separate holds.
The upper holds [ g ] and lower holds are the spaces that contain the cargo. Spaces for liquid cargo are
called tanks. The foremost and aftermost spaces of the vessel are the peak tanks [ c ]. They may serve
as storage spaces for ballast water and are capable of absorbing a part of the impact forces that are
released in case of a collision.
The anchor chain is stored in the chain locker [ i ], which is situated over the fore peaktank. The upper
part of the fore peaktank is called the boatswain’s (= bosun’s) locker [ k ]. It is where ropes, paint and
dunnage4 are kept.
Bulkheads are the vertical separations between holds and compartments. The fore peak bulkhead and
after peak bulkhead are known as the collision bulkheads [ d ] because they are watertight and
prevent the vessel from flooding in case the vessel collides with another vessel.
The engine room [ e ] is a watertight machinery space that contains the vessel’s propulsion plant. The
steering engine room [ b ] (or after steering compartment) is also watertight and is often situated
above the after peaktank.
The double bottom [ f ] provides strength and storage space for fuel, lubricating oil, fresh water, ballast
water, and potable water. To prevent liquids from leaking from one double bottom tank into the other,
longitudinal and transverse separations are used between the tanks. These separations, which are in
fact empty spaces, are called cofferdams5 [ h ].
Adapted from The International Maritime Language Program, P.C. Van Kluijven.
4
Dunnage: Matériaux d’emballage
5
Cofferdam: caisson étanche, compartiment étanche.
47
2.2. Getting around
Exercise 23. Listen to the audio track and fill in the missing words.
Naval vessels are called S H I P S , except submarines, which are called (getting_around.mp3)
B O A T S . The front part of a ship is the B O W and the back part is the
S T E R N . If you are facing the bow, then your left is P O R T and your right
is S T A R B O A R D . If you walk towards the bow, you go F O R W A R D and
if you go towards the stern, you go A F T . You never go upstairs on a ship,
you go T O P S I D E and when you go downstairs, you go B E L O W . There
are no stairs on a vessel, there are L A D D E R S instead. When you go
onboard a ship you E M B A R K and when you leave, you D I S E M B A R K
or D E B A R K . To come onboard, you use the B R O W .
Floors on a ship are called D E C K S and the openings from one deck to another are H A T C H E S . Ships
have C O M P A R T M E N T S and P A S S A G E W A Y S , rather than rooms and corridors. The walls of
compartments are called B U L K H E A D S and the ceiling is the O V E R H E A D . If you can see the sea
from your compartment, then you are looking out of a P O R T H O L E . If you are hungry, then ask for
the G A L L E Y , and if you are ill go to S I C K B A Y … and if you want to go to that private place where
people always go alone, ask for the H E A D .
(Adapted from Campaign, S. Mellor-Clark & Y Baker de Altamirano, MacMillan).
Exercise 24. Now read paragraph 2 again and find words that mean ...
TOILET: HEAD KITCHEN : GALLEY
WALL : BULKHEAD CEILING : OVERHEAD
CORRIDOR : P-WAY ROOM : COMPARTMENT
FLOOR : DECK WINDOW : PORTHOLE
Exercise 25. Match the following words with their French equivalent:
La proue, l’étrave ⦿ ⦿ The bow / the stem

La poupe ⦿ ⦿ The hold
La bannette ⦿ ⦿ The stern
Le carré officier; le carré OM ⦿ ⦿ The rack / the bunk
Le caisson ⦿ ⦿ The wardroom / the senior rates’ mess
La cale ⦿ ⦿ The locker
L’écoutille ⦿ ⦿ The hatch
48
3. MEASUREMENTS AND DIMENSIONS
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull_(watercraft) and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Length_between_perpendiculars
• Length overall (LOA) is the extreme length from one end to the other.
• Length Between Perpendiculars (LBP or LPP) refers to the length of a vessel along the waterline
from the forward surface of the stem, or main bow perpendicular member, to the after surface of
the sternpost, or main stern perpendicular member.
• Length at the waterline (LWL) is the length from the forwardmost point of the waterline measured
in profile to the stern-most point of the waterline.
• Beam or breadth is the width of the hull. (ex: BWL is the maximum beam at the waterline)
• Depth or moulded depth is the vertical distance measured from the top of the keel to the underside
of the upper deck at side.
• Draft is the vertical distance from the bottom of the hull to the waterline.
• Freeboard is the difference between depth and draft.
• Air draft / masthead height is the distance between the highest point of the superstructure and the
waterline
• Displacement (Δ) is the weight of water equivalent to the immersed volume of the hull.
49
Exercise 26. Now read the clues and solve the crosswords. All the words are in the text above:
Across: 1 1 4
D E P T H D
1: the vertical distance measured from the top
of the keel to the underside of the upper deck. R I
2: the width of the hull, the beam. 2
3: the frame or body of a ship or boat exclusive A S
of masts, yards, sails, and rigging. 3
W F P
4: the width of the hull, the breadth. 2
3
5: the longer dimension of an object. B R E A D T H H U L L
6: the difference between depth and draft.
T E A
Down: 4
B E A M I C
1: the vertical distance from the bottom of the
hull to the waterline. R G E
2: the point on the hull of a ship or boat to 5
which the water rises.
L E N G T H M
3: the distance between the waterline and the I T E
highest point of the superstructure.
4: the weight of water equivalent to the N N
immersed volume of the hull. 6
F R E E B O A R D T
Exercise 27. Which measurement do these suggest?
1- W A T E R L I N E
2- A I R D R A F T / M A S T H E A D H E I G H T
3- D R A F T
4- F R E E B O A R D
5- B E A M / B R E A D T H / W I D T H
4. CARGO ON BOARD
4.1. Basic vocabulary
• Cargo: cargaison
• Goods: marchandise
• To load: charger
• To unload: décharger
• The list: la gîte
• The trim: l’assiette
• To list: gîter
• To jettison some cargo: jeter la cargaison par dessus bord.
50
If the vessel is not loaded, she is on ballast conditions.
If the vessel is a tanker, she can be inerted, gas free, or not gas free.
4.2. Types of cargo:
• General cargo
is cargo coming in boxes, crates, bags, pieces
is loaded and unloaded by cranes with grabs or by pumps
Hatches gives access to the hold
• Bulk cargo (bulk cargo is unpacked cargo of one commodity)

There is dry bulk cargo (grain/ore)
There is wet bulk cargo (oil, crude oil)
• Containarized cargo
4.3. The stowage plan; Location of the cargo

The cargo can be loaded from the lower deck to the upper deck, in some tanks, containers
or in bulk. It can be loaded also on the main deck, if the weather conditions at sea are bad, this cargo
can shift on the deck, changing the stability of the vessel. In that situation the vessel will be seeking a
shelter to stow or her cargo.
Exercise 28. Fill in the blanks with the words from the list below:
first mate shore gang stevedoring stowage plan stowed
Onboard a merchant vessel, one of the most important responsibilities of the f i r s t m a t e is to make
sure that cargo will be properly loaded and s t o w e d .
Whether bulk cargo, general cargo, heavy cargo, containerized cargo or refrigerated perishable cargo
are carried, care must always be taken to ensure that a cargo will not in any way affect the vessel’s
stability and jeopardize the safety of the vessel, cargo and crew.
Therefore, a s t o w a g e p l a n must be made up before the loading of the cargo commences.
S t e v e d o r i n g (loading and discharging of cargo) must be done according to this stowage plan by a
s h o r e g a n g . The most important factors that must be taken into consideration when making up a
stowage plan are mentioned below.
51
Exercise 29. Fill in the blanks with the words from the list below:
bale space grain space oil space stowage factor ullage
The s t o w a g e f a c t o r of the cargo indicates the volume of cargo hold occupied by one ton of cargo,
and is best explained by this example: one ton of lead will take up less space than one ton of cotton.
According to the type of cargo carried, this volume, or space, can be defined as bale space, grain space,
or oil space.
By b a l e s p a c e is meant the volume of the cargo holds that can be used for general cargo.
By g r a i n s p a c e is meant the volume of the cargo holds that can be used for dry bulk cargo.
By o i l s p a c e is understood 98% of the total volume of the wet bulk tanks. The remaining two
percent is called u l l a g e and serves as expansion-space to allow for an increase of volume when a
cargo of oil is heated up and will consequently expand.
5. TEST YOURSELF
1 The term "yacht" can only be used for motor vessels. True or False?
( ) True
( ) False
2 Often, a vessel identifies itself as “MV Hername”. What does MV mean?

[ ] Motor Vessel
[ ] Merchant Vessel
[ ] My vessel
[ ] Moving vessel
3 On a warship, what is the CIC?

( ) The engine room
( ) The Ops Room
( ) The wardroom
( ) The bridge
4 What is the name of the part of the ship that rotates in the water to
create propulsion for the ship?
( ) The rudder
( ) The propeller
( ) The anchor
( ) The fender
5 “The ship is steaming”. What does that mean?

( ) It means the ship is very hot.
( ) It means the ship is making headway.
( ) It means the ship is at full stop.
( ) It means the ship is being replenished.
52
6 Which of the words below designate the main power plant of the
vessel?
[ ] The engine
[ ] The anchor
[ ] The boiler
[ ] The rudder
[ ] The propeller
7 What is the difference between a ship and a boat?

( ) A ship is larger than a boat
( ) A boat is larger than a ship
( ) No real difference. These are equivalent terms
8 What type of craft do you get into when your ship sinks?
( ) A canoe
( ) A safety boat
( ) A life raft
9 What do mariners do when they want to make sure their vessel will not
move?
( ) They must heave up anchor
( ) They must put the anchor aweigh
( ) They must raise anchor
( ) They must drop anchor
10 What do you call a place where the ship is anchored?

[ ] An anchoring
[ ] An anchor position
[ ] An anchoring position
[ ] An anchor
[ ] An anchorage position
11 When a ship is secured to the bottom of the ocean thanks to an anchor

and chain, she is...
( ) Anchored
( ) Moored
( ) Berthed
( ) Docked
12 When a ship is secured to a floating buoy, she is...

( ) Anchored
( ) Moored
( ) Berthed
( ) Docked
13 When a ship is tied up alongside a quay, she is...

( ) Anchored
( ) Berthed
( ) Docked
( ) Moored
53
14 When a ship is between two quays or two piers, she is...
( ) Anchored
( ) Moored
( ) Berthed
( ) Docked
15 What do you call the lines used to secure a ship to her berth?
( ) The mooring lines
( ) The anchoring lines
( ) The berthing lines
( ) The securing lines
16 When a ship is "berthed", it means that she has come alongside. True or
False?
( ) True
( ) False
17 This ship is berthed. True or False?

( ) True
( ) False
18 This ship is anchored. True or False?

( ) True
( ) False
19 This boat is moored. True or False?

( ) True
( ) False
20 This ship is in a dry dock. True or False?

( ) True
( ) False
21 This ship is berthed portside to. True or False?

( ) True
( ) False
54
22 Where does a ship normally undergo repair and maintenance
operations below the waterline?
( ) A mooring position
( ) A dry dock
( ) A berthing position
( ) An anchoring position
23 Which two elements of the list below designate similar facilities?

[ ] A berthing position
[ ] An anchorage position
[ ] A basin
[ ] A mooring position
[ ] A dry dock
24 Which acronyms designate the replenishment of a vessel at sea?

[ ] FAS
[ ] SSBN
[ ] ETA
[ ] RAS
[ ] UNREP
25 This is now...
( ) ... a wreck.
( ) ... capsized.
( ) ... a tug.
( ) ... moored.
55
CHAPTER 6: ON A SEA CHART
1. TIDES
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces
exerted by the Moon and the Sun and the rotation of the Earth. Tides are predictable and charted.
Exercise 30. Complete the following tidal forecast.
Today, the sun rose in Camaret at 7:42 h and sunset will be at 20:52 h. The moon set at 0:21 h at 234º
southwest. Eventually, the moon will rise again in the southeast (126º) at 16:49 h.
In the H I G H tide and L O W tide chart, we can see that the first L O W T I D E was at 5:00 h and the
next low tide will be at 17:40 h. The first H I G H T I D E was at 11:05 h and the next high tide will be at
23:45 h.
The T I D A L C O E F F I C I E N T today is 45, a low value, which means that the tidal R A N G E
(difference between high tide and low tide) will be lower than on other occasions and the
C U R R E N T S will also be small. The T I D E H E I G H T S today are 2.4 m, 5.6 m, 2.5 m and 5.2 m. We
can compare these levels with the maximum high tide recorded in the T I D E T A B L E S for Camaret
which is of 7.6 m and a minimum height of 0.4 m.
The lunar phase is a First Quarter Moon. Today we have 13 hours and 10 minutes of sun. The solar
transit is at 14:17 h and the length of time the moon will be visible will be 7 hours and 32 minutes.
tide tables tidal coefficient low tide

low high tide high
tide height range currents
Adapted from: http://www.tides4fishing.com/fr/bretagne-atlantique/camaret
56
Vocabulary:
Marée Tide Dessin Drawing

Hauteur (du phare) portée sur
Marée montante Flood/rising tide Charted Elevation
la carte
MHWS Mean High Water at
Marée descendante Ebb/falling tide Pleine mer de vive-eau moyenne
Springs
When the tide comes in, when Pleine mer de morte-eau MHWN Mean High Water at
A la marée montante
the tide is rising moyenne Neaps
When the tide goes out, when Basse mer de morte-eau MLWN Mean Low Water at
A la marée descendante
the tide is ebbing moyenne Neaps
MLWS Mean Low Water at
(à) marée haute/Pleine mer (at) high tide/water Basse mer de vive-eau moyenne
Springs
(à) marée basse/Basse mer (at) low tide/water Niveau géodésique Ordnance Datum
Grande marée/ Marée de vive-
Spring tide Pleine Mer HW High Water
eau
Petite/faible marée/Marée de
Neap tide Basse Mer LW Low Water
morte-eau
Niveau moyen Mean tide level Marnage Tidal Range
Marée noire Oil slick Zéro des cartes CD Chart Datum
Pleine lune / Nouvelle lune Full moon / Change moon Hauteur d’eau Height of tide
Règle des douzièmes Twelfth rule Profondeur Depth

Sonde, Profondeur reportée sur
Annuaire des marées Tide tables Sounding
la carte
Hauteur d’eau au-dessus du
Reduction to sounding
zéro des cartes
57
2. CHARTS
This is a M A P :
From: http://www.france-map.org
This is a nautical C H A R T :
From American Nautical Service at http://amnautical.com/
Buoy: a floating object moored to the bottom to mark a channel or something

(as a shoal) lying under the water
Depth: a deep place in a body of water
Tower: a tower or standpipe serving as a reservoir to deliver water at a required
pressure
Landmark: a conspicuous object on land that marks a locality
Lighthouse: a structure (as a tower) with a powerful light that gives a continuous or
intermittent signal to navigators
Wreck: a hulk or the ruins of a wrecked ship
Scale: an indication of the relationship between the distances on a map or chart
and the corresponding actual distances
Tide: the alternate rising and falling of the surface of the ocean
Seabed: the floor of a sea or ocean
Adapted from “Symboles et abréviations figurant sur les cartes marines françaises », SHOM, édition n°, 2002. Definitions
mostly from http://www.merriam-webster.com/
Figures, International Hydrographic Organization standard, from:

http://mapserver.mytopo.com/mapserver/nautical_symbols/contents.html
58
Exercise 31. What can you find on a chart? Complete the following table with words from this section
(from #1 to #11) – translations for the last four phrases (from #12 to #15) will be found in rule 10 of
the COLREGS (see section 4of this chapter):
FRENCH ENGLISH
1. Echelle / Echelles graphiques S C A L E S / Linear S C A L E S
2. Bouées / Balises B U O Y S / Beacons
3. Marées / Courants T I D E S / Currents
4. Points de courants Tidal Diamonds
5. Profondeurs DEPTHS / SOUNDINGS
6. Nature du fond Nature of the S E A B E D / B O T T O M
7. Dangers (roches, épaves, obstructions) Dangers (Rocks, W R E C K S , Obstructions)
8. Châteaux d’eau Water T O W E R S
9. Estran FORESHORE
10. Phares LIGHTS, LIGHTHOUSES
11. Amers LANDMARKS
12. Dispositif de séparation du trafic (DST) T R A F F I C S E P A R A T I O N S C H E M E S ( T S S )
13. Zone de navigation côtière INSHORE TRAFFIC ZONE
14. Couloirs de circulation TRAFFIC LANES / CLEARWAYS
15. Zones de séparation SEPARATION ZONES
3. BUOYS
3.1. Buoys you must know
The I S O L A T E D D A N G E R M A R K indicates an isolated danger.
A S T A R B O A R D H A N D B U O Y indicates the starboard side of a channel

when returning from sea, i.e. the port side when sailing toward sea.6
A P O R T H A N D B U O Y indicates the port side of a channel when returning

from sea, i.e. the starboard side when sailing toward sea.
C A R D I N A L B U O Y S mark the direction of a danger.

They can be N O R T H E R L Y , W E S T E R L Y , S O U T H E R L Y or E A S T E R L Y .
A S A F E W A T E R M A R K indicates an area where navigation is safe.
6
In IALA zone A (International Association of Lighthouse Authorities) only. It is the opposite in IALA zone B.
59
S P E C I A L M A R K S indicate an area used for a special purpose.
The E M E R G E N C Y W R E C K - M A R K I N G B U O Y is a new buoy created in

2002 after the sinking of the Tricolor and the subsequent accidents where ships kept
on hitting the wreck. It is placed as close as possible to a new wreck.
Example of buoyage (source: www.llantrisantdivers.com)
Exercise 32. Fill in the blanks in the following text with words from the list below.
beacon
radio beacon isolated danger mark safe water mark
radar beacon
lateral mark
starboard hand buoy cardinal buoy special mark
port hand buoy
Buoys beacons and sea marks exist in a variety of shapes and colors. A b e a c o n is meant not only to
be seen but also to be detected. It can be a r a d i o b e a c o n or a r a d a r b e a c o n . It will emit a radio,
light or radar signal.
Buoys are also very diverse. An i s o l a t e d d a n g e r m a r k signals an isolated danger, like a

protruding rock, for example. On the contrary, a s a f e w a t e r m a r k signals waters where it is safe
to navigate. A c a r d i n a l b u o y signals a hazard to navigation and indicates where one should pass
(in relation to the buoy) to avoid it. For example, a northerly cardinal buoy would be placed north of a
danger and by navigating to its north danger would be avoided.
60
A l a t e r a l m a r k (starboard hand buoy or p o r t h a n d b u o y ) would signal the right or left of a
fairway. For example, on a vessel entering a harbor, a s t a r b o a r d h a n d b u o y would be on the
right hand side.
A s p e c i a l m a r k would signal any special area, like a military area, for example.
Exercise 33. Fill in the gaps.
As HMS Ocean leaves the harbor, a young sailor, on his first mission at sea, is able to check his
knowledge of navigation marks. To port, he can see a whole series of S T A R B O A R D H A N D
B U O Y S with O D D numbers clearly visible. Because of the old German wreck outside the harbor, the
ship has to open to starboard to avoid a W E S T E R L Y C A R D I N A L B U O Y , marking its position to
the east. It then gives a wide berth to keep from the S P E C I A L M A R K S marking the military base
waters and heads for the channel where he can see the reassuring red and white shape of the S A F E
W A T E R M A R K . On starboard side, he sees the brand new E M E R G E N C Y W R E C K -
M A R K I N G B U O Y , signaling the wreck of a Liberian freighter which sank last winter. He also knows
the buoy will not remain there and as soon as the wreck is on the charts, it will end up replaced by an
ISOLATED DANGER MARK.
3.2. More buoys:

3.2.1. Leads
Leads are a pair of navigation marks, used to

indicate a safe passage for vessels entering a
shallow or dangerous channel. Leads are
separated in distance and elevation, so that when
they are lined up vertically, with one behind the
other, they provide a bearing. They are usually
used to enter a harbour, anchorage or navigate a
channel. They are often used for the approaches
to anchorages (there are many at Rottnest) instead of lateral
marks.
You steer to keep the rear lead directly above the front lead.
3.2.2. Other channel buoys
Generally, when two channels meet, one will be designated the preferred channel (i.e.
most important channel). The buoy depicted on the right indicates the preferred channel
to starboard.
The buoy depicted on the left indicates the preferred channel to port
61
Aquamark minibuoys are used in some areas as alternatives to
conventional buoyage. They often have advisory messages on them and
penalties may apply for breaching the requirement displayed.
3.2.3. Other buoys
“Wash” is the wave effect created by a vessel moving through the water. No Wash
signs are placed in some areas where the wash from a vessel is likely to cause
damage to the foreshore or vessels, or injury or annoyance to people. They are also
referred to as No wake signs.
When navigating in some areas, the speed maybe limited by a speed sign.
4. TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEMES
International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea (or Colregs)

RULE 10 - Traffic Separation Schemes
(a) This Rule applies to traffic separation schemes adopted by the Organization and does not relieve
any vessel of her obligation under any other rule.
(b) A vessel using a traffic separation scheme shall:

(i) proceed in the appropriate traffic lane in the general direction of traffic flow for that
lane;
(ii) so far as practicable keep clear of a traffic separation line or separation zone;
(iii) normally join or leave a traffic lane at the termination of the lane, but when joining or
leaving from either side shall do so at as small an angle to the general direction of traffic
flow as practicable.
(c) A vessel shall, so far as practicable, avoid crossing traffic lanes but if obliged to do so shall cross on
a heading as nearly as practicable at right angles to the general direction of traffic flow.
(d) (i) A vessel shall not use an inshore traffic zone when she can safely use the appropriate
traffic lane within the adjacent traffic separation scheme. However, vessels of less than 20
meters in length, sailing vessels, and vessels engaged in fishing may use the inshore traffic
zone.
(ii) Notwithstanding subparagraph (d)(i), a vessel may use an inshore traffic zone when en
route to or from a port, offshore installation or structure, pilot station, or any other place
situated within the inshore traffic zone, or to avoid immediate danger.
62
Exercise 34. Complete the chart below with words from the list. Some words can be used several times.
bound / inshore / lane / Northeast / separation / Southwest / traffic / two / way / zone
S O U T H W E S T BO U N D
TR A F F I C LA N E
N O R T H W E S T BO U N D
TR A F F I C LA N E
SEPARATION
ZONES T W O -W A Y
TRAFFIC LANE
INSHORE
TRAFFIC ZONE
Exercise 35. Match the following terms with their definition.
The traffic area where traffic is authorized

Inshore traffic zone ⦿ ⦿ only to vessels navigating towards the
South West.
The area, near the shore, where only coaster

Northeast bound traffic lane ⦿ ⦿
sailing is authorized.
The traffic area where traffic is authorized

Separation zones ⦿ ⦿ only to vessels navigating towards the
North East.
An area where traffic is prohibited (with the

Southwest bound traffic lane ⦿ ⦿
exception of fishing vessels).
The traffic lane where certain types of less

Two-way traffic lane ⦿ ⦿ dangerous vessels may navigate in both
directions.
63
Exercise 36. In the picture below, color in red the vessels which are in infringement of the regulations
of the TSS. The type of ships is given below.
In
Ship Ship type infringement Reason for infringement, if any
Yes No
A Bulk carrier X Wrong way
B Container vessel X Right direction
C VLCC X Entering separation zone
D Warship X Right direction
E Ore carrier X Wrong way
F Ferry X No infringement: crossing at right angle
G Fishing vessel X Vessel is fishing
H LPG tanker X In separation zone
I Motor yacht X Authorized in this lane
J ULCC X Not allowed here (dangerous)
K Sailing yacht X Authorized in this area
64
5. TEST YOURSELF
1 What does TSS mean?
( ) Traffic Separation Scheme
( ) Transiting Ships System
( ) Traffic Safety System
( ) Traffic Separation System
2 Which rule of the COLREGS defines what to do (or not to do) in a TSS?
( ) Rule 01
( ) Rule 04
( ) Rule 09
( ) Rule 10
3 This part of the TSS is...

( ) The traffic lanes.
( ) The inshore traffic zone.
( ) The separation zones.
( ) The two-way traffic lane.



7 How should a vessel cross a TSS?

[ ] A vessel must never cross the TSS.
[ ] A vessel should cross the TSS with an angle as close as possible
to a right angle.
[ ] A vessel should always cross a TSS at full speed.
[ ] A vessel should cross a TSS as quickly as safe navigation allows.
8 Would a chemical tanker be allowed in the inshore traffic zone?

( ) Yes, if it has a double hull.
( ) No, unless it is local traffic (exiting the TSS).
65
9 Which of the following are authorized in the separation zones?
[ ] Fishing vessels (when fishing)
[ ] Ferries
[ ] Warships (on a mission)
[ ] Gas tankers
[ ] Container vessels
10 This vessel is fishing. Is she in infringement of the regulations of the

TSS?
( ) Yes.
( ) No.
11 This vessel is a container vessel in transit from Rotterdam to Gabès,

Tunisia. Is she in infringement of the regulations of the TSS?
( ) Yes.
( ) No.
12 A TSS is a "mandatory ship reporting system". This means that vessel

transiting in the TSS must contact the authorities of the TSS. When
should that be done?
( ) Upon departure of the vessel.
( ) 24 hours before entry in the system
( ) There is no obligation. Any time will be fine.
( ) Upon entering the system
13 Can a vessel enter the TSS from any direction?

( ) Yes, as long as she signals herself on the VHF (channel 16).
( ) No. Entry in a TSS must be made at the mouth of the traffic
lanes.
14 Where is this vessel?

( ) She is exiting the Northeast-bound traffic lane.
( ) She is entering the Southwest-bound traffic lane.
( ) She is exiting the Southwest-bound traffic lane.
( ) She is entering the Northeast-bound traffic lane.
15 Where is this vessel?

( ) She is exiting the Northeast-bound traffic lane.
( ) She is entering the Northeast-bound traffic lane.
( ) She is exiting the Southwest-bound traffic lane.
( ) She is entering the Southwest-bound traffic lane.
66
CHAPTER 7: MOVEMENT, POSITIONS
1. STANDARD POSITION INDICATORS
1.1. On the ship
At sea, words designating movement and position are very important, because misunderstandings
can cause collisions. It is therefore capital to understand the differences between words which may be
synonyms in standard English, but are not in maritime English.
Exercise 37. Look at the diagram of an Aquitaine-class multipurpose frigate/destroyer below. Use it to
find which term corresponds to the following definitions:
Abaft Behind something, on the ship.

Aft In the general direction of the stern of the ship.
Aloft Up in the rigging or the mast.
Below Under something else.
Forward In the general direction of the bows, or closer to it than something else.
Topside Above something else.
1.2. On the water
Exercise 38. Look at the picture on the opposite page, and use it to fill in the list below:
ASTERN Behind the ship, in the water.

AHEAD In front of the ship, in the water.
ON THE PORT SIDE To the left of the vessel.
ON THE STARBOARD SIDE To the right of the vessel.
ABEAM On the side of the ship, especially when at a right angle to the ship.
ON THE PORT BOW Ahead and on the left
ON THE STARBOARD QUARTER Astern and on the right
67
Exercise 39. Look at the figure below and complete it.
NB: “on the beam” or

“abeam”: off to the side of the
ship, especially at a right
angle to the longitudinal axis
of the ship.
-----
The word "port" is derived

from the practice of sailors
mooring ships on the left side
at ports in order to prevent
the steering oar from being
crushed.
-----
The word "starboard" comes

from Old English "steorbord"
(“steer board”), literally
meaning the side on which the
ship is steered.
Exercise 40. Complete the standard position indicators in the box below:
• Skiff A is (50 yards) ON THE PORT Q U A R T E R OF our ship.

• Skiff A is ON THE STERN OF / A S T E R N OF skiff B.
• Skiff C is ON THE S T A R B O A R D BOW OF skiff A.
• Skiff B is ON THE P O R T SIDE OF /ON THE PORT B E A M OF
/ABEAM OF skiff C.
68
Exercise 41. Rules 11 through 18 of the COLREGS refer to the conduct of vessels in sight of one another.
Look at the drawings below, and use the appropriate IMO terminology to describe the situation for
each scenario.
A vessel is C R O S S I N G when her A vessel which must alter her

course intersects with that of another course to avoid a collision is a
CROSSING
vessel. G I V E W A Y vessel.
OVERTAKING
PASSING
A vessel is P A S S I N G when she meets
another vessel head on, on a parallel
GIVE WAY VESSEL
course. A vessel which should maintain
STAND ON VESSEL
her course and speed when
A vessel is O V E R T A K I N G when meeting another vessel is the
coming up to that vessel from abaft her S T A N D O N vessel.
beam.
The white ship is O V E R T A K I N G the black
ship.
The white ship is P A S S I N G the black ship.
This is a C R O S S I N G situation. In this particular
case, the white ship is the S T A N D O N vessel,
and will maintain her course and speed. The black
ship is the G I V E W A Y vessel and is required to
pass astern of the white one.
69
Exercise 42. Read the clues to complete the crosswords:
D
1: inside the hull of a ship or boat B 1

I N B O A R D
2: on or onto the deck of a ship; Also the
upper portion of a ship. A
A H F G
A 3: at right angles to a ship's length

4: behind a ship, or towards that direction 2
C O T O P S I D E B A
5: near, toward, or in the stern of a ship
R 6: the right side of a ship (looking forward) 3
U H A B E A M
O 7: the left side of a ship (looking forward)
S 8: near, at, or towards the front part of a ship T W D L I
S 4 E
B A S T E R N O D
O R Q W S
A: outside a ship's hull C
A F T U H
B: across the ship from side to side 5
C: the forward part of a ship. By extension, R
6
S T A R B O A R D I
the position of something located near the
D ship ahead of it, although not straight ahead.
O D H O R P
D: located before a ship
W E: located near the stern of a ship, on one of I W T S
N its sides
7
F: under. On a ship, synonym of "down". P O R T E
G: in or near the middle of a ship
8
S F O R W A R D
2. POSITION FIXING
There are three main ways to give one’s position on the sea:
2.1. Latitude and Longitude method

1. Latitude is always to be given before Longitude
2. The words latitude and longitude must be spoken before the numbers
3. The units to use are degrees and minutes
4. Parts of a minute are to be given as decimals
5. Preliminary zero(s) must be transmitted (longitude = 3 digits)
6. The names North and South or East / West are to be spoken after the units
Example: 30°50’N 018°25’.02E
Position: L a t i t u d e : three-zero d e g r e e s five-zero m i n u t e s N o r t h ,

L o n g i t u d e : zero-one-eight d e g r e e s two-five d e c i m a l zero-
two minutes E a s t
70
2.2. Bearing and Distance
1. The bearing is to be given first before the distance
2. The bearing to be given is that from the point of reference being used
3. The word “bearing” must be pronounced before the numbers
4. The units to be used are degrees true in the 360° notation form
5. The word distance is to be given before the numbers
6. The units to be used are nautical miles
7. The word from is to be spoken before the name of the reference point
Example: 194°(T) 12.4 nm from Cape Otway
Position: B e a r i n g : one-nine*-four d e g r e e s t r u e ,
D i s t a n c e : one-two decimal four n a u t i c a l m i l e s f r o m
Cape Otway
* is often pronounced niner.
The warship is B E A R I N G 180 D E G R E E S
T R U E F R O M the lighthouse. D I S T A N C E 2
NAUTICAL MILES.
The warship is B E A R I N G 225 D E G R E E S
TRUE,RANGE 3DECIMAL 5
N A U T I C A L M I L E S F R O M the lighthouse.
71
2.3. Reference to a Navigation Mark
1. The order of transmission is to be direction-distance-progress-name of navigation mark(s)
2. Direction is to be given from the navigation mark using points of the compass (e.g. North,
Southwest,…)
3. Distance may be given in miles and decimals of a mile, or in yards (under a nautical mile)
4. Progress may be expressed by the words passing, approaching, between, near, leaving.
5. In a buoyed fairway, position should be given relative to the buoys lying on the starboard side of the
ship
Position: Northeast from Rangitoto Beacon
Position: Approaching Goere Light Tower
Position: Between buoy number one-three and buoy one-five
Exercise 43. Read these positions:
1. 12°45’S 159°36’.65W
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. 026°(T) 8.9 nm from Ile de Sein Lighthouse

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. 238°(T) 15.4 nm from Cap de la Chèvre

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. 56°34’N 132°21’.09E
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. 34°25’S 062°19’.47E
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. 149°(T) 12.7 nm from Hotel Del Coronado (San Francisco)

………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. 24°58’N 086°12’.35E
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. 015°(T) 06.9 nm from Cap Gris-Nez

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
9. 78°32’S 069°01’.42W
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. 86°53’S 083°20’.09E

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
72
11. 3 cables / S / Penou Pell
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
12. passing / Charles Martel / port-bound

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
13. 600 yds/ W / Mengam

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
14. leaving/ Brest military harbor / South-bound

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
2.4. Locating another object in relation to oneself

Relative bearing is used to determine the position of another vessel, in relation to our own ship’s
midships line. It is different from true bearing, which is in relation to the north. See the diagram
below:
RN:
“The boat is red 090° (from our ship)”
USN (and rest of the World):

“The boat is bearing 270° relative (from our
ship)”
Note: The course of our ship matters since

zero degrees is directly ahead. It has nothing
to do with true or magnetic North.
1. Relative bearings can be expressed in degrees relative to the vessel’s head or bow
2. Relative bearing can be expressed in points (of the compass) relative to the bow, the stern or
abeam of the vessel. These divide the compass in 32 sectors. Thus, 4 points = 45° (i.e. one
point equals ± 11°).
3. While the majority of the world uses the 360° from bow form, the British use only 180° on
each side, port being red and starboard being green.
73
74
Exercise 44. Look at the sea chart on the previous page and give the(approximate) position of the
vessels:
Ship A (True bearing from Cap de la Chèvre):
______________________________________________________________________________
Ship B (True bearing from Pointe de Pen-Hir):
______________________________________________________________________________
Relative bearing of l’Ile du Bindy from Ship C:
______________________________________________________________________________
Ship D (True bearing from Ile Longue):
______________________________________________________________________________
Ship E (True bearing from Pointe du Milier):
______________________________________________________________________________
Ship F (True bearing from Pointe de Pen-Hir):
______________________________________________________________________________
Ship G (True bearing from Pointe du Petit Minou):
______________________________________________________________________________
Relative bearing of ship G from Ship H:
______________________________________________________________________________
Relative bearing of ship B from Ship I:
______________________________________________________________________________
Relative bearing of ship C from Ship D:
______________________________________________________________________________
Relative bearing of Basse Vieille from Ship K:
______________________________________________________________________________
75
3. DISTANCE, COURSE AND SPEED
3.1. Distance
Distances are preceded by the words “distance” or “range” (NATO).
Ex: “I am closing you on portside to distance 500 yards”.
Distances are expressed in nautical miles. Under a mile distances may be expressed in cables
(10 cables in one nautical mile), or in yards (2 000 yards in one nautical mile).
3.2. Course
There is a difference between Course (French: R O U T E ) and Heading (French: C A P ).
Course = heading +drift (French: D E R I V E ).
Course can be over water (COW) or over ground (COG, or “course made good”).
The course is always given in degrees in the 360° notation form. 000° = North.
Ex: “My course is 220 (two two zero) degrees”.
3.3. Speed
Speed is expressed in knots (kts). A knot is a nautical mile per hour.
Without further notation it means speed over the water (SOW), which may be increased or
countered by current.
Ground speed means speed over the ground (SOG or “speed made good”).
Exercise 45. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate terms:
a) Our ship is HEADING /
STEERING / ON COURSE
150 D E G R E E S .
b) Our ship is B E A R I N G 245
DEGREES TRUE from the
lighthouse DISTANCE one
nautical mile.
c) The other ship is bearing 120°
RELATIVE.
76
4. MOVEMENTS OF THE SHIP ON WATER
4.1. Roll, pitch, etc…
Vessels are affected by two types of movement: movements of translation along an axis, and movements
of rotation around an axis. Most known are those in the second category, because they are better
perceived by someone onboard the vessel (and make you sea-sick!). Roll is when the vessel leans to port
and starboard, while pitch is the alternate rise and fall of the bow. Yaw is when the ship turns to port or
starboard. The corresponding movements of translation are surge (ahead/astern), sway
(port/starboard) and heave (up/down).
Exercise 46. Read carefully the text above, and sort these movements into two groups. You can write
the French equivalents for each term if you want, in the tables below. Then, add the caption to the
diagram.
Rotation Translation
around an axis along an axis
English French English French
PITCH TANGAGE SWAY EMBARDEE
ROLL ROULIS SURGE CAVALEMENT
YAW LACET HEAVE PILLONEMENT
77
4.2. Draft and Trim
Exercise 47. Fill in the blanks with the words or phrases from the list below:
BALLAST DOWN BY THE HEAD DOWN BY THE STERN DRAFT

FREEBOARD FULLY LADEN HEAD HEEL
HOGGING LIST LOAD LINES ON EVEN KEEL
SAGGING SQUAT STERN TRIM
To ensure a safe voyage of the laden vessel, L O A D L I N E S are painted on the sides of cargo ships.
These lines indicate the depths to which the ship may be loaded in different seasons and
circumstances (tropical fresh water, fresh water, tropical water, in summer, winter, and winter North
Atlantic). The distance between deck line and Plimsoll line indicates Summer F R E E B O A R D .
When a vessel is F U L L Y L A D E N , and is floating on her load line, she is said to be “full and down”.
The part of the vessel that is under water is indicated by the word “D R A F T ”. Due to the salinity of sea
water, draft in sea water is less than draft in fresh water because sea water has a higher specific
gravity than fresh water. Draft is measured at the stern, at the stem, and amidships.
78
When there is no difference between draft forward, and draft aft, she is floating O N E V E N
K E E L (she is well-trimmed).
When draft aft is greater than draft forward, she is trimmed (or “down”) by the S T E R N .
When draft forward is greater than draft aft, she is trimmed (or “down”) by the H E A D .
When starboard draft is less than port draft, or port draft is less than starboard draft, she will
make a list / have a H E E L to port or starboard side, respectively. Note that a heel is a
temporary inclination to one side, caused by the wind, the sea, or cargo, while a list is an
abnormal and accidental inclination to one side (therefore more dangerous).
The T R I M is the transverse positioning of the floating vessel. To maintain an even transverse
balance, the cargo must be distributed in such a way that the vessel will not make a L I S T to port or to
starboard side.
Longitudinally, the vessel must be trimmed as well, so as not to be D O W N B Y T H E H E A D or

D O W N B Y T H E S T E R N excessively. The former is dangerous, but the latter, can be positive: fuel
consumption is slightly reduced when a vessel is slightly down by the stern.
B A L L A S T water is used to improve the vessel’s trim.
4.3. Deformations of the hull
The longitudinal deformations of the vessel are

indicated by the words “sagging and “hogging”.
When draft amidships is greater than draft forward
and aft, the vessel is “S A G G I N G ”. This will occur
when the vessel is in loaded condition or is in a
trough between two high waves. The risk is that
cracks appear in the keel, below the waterline.
When draft amidships is less than draft forward and

aft, the vessel is “H O G G I N G ”. This will occur
when the vessel is on top of a wave.
Properly laden vessels will suffer less from sagging

and hogging effects than vessels whose cargoes
have been badly stowed.
Draft is also influenced by the speed at which the

vessel is proceeding. At a certain speed, in shallow
water, the vessel will create a trough at both
starboard and port sides in which she will slightly
“sink down”. This phenomenon is called “S Q U A T ”.
79
5. RESTRICTED MOVEMENT: DAY SHAPES AND NIGHT LIGHTS
The movement of ships at sea is sometimes restricted by the situation. When this happens, it is
important that other vessels be aware of it, in order to guarantee the safety of navigation. Below are a
list of the most common situations, with the corresponding night lights and day shapes (hoisted on the
ship’s mast). Most important to us (in English class) are the associated phrases, which you must
memorize exactly as is.
Day shapes Night lights SMCP Phrase
“Vessel engaged in fishing”
“Trawler engaged in fishing”
“Vessel hampered by her draft”
“Vessel constrained by her draft”
“Vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver”
“Vessel not under command”
“Vessel aground”
“Vessel engaged in mine-clearing duties”
“Vessel engaged in pilot duties”
80
6. TEST YOURSELF
1 Which is the maritime English equivalent of "in front of the ship"
(in the water)?
( ) forward
( ) ahead
( ) astern
( ) aloft
2 When a crewmember goes from the fantail to the ship's foc'sle, he

moves...
( ) ahead
( ) aloft
( ) astern
( ) forward
3 When a crewmember goes from the foc'sle of the ship to the

quarterdeck, he most probably moves
( ) astern
( ) aft
( ) ahead
( ) aloft
4 On a ship, when you go up, you go...

( ) topside
( ) athwartships
( ) below
( ) abaft
5 If you climb onto the tip of the mast, you go...

( ) below
( ) aloft
( ) abaft
( ) athwartships
6 On most modern warships, the smokestack is ______ the bridge.

(Choose the correct word).
( ) after
( ) abaft
( ) behind
( ) aft
7 "A missile exploded ahead of the ship" means that the ship is
damaged. (T/F)
( ) True
( ) False
8 Which is worst?
( ) "I dropped my keys ahead of the ship".
( ) "I dropped my keys forward of the ship".
81
9 When something is ahead of the ship and on the right, it is...
( ) On the port quarter
( ) On the starboard quarter
( ) On the starboard beam
( ) On the port bow
( ) On the starboard bow
10 When something is ahead of the ship and on the left, it is...

( ) On the port bow
11 When something is astern of the ship and on the left, it is...

( ) On the port bow
12 When something is astern of the ship and on the right, it is...

( ) On the port bow
13 The small boat is on the right of your vessel. It is...

( ) On the port bow
14 "Collision ahead of our ship" means that our ship is damaged.

(T/F)?
( ) True
( ) False
15 "Life raft on fire abaft the ship" means on the ship (T/F)?
( ) True
( ) False
16 When giving a position in latitude and longitude, longitude always

comes first. (T/F)
( ) True
( ) False
82
17 How is the following position read: 48°28.31 -4°41.26 ?
( ) latitude four eight degrees two eight minutes north;
longitude zero zero four degrees four one minutes west
( ) longitude four eight degrees point two eight north;
latitude four degrees point four one west
( ) latitude four eight degrees true two eight minutes north;
longitude four degrees four one minutes west
( ) latitude four eight degrees two eight decimal three one
minutes north;
longitude zero zero four degrees four one decimal two six
minutes west
18 Consider the following position: [124° / Pen Ar Vir Point / 3.5 nm].
Which are correct?
[ ] Bearing one two four degrees true, distance three decimal
five nautical miles from Pen Ar Vir Point
[ ] Bearing one hundred and twenty four degrees, range three
decimal five nautical from Pen Ar Vir Point
[ ] Bearing one two four degrees true from Pen Ar Vir Point,
range three decimal five nautical miles
[ ] Bearing one two four degrees from Pen Ar Vir Point,
distance three point five miles
19 When draft forward and aft is bigger than draft amidships, the ship
is...
( ) swaying
( ) hogging
( ) listing
( ) sagging
20 Which are quasi-equivalent?

[ ] roll
[ ] trim
[ ] heel
[ ] list
21 Which movement corresponds to the following definition: "when

the bow and the stern of the ship rise and fall alternately"?
( ) hogging
( ) pitch
( ) roll
( ) list
22 Which movement is illustrated by this picture?

( ) hogging
( ) roll
( ) pitch
( ) heave
23 When draft amidships is bigger than draft forward and aft, the ship
is...
( ) sagging
( ) swaying
( ) hogging
( ) listing
83
24 Choose the odd one:
( ) roll
( ) surge
( ) pitch
( ) yaw
25 Choose the odd one:

( ) surge
( ) heave
( ) yaw
( ) sway
26 These shapes indicate:

( ) a vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver
( ) a vessel hampered by her draft
( ) a vessel not under command
( ) a trawler engaged in fishing.
27 These shapes indicate:

28 These lights indicate:

29 These lights indicate:

30 This flag indicates:

( ) a vessel engaged in mine-clearing duties
( ) a vessel engaged in pilot duties
( ) a submerged diver
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CHAPTER 8: PILOT ON BOARD
Onboard a French Navy warship, civilian pilots never have the conn. They are nonetheless advisers to
the C.O of the ship. It is therefore crucial to understand them, and to be able to translate their
recommendations for both helm and engine orders.
1. THE PILOT CARD

When a pilot boards a vessel, he is generally given a pilot card. Look at the example below, and check
that you understand everything in it.
Exercise 48. Can you find the answer to these questions?
a) What is the total mass of the vessel? D I S P L A C E M E N T

b) Which unit of depth is equal to about 2 m? F A T H O M
c) What does RPM mean? R E V O L U T I O N S P E R M I N U T E
d) What is PITCH? T H E P I T C H A N G L E O F T H E P R O P E L L E R
e) What does KTS stand for? K N O T S ( n a u t i c a l m i l e p e r h o u r )
f) What measurement corresponds to the distance between the lowest part of the vessel and the
waterline? D R A F T / D R A U G H T
g) Define TIME HARD-OVER TO HARD-OVER: T H E T I M E I N S E C O N D S T O S H I F T T H E
RUDDER COMPETELY FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER
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h) What does ARPA mean? A U T O M A T I C R A D A R P L O T T I N G A I D . A D E V I C E W H I C H
CAN CREATE TRACKS USING RADAR CONTACTS, CAN CALCULATE THE
TRACKED OBJECT'S COURSE, SPEED AND CLOSEST POINT OF
APPROACH (CPA), THEREBY KNOWING IF THERE IS A DANGER OF
COLLISION WITH OTHER SHIPS OR LAND
i) What is the ECHO SOUNDER used for? D E P T H
j) What device does ELECTRONIC POSITION FIXING refer to? G P S
k) What does ROT mean? R A T E O F T U R N . I N S T R U M E N T I N D I C A T I N G H O W F A S T
THE VESSEL IS TURNING. DIFFERENT FROM RUDDER ANGLE BECAUSE
TURNING SPEED DEPENDS ON THE SPEED OF THE VESSEL
l) What is the ENGINE TELEGRAPH? E Q U I P M E N T U S E D T O T R A N S M I T O R D E R S T O
ENGINE ROOM
Exercise 49. Technical faults. How do you refer to equipment that does not work?
- INOPERATIVE
- DOES NOT WORK / IS NOT WORKING
- DEFECTIVE
Exercise 50. Complete the questions below with words from the previous exercise. Use each word only
once:
a) “My bow thruster is I N O P E R A T I V E .”

b) “Have you got D E F E C T I V E equipment onboard?”
2. HELM ORDERS
2.1. Closed-loop communication
STEP 1: A helm order is a command given by the OOW or OOD

to the helmsman.
e.g.: “Port 15!”; “Midships!”
STEP 2: It is always repeated by the helmsman, to indicate he

has heard it. Often the helmsman will add “aye aye”.
e.g.: “Port 15!”; “Midships!”; “Right full rudder aye aye!” 011212-N-1328C-502 At the Helm" by U.S. Navy Photo.
Chief Photographer’s Mate Eric A. Clement
STEP 3: When the order is carried out, the helmsman signals this to the OOW, by repeating it with a
small (but important) change.
e.g.: “Wheel is 15 degrees to port!”; “Rudder is amidships!”; “15 degrees of port wheel on!”
STEP 4: This is then acknowledged by the OOW, to indicate he knows the order has been carried out.
e.g.: “Very good!” (RN); “Very well!” (USN); “Aye aye!” (if OOW is enlisted).
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2.2. In the merchant navy/ Royal Navy
Read the examples below:
Example1: Example 2:
OOW: Port fifteen, altering one-four-zero OOW: Steer two-one-five

Helmsman: Port fifteen, altering one-four-zero Helmsman: Steer two-one-five
Helmsman: Fifteen degrees of port wheel on / rudder is 15 Helmsman: Steady on course 215
degrees to port OOW: Very good
OOW: Very good.
Helmsman: Passing one-six-zero
OOW: Very good.
Helmsman: Passing one-five-zero
OOW: Very good. Midships.
Helmsman: Midships aye aye
Helmsman: The wheel is amidships / rudder is amidships
OOW: Steer one-four-zero
Helmsman: Steer one-four-zero
Helmsman: Steering one-four-zero
OOW: Very good.
Exercise 51. Now use the dialogues to fill in the grid below. Ask your teacher if you don’t know:
Français English
Pilotage automatique Automatic pilot
A droite dix Starboard ten
La barre est dix à droite Ten degrees of starboard wheel on
A gauche vingt-cinq Port twenty-five
La barre est vingt-cinq à gauche Twenty-five degrees of port wheel on
A gauche toute Hard-a-port
A droite toute Hard-a-starboard
Zéro la barre Midships
La barre est à zéro Wheel’s amidships / The wheel is amidships
Comment est la barre ? Report rudder
La barre est dix degrés à droite 10 degrees of starboard wheel on
A droite/gauche 10, venir au 075 Starboard / Port 10 altering 075
Gouvernez au 182 Steer 182/ steady on course 182
En route au 182 Steering course 182
Gouvernez comme ça Steady as she goes
Bien Very good
Cinq seulement Ease to five
Attention à gouverner Mind your helm
Avarie de barre Steering (gear) break down
Peut-on effectuer la relève de barre ? Request permission to relieve (to take) the helm (wheel)
Effectuez la relève de barre. Roger. Carry on
…, en route au 200 Seaman … on the wheel steering 200
… (OCQ) prend la manœuvre I have the ship
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2.3. In the USN
In the USN, the words PORT and STARBOARD have been abandoned, when referring to the helm
orders, because the word PORT can be confused with others. A helm command will be given like so:
Exercise 52. In the list of commands below, match the commands with their execution. Choose from the
box:
- Come right/left to ______. - Mind your helm

- Ease (your rudder) to ___ degrees - Right/left five (ten, etc.) degrees rudder
- Hard right/left rudder - Right/left full rudder
- How is your rudder? - Right/left standard rudder
- Increase your rudder to ___ degrees - Rudder amidships
- Mark your head - Steady as she goes
- Meet her
- OOD’s command: “C o m e r i g h t / l e f t t o _ _ _ _ _ _ .” (degrees stated in three single digits)

- HELMSMAN’s response: “Come right (left) to_____ , aye aye.”
- Execution: Put over the rudder right (left) and steady up on the specified course. Use gyro or
magnetic compass.
- HELMSMAN’s call: (after completion): “Steady on course ______”.
- OOD’s response: “Very well”.
- OOD’s command: “R i g h t / l e f t f i v e ( t e n , e t c . ) d e g r e e s r u d d e r .”
- Execution: Turn the wheel to the right (left) until the rudder is placed at the number of degrees
ordered. Use the rudder angle indicator when executing this command. The word “degrees” is
sometimes omitted.
- OOD’s command: “R i g h t / l e f t s t a n d a r d r u d d e r .”
- Execution: Put the rudder over to the right (left) the specified number of degrees necessary for
the ship to make a standard tactical diameter turn. This is normally 15 or 20 degrees for most
ships.
- OOD’s command: “R i g h t / l e f t f u l l r u d d e r .”
- Execution: Put the rudder over to the right (left) the specified number of degrees necessary for
the ship to make a reduced standard tactical diameter turn. This is normally 30 degrees for most
ships.
- OOD’s command: “H a r d r i g h t / l e f t r u d d e r .”
- Execution: Fully turn the wheel to the right (left). This is normally about 35 degrees. Puts the
rudder over to the right (left) to the maximum number of degrees allowed for the vessel. This
command is used only in emergency situations such as to avoid collision.
- OOD’s command: “R u d d e r a m i d s h i p s .”
- Execution: Put the rudder on the zero (0) degree mark of the rudder angle indicator.
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- OOD’s command: “I n c r e a s e y o u r r u d d e r t o _ _ _ d e g r e e s .”
- Execution: Increase the rudder angle to the specified number of degrees. This command is given
when the rudder is already over to the right (left). Use the rudder angle indicator when executing
this command.
- OOD’s command: “E a s e ( y o u r r u d d e r ) t o _ _ _ d e g r e e s .”
- Execution: Reduce the rudder angle to the specified number of degrees. This command is given
when the rudder is already over to the right (left). Use the rudder angle indicator when executing
this command.
- OOD’s command: “M e e t h e r .”
- Execution: Use enough opposite rudder angle to stop the swing of the vessel without steadying on
a particular course. This command is usually given when the vessel is nearing the desired course
during a large turn. Also, it will normally be followed by the command(s) “steady as you go” or
“steady on course.
- OOD’s command: “Steady” or “Steady as you go” or

“S t e a d y a s s h e g o e s ” or “Steady on course”.
- Execution: Steer the course on which the boat is
heading when the command is received. If the vessel
is swinging to the right (left) when the command is
given, the heading must be noted, and the vessel
brought back to that course.
- OOD’s command: “M a r k y o u r h e a d ”.
- Execution: Sound off to the OOD (or coxswain, on a
smaller boat) the boat’s heading at the time the Picture: A modern helm (Photo by G. Baranger, by courtesy).
command was given. The heading number is read
from the compass at the lubber’s line. For example,
“Mark ___ degrees” (stated in three digits). Text adapted from http://www.boatswainsmate.net and
NAVEDTRA course 14067 “Seaman”.
- OOD’s command: “H o w i s y o u r r u d d e r ? ”.
- Execution: This is a question, and the helmsman should reply with the exact location of the rudder
at the time the command was given. For example, “My rudder is _____ degrees right (left) sir”.
- OOD’s command: “M i n d y o u r h e l m .”
- Execution: A warning that the boat is swinging off the course because of bad steering. It is also a
command to steer exactly, using less rudder.
Exercise 53. Practice online by scanning the code below, or typing this URL in your browser:
https://quizlet.com/11014214
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3. ENGINE ORDERS
3.1. Merchant Navy / Royal Navy
The device used to transmit orders from the bridge to engine room is known as
an Engine Orders Telegraph, or EOT. The person operating it is known as the
Engine Orders Telegraph Operator or EOTO (in the Royal Navy) or lee
helmsman.
On modern vessels the engine can be controlled directly from the control panel
in the bridge. But n older vessels, and on most warships, it can also be
controlled separately, to ensure redundancy in case of a failure of this
equipment.
Picture: A modern engine-control panel
An old EOT.
(Chadburn type)
(Photo by G. Baranger, by courtesy).
Below are the standard orders used for bridge-to-engine-room communication.
Any engine order given should be repeated by the person operating the bridge telegraph(s) and the
officer of the watch should ensure the order is carried out correctly and immediately.
Exercise 54. In the table below, write the French equivalent to standard engine orders in English:
BELLS Allures (marine marchande)
Emergency full ahead En avant toute d’urgence
Full ahead En avant toute
Half ahead En avant demi
Slow ahead En avant lente
Dead slow ahead En avant très lente
Stop engine Stoppez les machines
Dead slow astern En arrière très lente
Slow astern En arrière lente
Half astern En arrière demie
Full astern En arrière toute
Emergency full astern En arrière toute urgence
Stand by engine(s) Attention machine(s)
Finished with engine(s) Terminé machine(s)

90
If ships are fitted with twin propellers, the word “both” should be added to all orders affecting both
shafts.
Orders Ordres (marine marchande)
Full ahead both En avant toute les 2 bords
Slow astern both En arrière lente les 2 bords
Stop both engines Stoppez les machines
When required to manoeuvre twin propellers independently, this should be indicated. If the ship is
fitted with thrusters, specific orders are issued ruling the thrusters only.
Orders Ordres (marine marchande)
Full ahead starboard En avant toute à droite
Propulseur avant, à gauche toute

Bow thrust full (half) to port
(demie-gauche)
Propulseur arrière, à droite toute
Stern thrust full (half) to starboard
(demi-droite)
Report if she does not answer the wheel Prévenez si le navire ne gouverne pas
Finished with the wheel Terminé pour la barre
Exercise 57. Translate into English:
Bâbord avant demi, tribord avant lente

Half ahead port, slow ahead starboard
Les deux machines arrière très lente, propulseur stop.

Dead slow astern both, stop thrust.
Les deux machines sont réglées avant toute.

Dead slow astern both passed and repeated.
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3.2. The American commands to the lee helm (or lee helmsman)
Although port and starboard are never used in orders to the helmsman, they are used when giving
orders to the operator of the engine order telegraph.
- Stated first is the engine affected,

- Then comes the direction in which the handle is to be moved,
- Followed by the “bell” desired.
Examples:
- “Port engine ahead two-thirds, ”

- “All engines stop,”
- “Port engine back one-third.”
Note that all is specified instead of both, because both could sound like port. Back is
specified instead of astern, to avoid the confusion of astern with ahead.
- To make sure you have heard your order correctly, repeat it aloud distinctly before you operate,
like so: “Starboard engine ahead two-thirds, sir.”
- When the answer appears on the pointer from below, sing it out: “Starboard engine answers ahead
two-thirds, sir.” The conning officer may order a specific rpm; your reply then would be “All engines
ahead flank, 121 rpm indicated and answered for, sir!”
Exercise 58. In the orders below, fill in the blanks in accordance with USN standard engine orders:
“A l l engines ahead 1/3 indicate 055 rpm for speed 5 knots”

Twin-screw, together:
“All engines stop”
Twin-screw, separately: “Port engine ahead 1/3. Starboard engine b a c k 1/3”
Single-screw: “Engine ahead 1/3 indicate 033 rpm for speed 3 knots”
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CHAPTER 9: THE WEATHER
1. SEA AREAS
The shipping forecast is given area by area. Sea areas are identified by names. You must recognize
these names even though their pronunciation is sometimes not that you would expect. Also, note the
order in which they are read: it is always the same, so that it makes it easier, when you are listening to
a shipping forecast, to be ready to listen to the information concerning the area you are navigating in.
Here are the sea areas for Northwestern Europe:
Viking – North Utsire – South Utsire – Forties – Cromarty – Forth – Tyne – Dogger – Fisher – German
(bight) – Humber – Thames – Dover – Wight – Portland – Plymouth – Biscay – FitzRoy – Sole – Lundy –
Fastnet – Irish Sea – Shannon – Rockall – Malin – Hebrides – Bailey – Fair Isle – Faeroes – Southeast
Iceland.
(forecast_april1.mp3)
Exercise 59. Now read the list of sea areas while checking their position on the chart then check
your pronunciation by listening to a forecast. (scan the QRcode).
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2. STRUCTURE OF A SHIPPING FORECAST
A shipping forecast is usually composed of:
a. A statement of gale warnings

b. A general synopsis
c. A forecast for each coastal area for the next 24 hours
• Areas are given in a fixed order and contiguous sea areas are sometimes grouped
together.
• Each area forecast includes information about:
- Wind direction and speed (and evolution)
- Sea state (only in written forecasts)
- Weather conditions
- Visibility
d. Reports from coastal stations (if any)
Example:
“The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office at 1130 on Friday, November 13, 2015.”
a) There are warnings of gales in Shannon, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle,
Faeroes, South-east Iceland.
b) The general synopsis at 0700: Low 150 miles west of Rockall, 975; expected Northern
Iceland, 965, by 0700 tomorrow. New low expected Thames, 1002, by same time.
c) The area forecasts for the next 24 hours:
Viking, North Utsire, South Utsire: South, backing south-east 5 or 6, increasing 7, perhaps
gale 8 later. Occasional rain. Good becoming moderate. Forties: South, backing south-east 4
or 5, occasionally 6, backing north-westerly later. Occasional rain. Moderate.
(…)
Exercise 60. What do these words/phrases mean?
a) The Met office: ___________________________________________________

b) The general synopsis: ___________________________________________________
c) Low: ___________________________________________________
d) 975 and 1002: ___________________________________________________
e) Backing, increasing: ___________________________________________________
f) Later: ___________________________________________________
g) Good, moderate: ___________________________________________________
Exercise 61. Complete the chart below with the information given above about Viking:
Direction Change in direction Beaufort force Change in force

Wind
south backing south-east 5 or 6 Increasing 7, perhaps gale 8 later
Weather Occasional rain
Visibility Good becoming moderate
3. THE WIND
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3.1. The Beaufort wind force scale
Beaufort Mean Wind Speed Limits of wind speed
wind Description
scale Knots m/s Knots m/s
0 0 0 <1 0-0.2 Calm (calme)
1 2 0.8 1-3 0.3-1.5 Light air (très légère brise)
2 5 2.4 4-6 1.6-3.3 Light breeze (légère brise)
3 9 4.3 7-10 3.4-5.4 Gentle breeze (petite brise)
4 13 6.7 11-16 5.5-7.9 Moderate breeze (jolie brise)
5 19 9.3 17-21 8.0-10.7 Fresh breeze (bonne brise)
6 24 12.3 22-27 10.8-13.8 Strong breeze (vent frais)
7 30 15.5 28-33 13.9-17.1 Near (moderate) gale (grand frais)
8 37 18.9 34-40 17.2-20.7 Gale (coup de vent)
9 44 22.6 41-47 20.8-24.4 Severe gale (fort coup de vent)
10 52 26.4 48-55 24.5-28.4 Storm (tempête)
11 60 0 56-63 28.5-32.6 Violent storm (violente tempête)
12 - - 64+ 32.7+ Hurricane (ouragan)
Tip: to remember them, simply remember:
- EIGHT and GALE (pronounced the same).

- Less can only be NEAR GALE/MODERATE GALE (7)
- And more can only be STRONG GALE / SEVERE GALE (9)
- Above are STORM (10) and VIOLENT STORM (11), then HURRICANE (12)… it makes sense.
- There will never be a warning for a gentle breeze or even a strong breeze…
3.2. Vocabulary to describe the wind
Wind direction: indicates the direction from which the wind is blowing. For example the wind can be
easterly (it blows from the East and pushes you to the West), westerly, southerly or northerly.
If the wind blows from the South West it is _______________________________
If the wind blows from the South East it is _______________________________
If the wind blows from the North West it is _______________________________
If the wind blows from the North East it is _______________________________
95
The direction of the wind can change. If the wind is…
• Veering: its direction changes clockwise (ex: SW to W)

• Backing: its direction changes anti-clockwise (ex: SE to NE)
• Shifting: its direction changes suddenly to an opposite
direction (ex: E to W)
• Becoming cyclonic: there will be considerable change in wind direction across the path of a
depression within the forecast area.
The force of the wind can change. If the wind is…
• Increasing, building: it becomes faster. (French: F R A I C H I S S A N T )

• Decreasing: it becomes slower. (French: M O L L I S S A N T )
3.3. Warnings
• Severe or strong gale warning: (avis de fort coup de vent) [Beaufort force 9 ]
• Gale warning: (avis de coup de vent) [Beaufort force 8 ]
• Near or moderate gale warning: (avis de grand frais) [Beaufort force 7 ]
• Imminent: Expected within six hours of time of issue

• Soon: Expected within six to 12 hours of time of issue
• Later: Expected more than 12 hours from time of issue
4. THE SEA STATE

4.1. The Douglass Sea State scale
Code English Français Height (meters)
0 Glassy Calme (sans rides) 0

1 Rippled Calme (ridée) 0 - 0.1
2 Smooth Belle 0.1 - 0.5
3 Slight Peu agitée 0.5 - 1.25
4 Moderate Agitée 1.25 - 2.5
5 Rough Forte 2.5 - 4
6 Very rough Très forte 4-6
7 High Grosse 6-9
8 Very high Très grosse 9 - 14
9 Phenomenal Enorme > 14
Tip: Be careful with Sea 4, Moderate = Agitée, which is very different from the French.
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4.2. Describing the swell
Ex : une houle orientée SW pour une hauteur de 3 mètres:
A south-westerly swell of height 3 meters

A south-westerly swell, 3 meters high
A 3-meter high south-westerly swell
5. VISIBILITY
• Very poor: visibility is less than 1 000 m.
• Poor: visibility is between 1 000 m and 2 nautical miles.
• Moderate: visibility is between 2 and 5 nautical miles.
• Good: visibility is more than 5 nautical miles.
1000m
2 n.m
5 n.m
VERY POOR
POOR
MODERATE
GOOD
Visibility can be affected by:
• Mist: (brume) or haze (brume de chaleur)

• Fog: (brouillard)
• Fog patches: (bouchons de brume, nappes de brouillard)
Visibility can change:
• To increase:
• To decrease:
• To clear ≈ to increase
6. THE PRESSURE
Pressure may be:
• Falling (se creusant)

• Falling rapidly
• Rising (se comblant)
• Rising rapidly
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a high is a zone of high pressure (zone anticyclonique)
a low is a zone of low pressure (dépression)
A low can be deepening (se creusant) or filling (se comblant)
atmospheric pressure is measured in hecto-pascals (hPa) or millibars.
7. DESCRIBING THE GENERAL WEATHER (GENERAL SYNOPSIS)

7.1. Adjectives:
English Français
Wintry Hivernal
Fair Beau
Overcast Couvert, nuageux
Rainy Pluvieux
Cold Froid
Windy Venteux
Misty, foggy Brumeux
Scattered Épars(es)
7.2. Nouns:
English Français
Fog, mist, haze Brouillard, brume, brume de chaleur
Showers Averses
Rain Pluie
Cloud Nuage
Drizzle Bruine
Squall Grain
Sleet Grésil
Hail, hailstone Grêle
Snow Neige
Thunderstorm Orage
Tropical storm Tempête tropicale
Cyclone Ouragan
Typhoon Ouragan (Asie)
Hurricane Ouragan (Amérique)
Gusts Rafales
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Exercise 62. Listen to the shipping forecast and fill in the blanks:(forecast_march_29.mp3)
The S H I P P I N G F O R E C A S T issued by the Met Office at 1305 today Wednesday March, 29th.
There are W A R N I N G S O F G A L E S in Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle,
Faeroes and South East Iceland. The general S Y N O P S I S at 0700: H I G H
Scotland 1020 E X P E C T E D northern France 1 0 3 2 by 0700 tomorrow.
High 200 miles west of Finisterre 1032 slow M O V I N G with little change.
Deepening L O W S will move rapidly N O R T H E A S T near Iceland.
The F O R E C A S T for the next twenty-four hours:
AREA WIND WEATHER VISIBILITY
North 6 D E C R E A S I N G 4, Wintry Good

Viking, North Utsire,
Backing South 7; Perhaps G A L E S H O W E R S then BECOMING
South Utsire, Forties
8 later in Viking rain moderate
Northerly B A C K I N G South 3 to 4; W I N T R Y Good, becoming

Cromarty, Forth
increasing 7 showers, then rain MODERATE
Wintry
North BACKING south 5 to 7;
Tyne, Dogger S H O W E R S at GOOD
T E M P O R A R I L Y decreasing 3
first
Fisher, German Bight, North 5 T O 7 decreasing 3 or 4; WINTRY

Good
Humber backing S O U T H W E S T SHOWERS
Thames, Dover, North 5 to 7, becoming WINTRY

Good
Wight VARIABLE 3 SHOWERS
North V E E R I N G South 3 or 4,
Portland, Plymouth FAIR Good
occasionally 5 at first
Northwest 5 or 6, V E E R I N G
Biscay Mainly F A I R Good
easterly 4
Mainly north 4, becoming

M O D E R A T E or
Finisterre7 V A R I A B L E 3 in north, but Mainly fair
good
I N C R E A S I N G 5 or 6 in south
Variable 4, B E C O M I N G south or
Sole Mainly fair Good
southwest 5
Lundy
East, V E E R I N G South 3 or 4,
Fastnet Mainly F A I R Good
increasing 5 or 6
Irish Sea
Southwest 3 I N C R E A S I N G Occasional
Shannon Moderate or good
5 or 6 DRIZZLE
7
FitzRoy used to be known as Finisterre, as is mentioned here.
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Exercise 63. Translate the following extracts from the coastal shipping forecast :
1) Vent : Ouest à Sud-ouest force 6 à 7, se renforçant 8 à 9 du Sud au Nord du détroit jusqu'en

soirée.
West to Southwesterly 6 or 7, increasing 8 or 9 from South to North

of the straits until evening
Mer : très forte à grosse.
very rough or high sea
Temps : averses en matinée, puis s'éclaircissant.
showers in the morning, then clearing.
Visibilité : médiocre sous précipitations en matinée, puis moyenne à bonne.
poor when raining in the morning, then moderate or good.
2) Mer peu agitée à belle.

Houle courte d'ouest proche de 1 m.
Averses ou petites pluies passagères.
Visibilité supérieure à 5 milles, réduite sous précipitations.
Slight or smooth sea.
Small westerly swell close to 1 meter (in height).
Showers or slight occasional rain.
Visibility over 5 miles, reduced when raining.
3) Vent d'ouest à sud-ouest 1 à 2

Mer calme à belle.
En Manche: Pas de houle significative.
Sur Pointe Bretagne : Petite houle d'ouest 0,5 à 1 m.
Temps nuageux avec quelques averses orageuses en première partie de nuit sur l'est de la
zone, suivi d'éclaircies ensuite. Localement brumeux.
West to southwesterly wind, 1 or 2.
Rippled or smooth sea.
In Channel: no significant swell.
On tip of Brittany: slight westerly swell, 0.5 or 1 meter
Overcast with squally showers during first half of night in east of

zone, followed by sunny spells / bright intervals. Fog patches locally.
100
Exercise 64. Listen to the shipping forecast, and answer the following questions:
1) What is the pressure in area Hebrides?
Low, 1015
2) What is announced in the general synopsis for area Fitzroy?
New High expected Fitzroy 1032 by same time
(by 0700 tomorrow).
3) What is the visibility in area Viking?
Moderate or good with fog patches in West.
4) What is the weather in area South Utsire?
Thundery rain.
5) Is the wind veering or backing in area Cromarty?
The wind is veering.

(forecast_june_1.mp3)
6) What is the wind direction in area Fisher?
South-Easterly 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 in
SW.
7) What is the wind direction in area Dover?
Cyclonic becoming NW 4 occasionally 5.
8) Will it rain in areas Biscay and Fitzroy?
They announce “occasional drizzle”
9) Is the visibility increasing or decreasing in areas Shannon and
Rockall?
The visibility is decreasing (Good becoming
moderate or poor)
10) The captain plans to organise a barbecue on the quarter deck.
The ship will be in area Fair Isle. Will the weather be favourable?
They announce “rain clearing later”, so it
would be better for dinner than lunch!
101
CHAPTER 10: HEALTH MATTERS!
1. THE HUMAN BODY

Exercise 65. This picture shows a body, front and back. Write the words in the box in the correct label
(Arrows designate precise areas).
ankle, arm, back, bottom, calf, chest, elbow, face, foot, hand, head, heel, knee, leg, neck, shoulder,
stomach, thigh, throat, toes.
SHOULDER HAND
HEAD NECK
FACE BACK
THROAT ELBOW
CHEST BOTTOM
ARM ANKLE
BELLY LEG
THIGH TOES
KNEE CALF
FOOT HEEL
Exercise 66. Now sort the words in two categories.
ARM LEG
H__D C__F K__E
E___W F__T T___H
S______R A___E T__S
Hand, elbow, shoulder calf, foot, ankle knee, thigh, toes
102
Exercise 67. Do you remember all the words from the previous exercise? Can you find them all in the
grid below? If you look closely, you can find one extra body part...
T H I G H E H A N D E N C
H A L C I N O R A S X H A
R T B O T T O M D H E E L
O Z Q U O V I K I E M I F
A N K L E F B F L A N D E
T O N I S H O U L D E R A
A H E N A B A L E U L I A
B N E C K A G E G Y B M R
A Z Y H A C E R L F O O T
F A C E X K D B Y I W U H
I M O S T O M A C H N N U
R G P T E L O C B E L L Y
2. TRAUMA AND DISEASES

2.1. Symptoms
Exercise 68. Look at the drawings and say what the problem is for each person. Then make a sentence
to say it (ex: “He was stung by a bee.”).
A bee sting A cough A burn A cut Insomnia
diarrhea A broken leg A temperature A cold To faint
nausea A headache A stomachache To lose one’s To sneeze

appetite
103
Exercise 69. Match the definition on the left, with the correct type of pain on the right
pain (n)
painful (adj)
a pain that you feel beating in
throbbing pain
to hurt (v) your head or in your chest
to suffer (v) a low intensity pain, like a

stinging pain
twisted ankle
throbbing (adj) pain
stinging (adj) pain a violent pain, almost like a

lingering pain
stab with a knife
lingering (adj) pain
Exercise 70. Fill in the blanks with words from the list:
heart attack - Senior Chief Smith had a heart A T T A C K last week.
HLD (heart and lung diseases) - Really? What happened?

- We were training in the sports center, and all of a sudden, he felt a
a stinging pain in the chest
S T I N G I N G pain in the C H E S T . He sat down, and I asked him
a pain in the left arm if he felt a P A I N in the left A R M He said ‘Yes’, so I called the
blood pressure corpsmen.
- How did you guess it was a H E A R T attack?
- I knew he has had H L D for some years now. I know he’s had high
B L O O D pressure, also. So I deduced it was his heart.
- Good. That could have cost him his life.
Exercise 71. Below is an account of an accident. Fill in the blanks:
to faint
to be conscious ≠ unconscious “The accident happened during lunch break. Like every day after
lunch, I was fishing from pier number 5, near the floating barge.
to be dizzy
After a while I felt D I Z Z Y . It was as if my head was spinning. I
to resuscitate
tried to sit down, but I F A I N T E D and fell onto the barge below.
CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) The shock knocked me U N C O N S C I O U S . I was lying with my
to breathe face down, so I could not B R E A T H E . Luckily, Seaman Jones

saw me fall down. He is trained for C P R , so he was able to
R E S U S C I T A T E me.”
104
Exercise 72. Health conditions. Match the condition with its description:
A health condition in which the body cannot regulate the

Diabetes
quantity of sugar present in the blood.
A condition in which the joints and bones of the patient

Asthma
are very painful
A pulmonary condition in which the patient sometimes

HLD
has difficulties breathing
A condition in which the cardiac or pulmonary functions

arthritis
of the patient are affected
Exercise 73. Bodily temperature. List typical questions you would ask to gather information
concerning a patient:
hypothermia 1) A person fell overboard and stayed 20 minutes in the water before
being recovered. The temperature of the sea was 8 degrees.
hyperthermia - Does the person show signs of H Y P O T H E R M I A ?
- Is he/she S H A K I N G / S H I V E R I N G ?
a fever, a temperature
to be feverish 2) A crewmember has sore muscles. His whole body is aching and he
coughs and sneezes.
to shake, to tremble, to shiver - Does the person show signs of H Y P E R T H E R M I A ?
- Does he/she have a T E M P E R A T U R E / F E V E R ? Is he/she
FEVERISH?
- Is he/she T R E M B L I N G / S H I V E R I N G ?
Exercise 74. Dehydration. Fill in the blanks in the text, with words from the list:
a headache, a severe headache (n) In physiology and medicine, D E H Y D R A T I O N is defined as the

to vomit, to throw up (v) excessive loss of body fluid, with an accompanying disruption of
metabolic processes.
dehydration (n)
dehydrated (adj) There are three types of dehydration: hypotonic (primarily a loss of
electrolytes, sodium in particular), hypertonic (primarily a loss of
to dehydrate ≠to rehydrate (v) water), and isotonic (equal loss of water and electrolytes).
to faint (v)
Symptoms may include H E A D A C H E similar to what is
fainting (n) experienced during a hangover, decreased blood pressure
dehydration (hypotension), and dizziness or F A I N T I N G when standing up.
When someone is D E H Y D R A T E D , they sometimes V O M I T ,
headache
which aggravates the problem. The results are generally delirium,
fainting unconsciousness, swelling of the tongue and, in extreme cases,
dehydrated death.
vomit source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehydration
105
2.2. Common injuries
An injury is damage to a part of the body, usually caused by an accident while working or practicing
sports.
Exercise 75. Fill in the table below:
What? How? Result Solution
Using a knife in the

I cut my finger It is bleeding a little A plaster
galley
It’s bleeding a lot Stitches

I cut my leg, quite I fell over on the
badly deck
It’s gushing A bandage
I twisted my ankle I fell down a ladder, I need to rest

I cannot walk on it
as I was going to
easily
I sprained my ankle the CIC below I need crutches
A plaster cast
I fell down a ladder I cannot use my
I broke my arm
during a fire drill arm
and a sling
I’m confused
I need to rest
The boom of the
I’ve got concussion
ship hit my head I may need to see a
I don’t know where doctor
I am
A special cream
I touched
I burnt my hand something hot in It is very painful
the engine room
Painkillers
I’ve got a bruise on I hit it on the side It’s swollen and

An ice pack
my arm of my desk blue/black in color
106
Exercise 76. Typical VHF sentences. Translate to English.
1) Je vais vous mettre en relation avec un médecin pour avoir un avis médical.
I will connect you to a doctor to have a medical opinion.
2) Est-ce que la personne prend habituellement un traitement?

Is that person on a medical treatment?
3) En plus de la poitrine, la personne a-t-elle également mal dans le bras gauche ?

Beside his chest, does the person feel any pain in his left arm?
4) La personne aura besoin d’être évacuée en urgence vers un hôpital.

The person needs to be urgently evacuated to a hospital.
5) La personne est-elle sous calmants en ce moment ?

Is the person currently sedated?
6) A bord de l’hélicoptère se trouvera une équipe médicale.

There will be a medical team onboard the helicopter.
7) Merci de vous assurer que le blessé soit en possession de son passeport quand il sera hélitreuillé.
Please make sure the victim has his/her passport with him/her when he is winched out.
8) Pouvez-vous allumer toutes les projecteurs de pont du navire afin de faciliter votre localisation par
l’hélicoptère ?
Can you please light all deck projectors onboard to help the helicopter spot you?
9) Y a-t-il des victimes ?

Are there any casualties?
10) La personne s’est ouvert le bras sur 15 cm en chutant dans la salle des machines.
The victim cut a 15-cm-long slash in his arm, as he fell in the engine room.
11) Combien de temps la personne est-elle restée dans l’eau? Avez-vous pu contrôler sa température
corporelle ?
How long did the person stay in the water? Have you been able to check his bodily temperature?
12) Merci de confirmer: la personne a eu la main arrachée.

Please confirm: the person’s hand was severed.
13) Je comprends que le pied de la victime a été écrasé. Est-ce correct ? A vous.
I understand the victim’s foot was crushed. Is this correct? Over.
14) Je comprends que le feu est maitrisé, et que vous n’avez pas de morts dans l’équipage. Je comprends
également qu’l y a une personne gravement brulée, une deuxième moins gravement, et 3 personnes
intoxiquées par les fumées.
I understand that the fire is now extinguished and that there are no dead crewmembers. I also
understand that one person is severely burned, another person has minor burns and three people have
smoke poisoning.
15) La personne a bu de l’eau de mer et est sévèrement déshydratée.

The person has drunk sea water and is severely dehydrated.
107
APPENDIX
1. DAY SHAPES
Adapted from http://boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/ansshape.htm and COLREGS http://cgate.co.il/eng/rules/yom.htm
146
2. ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
ENGLISH MEANING FRENCH
CIC combat information center (US) CO
CO commanding officer
CO conning officer CDQ
COLREGS anti-collision regulations RIPAM
CONREP connected replenishment
CPA closest point of approach CPA
DSC digital selective call ASN
EOT engine order telegraph TO
EOTO EOT operator
ETA estimated time of arrival HPA
ETD estimated time of departure HPD
FNS French navy ship
FS French ship
GMDSS global maritime distress safety system SMDSM
HMS Her Majesty’s ship
IMO international maritime organization
LHA landing helicopter assault
LHD landing helicopter dock BPC
LPD landing platform dock
MAREP maritime report
MMSI maritime mobile service identity
MRCC maritime rescue coordination center CROSS
MV motor vessel
OOD officer of the deck (US) CDQ
OOW officer of the watch (GB) CDQ
OR operations room (GB) CO
POSREP position report
QHM Queen’s harbour master
QM quarter master
RAS replenishment at sea RAM
RO-RO Roll on-roll off roulier
SCC ship control center
SMCP Standard Marine Communication Phrases
SSBN ship subsurface ballistic nuclear SNLE
SSN ship subsurface nuclear SNA
TSS traffic separation scheme DST
ULCC ultra large crude carrier
UNREP underway replenishment
USS United States ship
UTC universal time coordinated
VLCC very large crude carrier
VTS vessel traffic service STM
XO executive officer
147
3. MAREP/POSREP
POSREP
LETTER MEANING
Alpha Vessel's name + Call Sign
Bravo Day of month + time (UTC/Local/Zone)
Charlie Position: latitude + longitude
Delta Position: as a bearing and distance from a fixed point
MAREP
LETTER MEANING
Echo True course
Foxtrot Speed (in knots)
Golf Last port of departure
Hotel Time and point of entry into the system
India Destination + ETA
Juliet Deep-sea or local pilot on board
Kilo Time of exit from the system
Lima Intended track
Mike VHF-channels guarded
November Time of next report
Oscar Draft
Papa Cargo (type and quantity)
Quebec Any deficiencies or limitations
Romeo Any pollutants or dangerous goods o/b
Sierra Weather conditions
Tango Ship's representative or owner
Uniform Size and type of vessel
Victor Medical personnel
Whiskey Number of persons o/b
X-Ray Any other useful information
Yankee Request to relay rep ort to other system
Zulu End of report.
4. DISTANCES AND UNITS

1 nautical mile (nm) = 2025 yards (approximately 6,076 feet) or 1,852 meters (Admiralty mile =
1853 m)
1 cable = 200 yd or 100 fathoms (Imperial or Admiralty unit) or 1/10 of a nm
(international unit). For the U.S. Navy, one cable = 120 fathoms.
1 foot (ft) = 0.3048 meters
1 yard (yd) = 3 feet or 0.9144 m
1 fathom = 2 yd or 1.8288 m
148
5. REPLENISHMENT AT SEA
Replenishment at sea (RAS) is also called Underway Replenishment (UNREP) in the US Navy.
It consists in transferring fuel, food and ammunition to a ship while it is underway, by means of
connecting it to a replenishment ship or aircraft.
Four methods:
Alongside connected replenishment (CONREP)12
Astern fuelling13
Vertical replenishment (VERTREP)
Offshore replenishment
5.1. Alongside connected replenishment

CONREP is the standard method of supplying a ship underway. The two ships come alongside and
connect.
The supply ship is in command of the replenishment operations.
Standard replenishment speed is between 12 and 16 knots.
Connecting distance is around 30 yards; in European navies, it is between 28 and 36 metres.
Smoking is forbidden during fuel transfer operations (fuelling at sea or FAS).
Connection is made using a gunline or shot line. It is shot by the supplier and is tied to a messenger
line.14
The messenger line is used to pull aboard the supplied ship all the equipment required (phone lines,
distance line, transfer rig lines and hoses) 15. The distance line is often replaced by laser telemeters.
A red flare is fired to signal the beginning of pumping operations in the US Navy.
A green flare signals the end of the pumping operation in the US Navy.
A hose rig being deployed from French RS Var

http://jdb.marine.defense.gouv.fr/post/2008/02/23/Le-Var-navire-a-RAM
12
Teacher’s tip : Ravitaillement à couple
13
Teacher’s tip : ravitaillement en flèche
14
Teacher’s tip : ligne de passage
15
Teacher’s tip : ligne de distance (qui mesure la dist entre les deux navires) et support de la manche (ram probe)
149
In the US Navy, aircraft carriers are replenished from their starboard side because of their
overhanging deck on the port side. It is the same with French carrier Charles de Gaulle.
CONREP of Charles De Gaulle by replenishment ship A631 Somme

Photo from http://picasaweb.google.com/romainphoto1/PorteAvionsCharlesDeGaulle/photo#5140183202919205682
Most other ships can receive replenishment from either side. In fact, auxiliary ships, oilers or supply
ships often service two ships at a time, having one sailing on either sides.
CONREP is difficult and risky. In case of emergency, both crews must follow emergency breakaway
procedures. It avoids damage to either or both ships or in some cases losing one or both ships.
An emergency breakaway is signalled by six short horn blows. Weather conditions can make the
operation all the more difficult as both ships need to sail at exactly the same speed in order to avoid
breaking supply rigs. Frequent drills prepare crew members for emergency breakaways.
On U.S. ships, as both ships begin their breakaway after a CONREP, a breakaway song is played on the
public address communication system (1MC). It is not systematic and is usually at the discretion of the
captain or OOD of the supplied ship. Songs are usually travel songs.
Replenishment can also be dry goods or ammunition, mail or even personnel which are transferred vie
a pulley system called a STREAM16 rig. This is the advantage of alongside replenishment over astern
fuelling, which is limited to fuel transfer.
Fuel STREAM rig – Single Hose with Probe
16
Teacher’s tip : STREAM = Standard Tensioned Replenishment Alongside Method
150
Missile/Cargo STREAM Rig (All-Tensioned Wires
Schematics from http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/unrep.htm
5.2. Astern fuelling

In that case, the supplied ship sails directly in the wake of the replenishment ship. This method is
not commonly used as it has limitations:
- speed when connected is limited to around 7-8 knots
- supplying consists only in refuelling.
- The oiler can service only one ship at a time (although it can service two in alongside
replenishment meanwhile).
Astern fuelling is used to refuel escort vessels without having to stop the entire convoy.
Instead of a distance line, the replenishment ship tows a floating line with a bobber17. The bobber is to
be strictly kept alongside the bow of the supplied ship lest the hose is torn.
5.3. Vertical replenishment

VERTREP is mainly carried out by helicopter. It can be used singly or during a CONREP.
It is used when needs for supplies are not important enough to rig up the entire CONREP system or to
bring on board personnel such as medical staff, replacements or rescued shot-down pilots or sailors
who had fallen overboard.
It also enhances replenishment abilities or quickens UNREP operations.
5.4. Offshore replenishment.

This method is similar to the astern replenishment method, although the supplied ship is in fact in
tow. The replenishment ship acts as a tug ad tows the supplied ship while it supplies it.
Sources :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underway_replenishment
http://jdb.marine.defense.gouv.fr
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/unrep.htm
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/saga630/vie%20a%20bord/pageram.htm
http://jdb.marine.defense.gouv.fr/post/2008/02/23/Le-Var-navire-a-RAM
17
Teacher’s tip : Est appelé cochonnet par les français.
151
6. TONNAGE
There are five kinds of tonnage in use in the shipping industry. They are:
• Deadweight,
• Cargo tonnage,
• Gross tonnage,
• Net tonnage
• Displacement.
6.1. DEADWEIGHT
Deadweight Tonnage expresses the number of tons that a vessel can
transport of cargo, stores, and bunker fuel. It is the difference between the
number of tons of water a vessel displaces “light” and the number of tons it
displaces when submerged to the “load line”. “Deadweight tonnage” is used
interchangeably with “deadweight carrying capacity”. A vessel's capacity
for weight cargo is less than its total deadweight tonnage.
6.2. CARGO TONNAGE

Cargo Tonnage: is either “weight” or “measurement”. The weight ton in the United States and in British countries
is the English long or gross ton of 2,240 pounds. In France and other countries having the metric system a weight
ton is 2,204.6 pounds. A “measurement” ton is usually 40 cubic feet, but in
some instances a larger number of cubic feet is taken for a ton. Most ocean
package freight is taken at weight or measurement (W/M) ship's option.
6.3. GROSS TONNAGE

“Gross Tonnage” applies to vessels, not to cargo. It is determined by
dividing by 100 the contents, in cubic feet, of the vessel's closed-in spaces.
A vessel ton is 100 cubic feet. The register of a vessel states both gross and
net tonnage.
6.4. NET TONNAGE

“Net Tonnage” is a vessel's gross tonnage minus deductions of space
occupied by accommodations for crew, by machinery, for navigation, by
the engine room and fuel. A vessel's net tonnage expresses the space
available for the accommodation of passengers and the stowage of cargo. A
ton of cargo in most instances occupies less than 100 cubic feet; hence the
vessel's cargo tonnage may exceed its net tonnage, and, indeed, the
tonnage of cargo carried is usually greater than the gross tonnage.
6.5. DISPLACEMENT
Displacement of a vessel is the weight, in tons, of the vessel and its contents. Displacement “light” is the weight of
the vessel without stores, bunker fuel, or cargo. Displacement “loaded” is the weight of the vessel plus cargo, fuel,
and stores.
Source: Article appearing in the American Export Lines, Passenger List from June 28, 1932.
152
7. CLASSIFICATION OF DANGEROUS GOODS
7.1. Table of Dangerous Goods IMDG Code
Class 1 Explosives
Class 2 Flammable Gases
Class 3 Flammable Liquids
Class 4 Flammable Solids
Class 5 Oxidizing Agents
Class 6 Poisons
Class 7 Radioactive Material
Class 8 Corrosives
Class 9 Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles
See also : http://www.imo.org/blast/mainframe.asp?topic_id=158
The International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code was developed as a uniform international code
for the transport of dangerous goods by sea covering such matters as packing, container traffic and
stowage, with particular reference to the segregation of incompatible substances.
The Carriage of dangerous goods and marine pollutants in sea-going ships is respectively regulated in the
International Convention for the Safety of the Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Convention for
the Prevention of pollution from Ships (MARPOL).
Relevant parts of both SOLAS and MARPOL have been worked out in great detail and are included in the
International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, thus making this Code the legal instrument for
maritime transport of dangerous goods and marine pollutants. As of 1st January 2004, the IMDG Code
will become a mandatory requirement.
For all modes of transport (sea, air, rail, road and inland waterways) the classification (grouping) of
dangerous goods, by type of risk involved, has been drawn up by the UNITED NATIONS Committee of
Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UN).
7.2. Class 1:Explosives
Subclass 1.1: Explosives with a mass explosion hazard

Consists of explosives that have a mass explosion hazard. A mass explosion is one
which affects almost the entire load instantaneously.
Subclass 1.2: Explosives with a severe projection hazard

Consists of explosives that have a projection hazard but not a mass explosion
hazard.
Subclass 1.3: Explosives with a fire

Consists of explosives that have a fire hazard and either a minor blast hazard or a
minor projection hazard or both but not a mass explosion hazard.
153
Subclass 1.4: Minor fire or projection hazard
Consists of explosives that present a minor explosion hazard. The explosive effects
are largely confined to the package and no projection of fragments of appreciable
size or range is to be expected. An external fire must not cause virtually
instantaneous explosion of almost the entire contents of the package.
Subclass 1.5: An insensitive substance with a mass explosion hazard

Consists of very insensitive explosives with a mass explosion hazard (explosion
similar to 1.1). This division is comprised of substances which have a mass
explosion hazard but are so insensitive that there is very little probability of
initiation or of transition from burning to detonation under normal conditions of
transport.
Subclass 1.6: Extremely insensitive articles

Consists of extremely insensitive articles which do not have a mass explosive
hazard. This division is comprised of articles which contain only extremely
insensitive detonating substances and which demonstrate a negligible probability of
accidental initiation or propagation.
7.3. Class 2 :Gases
Subclass 2.1: Flammable Gas

Gases which ignite on contact with an ignition source, such as acetylene and
hydrogen. Flammable gas means any material which is ignitable at 101.3 kPa (14.7
psi) when in a mixture of 13 percent or less by volume with air, or has a flammable
range at 101.3 kPa (14.7 psi) with air of at least 12 percent regardless of the lower
limit.
Subclass 2.2: Non-Flammable Gases

Gases which are neither flammable nor poisonous. Includes the cryogenic
gases/liquids (temperatures of below -100°C) used for cryopreservation and rocket
fuels. This division includes compressed gas, liquefied gas, pressurized cryogenic
gas, compressed gas in solution, asphyxiant gas and oxidizing gas. A non-
flammable, nonpoisonous compressed gas means any material which exerts in the
packaging an absolute pressure of 280 kPa (40.6 psia) or greater at 20°C (68°F),
and does not meet the definition of Division 2.1 or 2.3.
Subclass 2.3: Poisonous Gases

Gases liable to cause death or serious injury to human health if inhaled. Gas
poisonous by inhalation means a material which is a gas at 20°C or less and a
pressure of 101.3 kPa (a material which has a boiling point of 20°C or less at
101.3kPa (14.7 psi)) which is known to be so toxic to humans as to pose a hazard
to health during transportation, or in the absence f adequate data on human
toxicity, is presumed to be toxic to humans because when tested on laboratory
animals it has an LC50 value of not more than 5000 ml/m3.
154
7.4. Class 3:Flammable Liquids
A flammable liquid means a liquid which may catch fire easily or any mixture
having one or more components with any flash point. As example: acetone, diesel,
gasoline, kerosene, oil etc. There is strongly recommended for transportation at or
above its flash point in a bulk packaging. There are three main groups of
flammable liquid.
Low flash point - liquids with flash point below -18°C

Intermediate flash point - liquids with flash point from -18°C. up to +23°C
High flash point group - liquids with flash point from +23°C
7.5. Class 4:Flammable solids or substances
Subclass 4.1: Flammable solids

Solid substances that are easily ignited. Self-reactive materials, which are
thermally unstable and that can undergo a strongly exothermic decomposition even
without participation of air. Readily combustible solids that can cause a fire through
friction and show a burning rate faster than 2.2 mm (0.087 inches) per second, or
metal powders that can be ignited and react over the whole length of a sample in
10 minutes or less.
Subclass 4.2: Spontaneously combustible solids

Solid substances that ignite spontaneously. Spontaneously combustible material is
a pyrophoric material, which is a liquid or solid that can ignite within five minutes
after coming in contact with air or a self-heating material that when in contact with
air and without an energy supply is liable to self-heat.
Subclass 4.3: Dangerous when wet

Solid substances that emit a flammable gas when wet. Dangerous when wet
material is a material that when it makes contact with water is liable to become
spontaneously flammable or give off flammable or toxic gas at a rate greater than
1 L per kilogram of the material per hour.
7.6. Class 5: Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides
Subclass 5.1: Oxidizing agent

Oxidizing agent means a material that may, generally by yielding oxygen, cause or
enhance the combustion of other materials.
Subclass 5.2: Organic peroxide oxidizing agent

Organic peroxide means any organic compound containing oxygen in the bivalent
structure and which may be considered a derivative of hydrogen peroxide, where
one or more of the hydrogen atoms have been replaced by organic radicals.
155
7.7. Class 6:Toxic and infectious substances
Subclass 6.1: Poison

Toxic substances which are able to cause death or serious hazard to humans health
during transportation.
Subclass 6.2: Biohazard

Infectious Substance material is known to contain or suspected of containing a
pathogen. Infectious substances are substances which are known or are reasonably
expected to contain pathogens. Pathogens are defined as micro-organisms
(including bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, parasites, fungi) and other agents such as
prions, which can cause disease in humans or animals.
7.8. Class 7: Radioactive substances
Radioactive
Radioactive substances comprise substances or a combination of substances which
emit ionizing radiation
7.9. Class 8: Corrosive substances
Corrosive
“Corrosive materials” means a liquid or solid that causes full thickness destruction
of human skin at the site of contact within a specified period of time. A liquid that
has a severe corrosion rate on steel or aluminum is also a corrosive material.
7.10. Class 9: Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles
Miscellaneous
A material which presents a hazard during transportation but which does not meet
the definition of any other hazard class. This class includes: any material which has
an anesthetic, noxious or other similar property which could cause extreme
annoyance or discomfort to a flight crew member so as to prevent the correct
performance of assigned duties or material for an elevated temperature material, a
hazardous substance, a hazardous waste, or a marine pollutant.
156
8. INTERNATIONAL CODE OF SIGNALS
Source: http://www.skysailtraining.co.uk/
157

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Department of English at Ecole Navale – French Naval Academy

Document version (06-2015)

Edited by Alcino FERREIRA

- Guillaume Baranger, Adjunct Professor, Ecole Navale

Fair winds and following seas…

BY: The author(s) must always be cited.

- Online video lectures, available on the accompanying website

d) About the TEST YOURSELF section, at the end of chapters

Assessment of the course generally consists of:

- An online quiz (50 questions, randomly selected from a database; 45 minutes)

We hope you enjoy the course.

Chapter 1: ABC, 123 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 8

A Alpha K Kilo U Uniform

Exercise 1. Transmit the following ship names, like in the example :

Ex: This is GLORIEUSE, I spell Golf-Lima-Oscar-Romeo-India-Echo-Uniform-Sierra-Echo

CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI TONNERRE GEORGE H. W. BUSH

Cardinal Ordinal Cardinal Ordinal

Number Spelling Pronunciation

- “0” is always pronounced “zero”

Use the 24-hour clock: 11:00 p.m. ⇒ 23:00

Z – ZULU = GMT / UTC / UTC±00:00 J – JULIET = Observer’s local time

2.3. Date time group

Call signs (“My international call sign is…”)

MMSI numbers (“My MMSI number is…”)

Times (“Time …” or “Date time group …”)

Exercise 4. Listen to the recording, and fill in the blanks:

My position is latitude 48°34’N and longitude 005°48’.6 W (figures.mp3)

My position is Latitude 49°31.7' N and longitude 004°40' W

My position is Latitude 25°09' N and longitude 004°27' W

My position is Latitude 50°56' N and 003°45' W

My position is Latitude 28°25' N and longitude 007°24' W

- The deck department

1.1. The Captain / the Master

1.2. The deck department

1.3. The engine department

1.3.1. Chief engineer

The chief engineer on a merchant vessel is the official title of

1.3.2. Second engineer/first assistant engineer

1.3.4. Fourth engineer/third assistant engineer

1.3.5. Electrotechnical Officer

1.4. The catering department

1.4.1. Chief steward

1.4.2. Chief cook

(Adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

DECK Department Second MATE

Here is a list of French / British / American ranks and ratings:

Exercise 6. Match these personnel with the definition of their function:

He is in charge of the ship during a

Exec / X.O ⦿ ⦿ He is the officer in charge of the vessel.

Cheng / Chief Engineer ⦿ ⦿ He is in charge of Operations

OOW / OOD ⦿ ⦿ He is the Lord of the engine room.

Conning Officer ⦿ ⦿ He is in charge of the maneuvers of the ship

SUPPO ⦿ ⦿ He is in charge of supplies

2.2. On the bridge

He/she directs the ship’s movements by helm

He/she assists the OOW in navigational matters,

He/she steers the ship according to the OOW’s

He/she stands watch at the engine order

He/she is ultimately responsible for the safe

2 Who rules in the engine room?

3 Who is the equivalent of the First Mate onboard a military vessel?

4 Who is in charge of the bridge during a watch at sea?