MEANS AND MODES

OF COMMUNICATION
ON SHIPS
BY,
ADARSH H WARRIER
Verbal Communication

 Verbal communication may be informal such as occurs in casual conversation,

advice or instruction that allows levels of voluntary participation.
 It may alternatively be a formal order or command that is required to be obeyed
and implemented.
Written Communication

 Written communications include reminder memos and temporary signs, letters

and advisories notices, emails and other print out radio services such as Telex,
Digital Selective Calling, Navtex and Inmarsat.
 All must be considered as formal by their nature of being an article that can be
stored as permanent evidence.
Example- Log Book

 Logbook should be signed and dated.

 Mistakes should not be erased but lined through and initialed.
 Pages should not be removed.
 False entries must not be made.
 Clear - it can be easily read.
 Concise - it is not too long. 
Codes used

 Initially, Morse code was the major mode for transmitting messages.
 Later, International Code of Signals was introduced.
 The communication on board ships comply with and makes use of IMO Standard
Maritime Navigational Vocabulary
Formal Communication

 Formal communications at sea are provided in the written standing orders of the
Master.
 The entries in the ship’s logbooks, the records of reports, the safety management
documentation are all parts of formal communication.
 Formal signaling is used in both traditional and state of the art systems. The coded
information that is displayed (transmitted) requires the receiver to interpret it
using the agreed decoding manual.
Non verbal Communication

 Non verbal communication is transmitted through facial expressions, hand

signals, body language, attire and attitude of the communicators.
 It can result in misunderstandings with persons of differing backgrounds and
cultures.
 In a multicultural industry, this concern has led to the development of formal non
verbal communication in certain operational situations, such as saluting in
acknowledgment of instructions from a senior officer or using standardized hand
signals for lifting and cargo operations.
Ship to Ship Message Transmission

 Any conversation, i.e. a ship-to-ship, ship-to-shore or shore-to-ship exchange,

consists of the following stages:
1. Making Contact
2. Exchange of Message
3. End Procedure
 All communications are to be carried out in accordance with SMCP (Standard
Marine Communication Phrases 1997) and SEASPEAK
Example of Making Contact

 Calling station  Receiving station

ALL SHIPS, ALL SHIPS, ALL SHIPS, (IN THIS IS SEA URCHIN, N-W-E-9.
SEA AREA...,)
IN POSITION:
CALLING *UNKNOWN SHIP IN
- BEARING: 1-8-5 DEGREES FROM
POSITION:
PUNTA STELLA
 BEARING: 1-8-5 DEGREES FROM
- DISTANCE: 4.6 MILES
PUNTA STELLA
- OVER
 DISTANCE: 4.6 MILES
 THIS IS NEWHAVEN RADIO. I-0-4-N
 OVER
Message Marker Answer to Message Marker
Question Answer
Instruction (Instruction received)
Advice (Advice received)
Request (Request received)
Information (Information received)
Warning (Warning received)
Intention (Intention received)

WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS? I INTEND TO ALTER COURSE TO STARBOARD

In the end procedure the conversation is terminated (e.g. NOTHING MORE), using a polite greeting
(HAVE A GOOD WATCH, HAVE A PLEASANT VOYAGE TO) and the phrase OUT or OVER
AND OUT
Marine
Communication
Equipment
Satellite Communication

 Satellite communication refers to any communication link that involves the use of
a SATELLITE
 Satellite communications tend to use high frequency signals: Ultra High
Frequency (UHF), 300 MHz - 3 GHz and Super High Frequency (SHF), 3 - 30
GHz artificial satellite in its propagation.
 A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and
amplifies radio telecommunication signals via a transponder; it creates
a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different
locations on Earth.
VHF Radio

 Marine VHF radio is a worldwide system of two way radio transceivers on ships
and watercraft used for bidirectional voice communication from ship-to-ship,
ship-to-shore (for example with harbormasters), and in certain circumstances
ship-to-aircraft.
  It uses FM channels in the very high frequency (VHF) radio band in the
frequency range between 156 and 174 MHz
 It is used for a wide variety of purposes, including marine navigation and traffic
control, summoning rescue services and communicating
with harbours, locks, bridges and marinas.
NAVTEX

 NAVTEX, an acronym for navigational telex (navigational text messages) is a

device used on-board the vessels to provide short range Maritime Safety
Information in coastal waters automatically.
 The Navtex works on a frequency of 518 kHz in the medium frequency band.
  A NAVTEX receiver onboard prints out navigational and meteorological
warnings and forecasts as well as urgent Marine Safety Information to ships.
Radiotelephony

 A radiotelephone (or radiophone) is a radio communication system for

transmission of speech over radio.
 The Marine Radiotelephone Service or HF ship-to-shore operates
on shortwave radio frequencies, using single-sideband modulation.
 SSB permits a single voice channel to use a narrower range of radio frequencies
(bandwidth), about 3.5 kHz. In comparison, AM radio uses about 8 kHz,
and narrowband (voice or communication-quality) FM uses 9 kHz.
SATNAV

 A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that uses satellites to provide

autonomous geo-spatial positioning.
 It allows small electronic receivers to determine their location (longitude, latitude,
and altitude/elevation) to high precision (within a few centimeters to metres)
using time signals transmitted along a line of sight by radio from satellites.
 The signals also allow the electronic receiver to calculate the current local time to
high precision, which allows time synchronisation.
THANK YOU