These words form the base of maritime English. Start with the parts of the ship.
Parts of the ship
| Term | Plain-English meaning | |---|---| | Bow | The front of the ship. | | Stern | The back of the ship. | | Port | The left side, looking forward. | | Starboard | The right side, looking forward. | | Deck | The floor of the ship, on which people walk and work. | | Bridge / Wheelhouse | The place from which the ship is navigated. | | Engine room | The space that contains the main engine and machinery. | | Cargo hold | The space where cargo is carried. | | Cabin | A crew member's room. | | Mess room | The room where the crew eat. | | Anchor | Heavy device that holds the ship on the seabed. | | Rudder | The device that steers the ship. | | Propeller | The device that pushes the ship through the water. |
Navigation
| Term | Plain-English meaning | |---|---| | Course | The direction in which the ship is steering. | | Bearing | The direction of an object from the ship. | | Position | Where the ship is, in coordinates or relative to a landmark. | | Distance | How far away something is. | | Speed | How fast the ship moves, in knots. | | Depth | How deep the water is. | | Current | The movement of the water. | | Wind | The movement of the air. |
People and roles
| Term | Plain-English meaning | |---|---| | Master / Captain | The person in command of the ship. | | Chief Officer | Head of the deck department, second in command. | | Second Officer | Watchkeeping officer, often responsible for navigation. | | Chief Engineer | Head of the engine department. | | Boatswain (Bosun) | Senior deck rating who supervises the crew on deck. | | Able Seaman (AB) | Experienced deck rating who keeps watch and works on deck. | | Pilot | Local expert who helps the ship enter or leave port. |
Safety
| Term | Plain-English meaning | |---|---| | Lifejacket | Worn to keep you afloat. | | Life raft | Inflatable raft used when abandoning ship. | | Lifeboat | Rigid boat used when abandoning ship. | | Man overboard | A person has fallen into the sea. | | Abandon ship | Leave the ship in an emergency. | | Muster station | The place where you go when an alarm sounds. |
How to study
- Learn 10 words a day, always inside a sentence.
- Label the objects you see onboard with their English names.
- Write down new words you hear on the radio.
This first round is now complete. New parts will be added over time.