Maritime English is very important since English is the universal language; seafarers should learn different terms concerning navigation for ensuring safety, efficient and profitable ship operation. Language learning is to improve the student’s four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing, with the base of good grammar and large vocabulary, including technical and maritime jargon. It is also an English language used by maritime industry and its content is specifically different from general English. It can be regarded as English for special purpose. Maritime English is absolutely different with business english. Business english is used widely and generally in business community and cannot be adaptable to another type of industry such as in maritime wherein mostly of the employees have native tongues and may cause a lot of difference if business english is used ,an example of effect of this is the trouble happened to m/s scandinavian star in 1990 due to of ship communication error. seaspeak or maritime english has been formalised by standard marine communication phrases and adopted by International Maritime Organization.
Maritime English is necessary to my career as a ship’s mate, that is useful as long as I am was in maritime field, everything that we do is only use one language that is maritime english and that is able to develop personal skills to include the instructions of others in the use of the English language on board. Maritime English have many functions for ship’s crew consist of familiarization onboard, safety onboard, emergencies onboard, navigation and aids to navigation, ship operations and seamanship. Familiarization onboard provide information to ship’s crew about type of ship, organization onboard ships and ship design and terminology, every type of ship there are have their own function for example bulk carrier are ships specially designed to carry