"Is my English good enough?" is one of the most common questions from people who want to go to sea. The answer has two layers: the English requirement the law sets for a certificate, and the level of communication an employer expects on board. They are not the same, and mixing them up leads either to needless worry or to false comfort. This article covers the legal side.
Which certificates require English under the regulation
The Seafarers and Maritime Pilots Regulation of 29 August 2024 sets the English score requirement certificate by certificate. Reading the articles one by one gives this picture:
- In the deck class, the articles for officer and master certificates, from restricted officer of the watch up to unlimited master, include the phrase "meeting the English score requirement set in the Training Directive".
- In the engine class, the same requirement applies to officer certificates, from restricted engineer officer up to unlimited chief engineer.
- In the auxiliary class, an English score requirement is also written for the electro-technical officer certificate.
- The articles for the seaman, oiler, steward and cook certificates contain no English score requirement.
In short, the regulation treats English as a document-linked requirement for officer and master certificates. Rating and auxiliary service certificates do not carry it.
Which exams are accepted
Under the regulation, the English pass criteria are set in the Training Directive. To meet them, you need the score set in the directive, or an equivalent score, from:
- the English section of YDS,
- or national or international exams that ÖSYM accepts as equivalent to YDS.
The regulation adds two important details. Sessions of these equivalent exams taken abroad are accepted only for those studying outside Türkiye or living outside Türkiye. For equivalent exams taken in Türkiye, the result is not accepted if the exam was not held in a state university building and the result document does not show the exam location and date. Checking both conditions before you sit the exam matters, so that your score is not wasted.
The required score itself is written in the Training Directive and can change, so we do not quote a figure here. Checking the current directive and the score required for your certificate before the exam saves you an unnecessary resit.
Is English unnecessary where no score is required?
No. The regulation not requiring a score for a seaman or steward does not mean English is of no use on board. The same regulation shows that English is used even in daily records:
- The seafarer's book is issued in Turkish and English.
- Watchkeeping schedules are prepared in a standardised format in the ship's working language or languages and in English.
- Daily rest hours are also recorded in the working language and in English.
As our frequently asked questions page says, most foreign-flag vessels expect English at an everyday communication level. So even for a certificate with no legal score requirement, an employer may ask for a language level in the posting. Your level is assessed at interview.
SMCP: standard marine communication phrases
There is another area separate from everyday English: maritime English. In November 2001, at its 22nd Assembly, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the IMO Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP) by resolution A.918(22). According to IMO, the aim is to get round language barriers at sea and avoid misunderstandings that can cause accidents.
IMO states that, under the STCW Convention, the ability to understand and use the SMCP is required for the certification of officers in charge of a navigational watch on ships of 500 gross tonnage or above. For a candidate aiming at the officer route, SMCP is a subject to study separately from general English.
Everyday communication or professional communication
As we set out on our training pages, there are two kinds of English. The first is general English: being able to understand crew and passengers. The second is maritime English: safety communication, standard marine phrases and ship terminology. In the hotel and catering department the first weighs more; on deck and in the engine room the second is decisive. Which one to work on depends on the position you are aiming for.
Employer interviews are mostly held online, and English is assessed directly in them. Many technically suitable candidates are turned down not for a missing document but because they could not explain themselves in the interview.
If your level is not enough
This gap delays the process; it does not stop it. Knowing your level honestly helps you choose the postings you can apply for. If you are aiming at the officer route, finding out the score requirement early and adding the exam calendar to your document plan makes things easier. If you are starting in hotel and catering, you still need to reach a level where you can explain yourself at interview and understand safety instructions, even if no score is needed for the certificate. Our training page on English explains how the level is assessed.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a YDS score to become a seaman?
The regulation's seaman article contains no English score requirement. The language level an employer asks for in a posting is a separate matter.
Is the English exam I took abroad valid?
Under the regulation, sessions taken abroad of exams that ÖSYM accepts as equivalent are accepted only for those studying outside Türkiye and those living outside Türkiye.
What is SMCP and who must know it?
The standard marine communication phrases adopted by IMO in 2001. According to IMO, under STCW, officers in charge of a navigational watch on ships of 500 gross tonnage or above must be able to understand and use them.