Communication
Governing: STCW Table A-II/1 'effective communication onboard and ashore' and 'assertiveness and leadership'; A-VIII/2 Part 3 para 8; MCA The Human Element, 'Communicating with others'.
What STCW measures
The management-level criterion, which the operational level builds toward, is that communication is clearly and unambiguously given and received. STCW A-VIII/2 adds, for every watch, that watchkeepers exchange appropriate communication in any situation and notify the master or chief engineer without any hesitation when in doubt.
Why messages fail
| Failure | Example |
|---|---|
| Assumption | 'He knows we're anchoring on the other side' |
| Ambiguity | 'Take it easy round the point' |
| Language | Non-native speakers, idiom, radio distortion |
| Hierarchy | Junior does not ask the captain to repeat |
| Noise and workload | Engine room, deck with wind, a busy bridge |
| No confirmation | Silence taken as agreement |
Closed loop
- Send: name the receiver, clear standard wording.
- Read back: receiver repeats the key content.
- Confirm: sender confirms or corrects.
Use it for helm and engine orders, anchor and mooring commands, permit-to-work and isolation instructions, and tender radio traffic. Use standard phrases (SMCP style) rather than yacht slang where it matters.
Briefings and handovers
Before a critical operation (anchoring, berthing, tender launch, bunkering), a short brief: the plan, roles, communication channels, hazards, abort criteria, and 'any questions'. Two minutes on the aft deck is enough.
At handover: position and plan, traffic, weather, equipment status, alarms, standing and night orders, what is expected in the next watch, and what the outgoing person is worried about. The incoming watchkeeper does not accept the watch until satisfied.
Assertiveness
Assertiveness is neither aggression nor silence. A usable structure:
| Step | Words |
|---|---|
| Get attention | 'Captain,' |
| State the concern | 'I'm worried about our depth,' |
| Give the reason | 'the sounder shows 6 m and falling, 2 m less than the chart,' |
| Propose | 'I suggest we stop and check,' |
| Get agreement | 'Are you happy with that?' |
If the concern is ignored and safety is at stake, repeat it more firmly and, if necessary, act (stop the engines, sound the alarm). The MCA guide warns against confusing a person's rank with the status of their information: the person with the relevant knowledge is often best placed to raise it, and the more senior you are, the more responsibility you have to make sure they are heard.
Receiving a challenge
As an officer, you set the tone. Thank people for raising concerns, even wrong ones. A crew that is punished once for speaking up will not do it again.
CAUTION — Radios on deck On yachts, handheld radios carry mooring, tender and interior traffic on the same channel. Agree channels and call signs for manoeuvres, and keep the working channel clear.
TIP — The written word Night orders, standing orders and passage plans are communication too. Write them so a tired junior at 0300 cannot misread them.