Instructors in Ghana have updated their skills in teaching maritime English - the standard working language for seafarers, essential for ensuring safety on ships that travel worldwide with multinational crews.
In collaboration with the Regional Maritime University (RMU), which serves Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana and Liberia, IMO organized a national train-the-trainer course for maritime English instructors (16 - 20 September) in Accra.
The course provided 24 participants with modern teaching techniques and methodologies for developing and updating maritime English curricula, to support safety and operational efficiency at sea.
Maritime English includes "standard marine communication phrases (SMCP)", covering all major safety-related verbal communication. As ship crews often come from diverse nationalities, proficiency in Maritime English is crucial for ensuring smooth communication, including in high-pressure situations where misunderstandings can have serious consequences.
The aim of the course was to enhance the capacity of Ghana's maritime training institutions to effectively implement the requirements of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 (STCW Convention) and thereby promote maritime safety and environmental protection.
The training was aligned with the STCW Convention and IMO Model Course 3.17, ensuring that instructors are well-prepared to meet global standards. The course enabled Ghana's maritime training institutions to provide high-quality education and contribute to safer maritime operations.
