Introduction General Glossary Warnings Assistance Anchoring Arrival, Berthing, and Departure Course Draught and Air Draught Fairway Navigation Canal and Lock Operations Manoeuvring Pilotage Position Radar Navigational Warnings Routeing Speed Tide and Depth Tropical Storms Tugs Way Points Weather Fishing Helicopters Ice-breakers Wheel Orders Engine Orders Pilotage (On-board) Manoeuvring (On-board) Propulsion System Going To Anchor Leaving The Anchorage Berthing / Unberthing	Standard Marine Navigational Vocabulary
	General
	Procedure/message markers
	When it is necessary to indicate that phrases in this vocabulary are to be used, the following messages may be sent: 'Please use the Standard Marine Navigational Vocabulary'. 'I will use the Standard Marine Navigational Vocabulary'. If necessary, external communication messages may be preceded by the following message markers: QUESTION indicates that the following message is of interrogative character ANSWER indicates that the following message is the reply to a previous question REQUEST indicates that the contents of the following message are asking for action from others with respect to the ship INFORMATION indicates that the following message is restricted to observed facts INTENTION indicates that the following message informs others about immediate navigational actions intended to be taken WARNING indicates that the following message informs other traffic participants about dangers ADVICE indicates that the following message implies the intention of the sender to influence the recipient(s) by a recommendation INSTRUCTION indicates that the following message implies the intention of the sender to influence the recipient(s) by a regulation.
	Standard Verbs
	Where possible, sentences should be introduced by one of the following verb forms: IMPERATIVE Always to be used when mandatory orders are being given
	You must Do not Must I? INDICATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE I require I do not require Do I require? I am I am not Am I? You are You are not Are you? I have I do not have Do you have? I can I cannot Can I? - is it possible? Can you? I wish to I do not wish to do you wish to? I will - future I will not - future   You may You need not May I? - permission Advise Advise not   There is There is not Is there? What is/are? Where is/are? When is/are?
	Responses
	Where the answer to a question is in the affirmative, say: 'yes . . . ' - followed by the appropriate phrase in full. Where the answer to a question is in the negative, say: 'no . . . ' - followed by the appropriate phrase full. Where the information is not immediately available but soon will be, say: 'Stand by'. Where the information cannot be obtained, say: 'No information'. Where a message is not properly heard, say: 'Say again'. Where a message is not understood, say: 'Message not understood'.
	Distress / Urgency / Safety Messages
	MAYDAY (repeated three times) is to be used to announce a distress message PAN PAN (repeated threee times) is to be used to announce an urgency message SECURITE (repeated threee times) is to be used to announce a safety message
	Miscellaneous Phrases
	What is your name (and call sign)? How do you read me?
	I read you . . . with signal strength . . . (bad/1) (1/barely perceptible) (poor/2) (2/weak) (fair/3) (3/fairly good) (good/4) (4/good) (excellent/5) (5/very good)
	Stand by on channel . . . Change to channel . . . I cannot read you. (Pass your message through vessel . . . ). (Advise try channel . . . ). I cannot understand you. Please use the . . . (Standard Marine Navigational Vocabulary). (International code of signals). I am passing a message for vessel . . . Correction . . . I am ready to receive your message. I am not ready to receive your message. I do not have channel . . . Please use channel . . .
	Repetition
	If any parts of the message are considered sufficiently important to need safeguarding, use the word 'repeat'. Examples: 'You will load 163 repeat 163 tons bunkers'. 'Do not repeat not overtake'.
	Position
	When latitude and longitude are used, these shall be expressed in degrees and minutes (and decimals of a minute if necessary), north or south of the Equator and east or west of Greenwich. When the position is related to a mark, the mark shall be a well-defined charted object. The bearing shall be in the 360 degrees notation from true north and shall be that of the position FROM the mark. Examples: 'There are salvage operations in position 15 degrees 34 minutes north 61 degrees 29 minutes west'. 'Your position is 137 degrees from Bar Head lighthouse distance two decimal four miles'.
	Courses
	Always to be expressed in 360 degree notation from north (true north unless otherwise stated). Whether this is to TO or FROM a mark can be stated.
	Bearings
	The bearing of the mark or vessel concerned, is the bearing in the 360 degree notation from north (true north unless otherwise stated), except in the case of relative bearings. Bearings may be either FROM the mark or FROM the vessel. Examples: 'The Pilot Boat is bearing 215° from you'. 'Your bearing is 127° from the signal station'. Note: Vessels reporting their position should always quote their bearing FROM the mark, as described in 'Position' section.
	Relative Bearings
	Relative bearings can be expressed in degrees relative to the vessel's head or bow. More frequently this is in relation to the port or starboard bow. Example: 'The buoy is 030° on your port bow'. Relative D/F bearings are more commonly expressed in the 360 degree notation.
	Distances
	Preferably to be expressed in nautical miles or cables (tenths of a mile) otherwise in kilometers or metres, the unit always to be stated.
	Speed
	To be expressed in knots: (a) without further notation meaning speed through the water; or (b) 'ground speed' meaning speed over the ground.
	Numbers
	Numbers are to be spoken: 'One-five-zero' for 150. 'Two point five' for 2.5.
	Geographical names
	Place names used should be those on the chart or Sailing Directions in use. Should these not be understood, latitude and longitude should be given.
	Time
	Times should be expressed in the 24 hour notation indicating whether UTC, zone time or local shore time is being used. Note: In cases not covered by the above phraseology normal radiotelephone practice will prevail.