MARITIME ENGLISH SKILLS FOR MERCHANT NAVY DECK CADETS: CHALLENGES AND TEACHING STRATEGIES

Authors

  • Eirini Nektaria Trikoili Maritime English Language Teacher, Merchant Marine Academy of Kalymnos. Greece
  • Dimitrios Balalis Civil Engineer Teacher & Teacher of English as a Foreign Language, Private One to One Tuition, Kalymnos, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejel.v11i3.6759

Keywords:

Maritime English, deck-cadets, merchant navy academy students, maritime linguistic challenges, maritime teaching strategies, English for Specific Purposes (ESP)

Abstract

Given the global attribute of the shipping sector, maritime English constitutes a crucial component of maritime education in general and deck cadet training, more specifically, as it ensures safe and effective communication in multinational ship environments. Despite the adoption of Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCPs), merchant navy deck cadets continue to struggle linguistically with the use of English in real-world shipboard circumstances and with their everyday encounters with multinational personnel. There is a great disparity between traditional classroom language training and the practical linguistic demands on board vessels. This paper explores the main challenges faced by both merchant navy deck-cadet academy students and their English professors and proposes effective teaching methodologies to address these challenges within the Maritime English Curriculum of the academies. The study also contributes to the field of English for specific purposes (ESP) as maritime English equips students with linguistic and cultural competencies specifically addressed to the maritime industry.

Author Biographies

  • Eirini Nektaria Trikoili, Maritime English Language Teacher, Merchant Marine Academy of Kalymnos. Greece

    Eirini Nektaria Trikoili is an English language teacher. She received her Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Portsmouth, UK and her Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English as a Foreign Language from the same university. She also holds a Certificate of Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Adults from the same University. She was active in teaching English as a foreign language in the private sector from 2005 to 2013. From 2014 to 1017 she taught at public high schools. Since 2018, she has been teaching Maritime English at the Marine Academy of Kalymnos, Greece.

  • Dimitrios Balalis, Civil Engineer Teacher & Teacher of English as a Foreign Language, Private One to One Tuition, Kalymnos, Greece

    Dimitrios Balalisis is both a Civil Engineer Teacher and a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language. He has a Bachelor's in Civil Engineering from the University of Thrace and three Master’s degrees: a) an Integrated Master's in Civil Engineering and Transportational Systems from the University of Thrace. b) A Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Thrace. c) A Master’s degree in Adult Education from Frederick University of Cyprus. He also has a certificate of Proficiency in the English language and has been active in teaching English as a foreign language in the private sector.

References

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Published

2026-06-01

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 3 (2026)

Section

Articles

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