JoAL
JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS
Vol.
5 No.
January 2026 e- ISSN 2809 - 1922 , p-ISSN 2809 - 1914 Available online at:
Journal of Applied https://journal.
org/index.
php/joal/index Linguistics The Use of maritime alphabet in Maritime English :
A literature Review Yusrah 1*.
Piping Rahadianto2 1,2 Prodi Sistem Kelistrikan Kapal.
Politeknik Pelayaran Malahayati.
Indonesia *Correspondence Email: yusrah.
mpd@gmail.
ARTICLE INFO
Article History:
Received : December 13, 2025 Reviewed : December 20, 2025 Revised : December 22, 2025 Accepted : December 22, 2025 Available online : December 26, 2025 Keywords:
Maritime Education.
Phonetic Alphabet.
Professional Communication Abstract Effective communication is a fundamental requirement in maritime operations, where clarity and accuracy are essential to ensuring safety at sea.
One key element supporting this objective is the Maritime Alphabet, also known as the NATO phonetic alphabet, which standardizes oral communication among seafarers from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
This literature review examines the role of the Maritime Alphabet in English language learning within maritime education contexts.
The review analyzes 20 selected sources, including peer-reviewed journal articles.
International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions and guidelines, and Maritime English textbooks published between 2015 and 2024, drawing on pedagogical frameworks in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and Maritime English.
The findings indicate that integrating the Maritime Alphabet into Maritime English instruction enhances pronunciation accuracy, listening comprehension, and learnersAo confidence in oral communication.
Furthermore, its integration with the Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP) supports the development of professional communicative competence required by international maritime The literature also highlights that simulation-based, taskoriented, and blended learning approaches significantly improve cadetsAo engagement and practical communication performance.
Despite these benefits, challenges remain, including persistent pronunciation difficulties among non-native speakers, limited exposure to authentic communication contexts, and insufficient instructional resources.
Overall, this review underscores the Maritime Alphabet as a core component of Maritime English pedagogy, contributing to the development of standardized communicative competence essential for safety and professionalism in maritime education.
INTRODUCTION
English plays a vital role in maritime communication as it functions as the international language of the sea under the conventions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) (Trenkner, 2.
To ensure safety and efficiency in global maritime operations, seafarers must communicate clearly and accurately despite differences in linguistic background.
One essential component supporting this objective is the Maritime Alphabet also known as the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet (IRSA) or the NATO Phonetic Alphabetwhich standardizes Published by English Lecturers and Teachers Association (ELTA) Copyright A 2026, authors DOI: 10.
52622/joal.
Journal of Applied Linguistics (JoAL).
Vol.
5 No.
January 2026.
e-ISSN 2809-1922, p-ISSN 2809-1914 the pronunciation of letters to prevent misunderstanding in oral communication (International Telecommunication Union, 2.
This system is particularly critical for transmitting ship names, call signs, coordinates, and safety-related messages in both routine and emergency situations, where miscommunication may lead to serious operational consequences (International Civil Aviation Organization, 2.
Within maritime education, the Maritime Alphabet serves not only as an operational communication tool but also as an effective pedagogical resource for developing studentsAo listening, speaking, pronunciation, spelling accuracy, and oral confidence.
As maritime students are prepared to work in international and multilingual environments, mastery of the Maritime Alphabet constitutes an indispensable element of communicative competence in Maritime English.
Cole and Trenkner .
emphasized that effective maritime communication underpins safe navigation, as communication failures are a frequent cause of accidents at sea.
Accordingly, the integration of maritime-specific communication tools, such as the Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP) and the Maritime Alphabet, has been recognized as an essential component of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) instruction in maritime contexts (Kaur, 2015.
IMO, 2.
Despite its acknowledged operational importance, existing research has predominantly focused on the SMCP and general maritime vocabulary, while the pedagogical role of the Maritime Alphabet in English language learning remains insufficiently examined.
Pritchard .
noted that although the Maritime Alphabet is routinely used in professional communication, it is often treated as a supplementary skill rather than a structured instructional component in Maritime English curricula.
Similarly.
Jin and Cortazzi .
observed that ESP instruction in maritime institutions tends to prioritize grammar and technical terminology over systematic training in operational oral communication.
This imbalance reveals a clear research gap: there is a lack of comprehensive literature reviews that specifically analyze how the Maritime Alphabet functions as a pedagogical tool, its instructional benefits, and the challenges associated with its classroom implementation in maritime education and training institutions.
In response to this gap, this literature review aims to analyze and synthesize previous studies and theoretical perspectives on the use of the Maritime Alphabet in English language learning for maritime students.
The review seeks to examine its pedagogical value, identify instructional benefits and challenges, and assess its contribution to achieving the objectives of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in maritime education.
To guide this analysis, the study addresses the following research questions: .
How is the Maritime Alphabet implemented in English language learning for maritime students? .
What challenges do students and instructors encounter in applying the Maritime Alphabet during English language instruction? .
How does the integration of the Maritime Alphabet support the objectives of ESP in maritime education? This review draws on secondary sources, including academic journal articles, training manuals, institutional reports, and international maritime regulations related to Maritime English communication.
The discussion focuses on pedagogical aspects such as listening, speaking, and pronunciation skills within maritime education contexts.
However, the study is limited to secondary data analysis and does not include empirical or field-based research.
Additionally, it excludes the use of phonetic alphabets in aviation or military settings and concentrates exclusively on maritime education and training environments.
This study contributes to maritime education by highlighting the pedagogical significance of integrating the Maritime Alphabet into English language instruction.
For educators, it offers insights into designing classroom strategies that promote accurate pronunciation and effective oral communication.
For students and cadets, it underscores the practical relevance of English as a professional communication tool at sea.
For curriculum Published by English Lecturers and Teachers Association (ELTA) Copyright A 2026, authors Journal of Applied Linguistics (JoAL).
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e-ISSN 2809-1922, p-ISSN 2809-1914 developers and policymakers, the review provides evidence supporting the inclusion of authentic maritime communication practices, such as the Maritime Alphabet and SMCP, within ESP-oriented English curricula.
Moreover, by identifying gaps in existing research, this study encourages future empirical investigations into specialized maritime communication systems to strengthen both language proficiency and safety in maritime operations.
METHOD
This study adopts a qualitative research design in the form of a systematic literature review (SLR).
Qualitative inquiry is appropriate for exploring concepts and synthesizing theoretical and empirical findings from existing studies (Creswell, 2.
The SLR approach was employed to examine the pedagogical use of the Maritime Alphabet in English language learning within maritime education contexts.
Literature sources were collected from reputable academic databases, including Google Scholar.
Scopus.
ERIC, and ScienceDirect.
The search used keywords such as Maritime Alphabet.
NATO phonetic alphabet.
Maritime English.
English for Specific Purposes, and maritime communication.
Inclusion criteria comprised peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books, conference proceedings, and official reports published in English between 2010 and Studies focusing exclusively on aviation or military communication were excluded unless they offered relevant theoretical insights for maritime education.
The selected literature was analyzed using thematic analysis, which enables the identification and interpretation of recurring patterns across qualitative data (Braun & Clarke.
Four main themes were identified: .
implementation of the Maritime Alphabet in English instruction, .
pedagogical benefits, .
challenges and limitations, and .
integration within ESP frameworks.
The analysis involved comparing findings across studies to identify convergences and divergences, following established academic review practices (Hart, 2.
This methodological approach ensures rigor and clarity in synthesizing existing knowledge on the pedagogical application of the Maritime Alphabet.
FINDINGS
The Role of the Maritime Alphabet in English Language Learning The reviewed literature consistently indicates that the Maritime Alphabet plays a central role in improving clarity and accuracy in maritime communication.
Studies emphasize that standardized pronunciation significantly reduces the risk of misunderstanding during operationally critical situations, such as distress communication, navigational reporting, and cargo coordination (Trenkner & Cole, 2.
In Maritime English instruction, empirical findings show that regular practice with the Maritime Alphabet enhances learnersAo phonological awareness, listening discrimination, and speaking accuracy.
Pritchard .
reports that students who engage in structured spelling and radio-communication drills demonstrate improved oral performance.
From an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) perspective, these outcomes support the view that language learning is most effective when aligned with learnersAo professional needs and communicative tasks (Hutchinson & Waters, 1.
The Maritime Alphabet in Practice The literature consistently refers to the standardized alphabet adopted by international maritime authorities as a core reference for instruction and practice (IMO, 2.
Rather than focusing on its definition, studies highlight its instructional value in familiarizing learners with standardized spelling patterns and communicative routines used in professional maritime The use of uniform code words has been shown to reduce pronunciation variability Published by English Lecturers and Teachers Association (ELTA) Copyright A 2026, authors Journal of Applied Linguistics (JoAL).
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5 No.
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e-ISSN 2809-1922, p-ISSN 2809-1914 caused by accent differences, signal interference, and environmental noise, thereby supporting accurate message transmission in training and operational settings.
The following table shows the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet .
ommonly called the Maritime Alphabe.
used in international maritime communication as standardized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Table 1.
The International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
Pronunciation Letter
Code Word
Example Usage
Guide Alpha
AL-fah
Ship name: Alpha One
Bravo
BRAH-voh
Call sign: Bravo Two
Charlie CHAR-lee
Port: Charlie Bay
Delta
DELL-tah
Cargo: Delta container Echo
ECK-oh
Message: Echo received Foxtrot
FOKS-trot
Signal: Foxtrot flag
Golf
GOLF
Coordinate: Golf position Hotel
hoh-TELL
Berth: Hotel pier
India
IN-dee-ah
Crew: India section
Juliett
JEW-lee-ett
Code: Juliett Bravo
Kilo
KEY-loh
Call: Kilo 123
Lima LEE-mah
Report: Lima station
Mike
MIKE
Name: Mike vessel November no-VEM-ber Ship: November 2 Oscar OSS-car Radio: Oscar transmission Papa pah-PAH Order: Papa code Quebec keh-BECK Port: Quebec area Romeo ROW-me-oh Vessel: Romeo cargo Sierra see-AIR-rah Direction: Sierra point Tango TANG-go Signal: Tango received Uniform YOU-nee-form Message: Uniform Bravo Victor VIK-tah Ship: Victor line Whiskey WISS-key Order: Whiskey 4 X-ray ECKS-ray Coordinate: X-ray sector Yankee YANG-key Berth: Yankee 3 Zulu ZOO-loo Time: 1200 Zulu (UTC) Source: International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Standard Marine Communication Phrases .
This alphabet ensures that words and codes are pronounced and understood uniformly, minimizing confusion caused by accents, poor signal quality, or environmental noise.
Pedagogical Benefits Identified in the Literature Across studies, several recurring pedagogical benefits emerge from the integration of the Maritime Alphabet into ESP-oriented English instruction.
Research consistently reports improvements in pronunciation accuracy and spelling competence, which are essential for precise maritime communication (Misiulien, 2.
In addition, simulation-based learning environments using the Maritime Alphabet have been found to increase learner motivation and engagement by providing authentic communicative experiences (Kusumawardani, 2.
Other Published by English Lecturers and Teachers Association (ELTA) Copyright A 2026, authors Journal of Applied Linguistics (JoAL).
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5 No.
January 2026.
e-ISSN 2809-1922, p-ISSN 2809-1914 studies note that repeated exposure through radio-call simulations enhances studentsAo confidence and fluency in spoken English (Franceschi & Taylor, 2.
, as well as their listening accuracy under realistic communication conditions (Hagen & Robertson, 2.
Collectively, these findings indicate that the Maritime Alphabet supports both linguistic development and operational readiness.
Integration with the Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP) The literature consistently emphasizes that the instructional effectiveness of the Maritime Alphabet increases when it is taught in conjunction with the Standard Marine Communication Phrases (SMCP).
Cole and Trenkner .
argue that these two systems function complementarily to establish predictable and standardized communication patterns at Studies report that students who practice spelling and message transmission within SMCPbased dialogues demonstrate higher levels of precision, fluency, and situational awareness.
This integrated approach aligns classroom instruction with international maritime communication standards and professional expectations (IMO, 2.
Common Challenges in Implementation Despite its demonstrated benefits, the literature identifies several recurring challenges.
A lack of standardized teaching materials limits consistent instruction across institutions (AlMutairi, 2.
Pronunciation difficulties persist among non-native English learners, particularly with less familiar phonetic code words (Wang & Liu, 2.
Additionally, several studies report an overreliance on memorization, with insufficient use of contextualized drills or simulations (Barrios, 2.
These challenges highlight the need for more practice-oriented instructional approaches.
Effective Strategies Reported in the Literature To address these challenges, the literature consistently recommends simulation-based, task-based, and blended learning approaches.
Radio-call simulations and emergency drills provide meaningful communicative contexts for practicing the Maritime Alphabet (Gonzalez & Rivera, 2.
Blended learning models combining classroom instruction with digital pronunciation tools further support learner autonomy (Supriyanto, 2.
Task-based learning activities, such as relaying coordinates or spelling vessel names, have also been shown to improve communicative accuracy and relevance (Yusof & Rahman, 2.
DISCUSSION
From a curricular and regulatory perspective, the Maritime Alphabet is significant because it operationalizes the communication competencies mandated by the STCW Convention and IMO guidelines.
Its systematic inclusion in Maritime English curricula ensures that language instruction directly supports safety-critical communication tasks required at the operational level, such as distress communication, navigational reporting, and coordination with vessel traffic services.
By embedding the Maritime Alphabet within SMCP-based training, maritime institutions can better align classroom learning with internationally recognized standards, thereby reducing the gap between academic instruction and shipboard practice.
This alignment not only enhances linguistic preparedness but also reinforces a safety-oriented communication culture among cadets.
Consequently, integrating the Maritime Alphabet as a core instructional component is not merely a pedagogical choice but a strategic requirement for developing competent, compliant, and safety-conscious maritime professionals.
Published by English Lecturers and Teachers Association (ELTA) Copyright A 2026, authors Journal of Applied Linguistics (JoAL).
Vol.
5 No.
January 2026.
e-ISSN 2809-1922, p-ISSN 2809-1914
REFERENCES