SMCP: SPELLING OF LETTERS, DIGITS AND NUMBERS

When transmitting a message at sea, plain language must be used. Thus, when spelling
of letters or digits and numbers is necessary, only the spelling tables below should be
used:
1. Spelling of letters

Letter
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M

Code
Alfa
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Foxtrot
Golf
Hotel
India
Juliet
Kilo
Lima
Mike

Letter
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Code
November
Oscar
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform
Victor
Whisky
X-ray
Yankee
Zulu

2. Spelling of digits and numbers

A few digits and numbers have a modified pronunciation compared to general
English:
Number
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1000

Spelling
zero
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
thousand

Pronunciation
ZEERO
WUN
TOO
TREE
FOWER
FIFE
SIX
SEVEN
AIT
NINER
TOUSAND

TRANSMISSION:
MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY
Address
And
Identify:

This is Vincente Papa Whisky Charlie Alpha

Vincente Papa Whisky Charlie Alpha
Vincente Papa Whisky Charlie Alpha

Spoken message:
Mayday
My position: Latitude: three six degrees two one minutes N /
Longitude: zero zero niner degrees five three minutes W. I am on fire.
I require fire fighting assistance.
Number of crew on board: one eight.
OVER

Standard Distress Message (MMSI required)

Structure
Upon receipt of a DSC Distress Alert acknowledgement the vessel in distress should
commence the distress traffic on one of the international distress traffic frequencies
such as VHF Channel 16 or frequency 2182 kHz (if not automatically controlled) as
follows:
MAYDAY
THIS IS
- the 9-digit Maritime Mobile Service Identity code (MMSI) plus name / call sign
or other identification of the vessel calling
- the position of the vessel
- the nature of distress
- the assistance required
- any other information which might facilitate rescue.
Example
MAYDAY
THIS IS TWO-ONE-ONE-TWO-THREE-NINE-SIX-EIGHT-ZERO MOTOR
VESSEL "BIRTE" CALL SIGN DELTA ALPHA MIKE KILO
POSITION SIX TWO DEGREES ONE ONE DECIMAL EIGHT MINUTES NORTH
ZERO ZERO SEVEN DEGREES FOUR FOUR MINUTES EAST
I AM ON FIRE AFTER EXPLOSION. I REQUIRE FIRE FIGHTING ASSISTANCE

SMOKE NOT TOXIC

OVER

EXERCISES:

According to the following data, draw up a Distress Message in the Radio Telephony
format transmission:
MV Pearl Head on fire

MV Pearl Head (call sign VRSE MMSI-Code 235 786 000) is on fire. Her position is 38
degr. 10 min N / 018 degr. 10 min E. Fire has been located in the engine room and in No. 2
hold. The vessel is sinking and the crew are abandoning her. Crew consists of 18 members, 8
of whom have been injured one crewmember was killed. Pearl Head has put two lifeboats in
the water.

Using the information in a and b below, draw up a message:

a) MV Seaborne (call sign DKEL MMSI Code 235 786 000) is on fire. Her position is
69 degr. 29 min. N / 042 degr. min E. Fire is detected in the engine room and in the
superstructure. Fire cannot be extinguished by vessels own equipment. There is
danger that the vessel will explode. Crew consists of 17 members, 6 of whom have
been injured and 3 were killed.
b) MV Stella Maris, in pos. 44 degrees 58 min. N / 013 degr. 5 min. W, has had a
collision with a container. She now transmits a VHF distress alert and distress
message: water is entering the vessel. Vessel is sinking. There are two crewmembers
on board.
Transform the following sentences into a VHF conversation format (SMCP
communication phrases must be used):
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

Fire has been detected in no. 3 hold. The smoke is poisonous.

Water is entering the ship below the waterline.
Vessel is heeling over 20 degrees to port side; deck cargo will be put overboard.
Vessel is unable to continue her voyage. Tug assistance is needed.
The crew are leaving vessel after the vessel has had a collision.
Vessel is damaged below waterline, but she is able to continue her voyage without
assistance.

Example of a Distress Message on VHF by GMDSS vessel Prestige

Mayday

This is three eight one five seven eight zero zero zero
Prestige Call Sign, Papa Uniform Delta Echo
Position: three eight degrees one two minutes North /zero one eight degrees one zero
minutes East.
I have collided with unknown object.
Vessel is sinking.
I require immediate assistance.
Number of crew on board: one eight
Number of casualties: two
OVER
A distress message consists of the phrase Mayday uttered one time, the MMSI code
(Maritime Mobile Service Identity Code), the ships name and her call sign, position of the
vessel, nature of distress, the assistance that is required and other relevant information.

DISTRESS TRAFFIC CONTINUED: Further Procedures (Received

Mayday / Mayday Relay / Silence Mayday)
Received Mayday
When a vessel has received a Distress Alert from a distressed vessel, the radio operator must
wait and remain stand-by for a few minutes until acknowledgement from RCC has been
received. Any ship receiving a distress alert acknowledgement must transmit a RECEIVED
MAYDAY on VHF to the distressed vessel, in order to let the distressed vessel know that the
alert was received.
Procedure and Structure
MAYDAY
-Name of the distressed vessel (3 x, her call sign uttered once)
- Identification of the vessel receiving the distress message (3x, call sign one time)
- Ending of the message
RECEIVED MAYDAY MV Ocean Queen IRSL to distressed vessel Pearl Head

MAYDAY
Pearl Head
Pearl Head
Pearl Head Victor Romeo Sierra Echo
This is Ocean Queen
Ocean Queen
Ocean Queen- India Romeo Sierra Lima
RECEIVED MAYDAY
Received Mayday (supplementary)
A vessel that has transmitted a Received Mayday must transmit a supplementary Received
Mayday if she is able to comply that is: within short range of the distressed vessel-giving
her identification, position and speed, her ETA at the distressed vessel and any other important
information.
Procedure and structure of a Supplementary Received Mayday
MAYDAY
- Name of the distressed vessel (3x, her call sign uttered once)
- Identification of the vessel able to comply (3x, call sign once)
- position, speed, ETA at the distressed vessel

-any other relevant data

-ending of the message
RECEIVED MAYDAY (supplementary) from MV Ocean Queen IRSL on VHF
MAYDAY
Pearl Head
Pearl Head
Pearl Head Victor Romeo Sierra Echo
This is Ocean Queen
Ocean Queen
Ocean Queen- India Romeo Sierra Lima
Information:
My position: bearing zero four five degrees from distress position distance three
miles.
My course: zero three five degrees; my speed: one two knots.
ETA distress position is within two five minutes.
OVER

Mayday Relay
If a vessel has noticed that a vessel in distress is not able to transmit a Distress Alert, she must
transmit a Distress Alert Relay (Mayday Relay) to the Rescue Co-ordination Centre or coast
station.
Procedure and Structure of a Mayday Realay
-Mayday (3x)
-name of the coast station (3x)
- identification of the vessel transmitting a Mayday Relay (3x, call sign once)
- Mayday
- position of the vessel in distress
- any other relevant information
-ending of a message
MAYDAY RELAY from MV Ocean Queen IRSL
MAYDAY RELAY MAYDAY RELAY MAYDAY RELAY
Aveiro Radio - Aveiro Radio - Aveiro Radio
This is Ocean Queen
Ocean Queen
Ocean Queen India Romeo Sierra Lima
MAYDAY
Vessel in position three eight degrees one zero minutes north / zero one eight degrees one
zero minutes East is on fire.

MAYDAY RELAY
Silence Mayday
When a Search and Rescue operation is in progress, the RCC or On-Scene Coordinator (OSC)
will instruct other vessels in the vicinity to keep radio-silence, unless they have messages
about the accident. Radio silence is imposed to other vessels by the phrase Silence Mayday.
Procedure and Structure of Silence Mayday
- Mayday
- All Stations (3x)
- identification of the coast station transmitting a silence mayday (1 time)
- time of transmission
-ending of the message
SILENCE MAYDAY from Aveiro Radio to all ships on VHF
MAYDAY
ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS
This is Aveiro Radio.
Time: one three one five hours UTC
SILENCE MAYDAY
Silence Fini
The ending of SAR radio-communication after a SAR operation has been completed is
indicated with the phrase Silence Fini.
Procedure and structure
-Mayday
- All stations (3x)
-coast stations identification
-time of transmission
-name and call sign of the vessel in distress uttered once
-ending of the message
Silence Fini from Aveiro Radio to all ships on VHF
MAYDAY
All stations- all stations all stationsThis is Aveiro Radio.
Time: one four three zero hours UTC.
Pearl Head Victor Romeo Sierra EchoSILENCE FINI

EXERCISES
Role Play:
a) You are the distressed vessel Anticosti TSUR in pos. 45 degrees 56 min. N /
015 degr. 6 min. W. You have collided with an unknown object. Vessel is flooding.
You are sinking. There are 18 crewmembers on board, one of whom is dead and
three injured. You transmit a Distress Alert on VHF.
b) MV Seaborne- PWCV, position bearing 049 degrees from the distressed vessel, at
a distance of 4 miles, her course is 036 degrees and speed 11 knots. She reports
that she has received the distress alert from MV Anticosti TSUR and informs that
she will arrive at the scene in 30 minutes.
c) MV Seaborne- PWCV, transmits a Distress Alert Relay to Gibraltar Strait
Information Centre. The distressed vessels position is 28 degrees 10 minutes
North, 019 degrees 10 minutes east.
d) At 0450 hours UTC, Gibraltar Strait Information Centre instructs all vessels in the
vicinity to keep radio silence if they do not have messages about the vessel in
distress.
e) At 0550 hours UTC, Gibraltar Strait Information Centre announces all ships that
the SAR operation has been completed.

VHF COMMUNICATION: URGENCY AND SAFETY

Urgency to be used when the message contains urgent information concerning the safety of
a ship.
Procedure and structure
Example of an Urgency Message on VHF:
Announcement and message on VHF by MV Garland GFCC
FORMAT:

Spoken Message:

Address and Identify:

PAN PAN (3x)
ALL STATIONS (3X)
This is MV ....../call sign (3x)
- the position of the vessel
- time of transmission (not required)
- nature of danger and relevant data
- any other important information and requirements

TRANSMISSION:
Adress
and

PAN PAN- PAN PAN- PAN PAN

ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS

Identify:
This is MV Garland Golf Foxtrot Charlie Charlie
MV Garland Golf Foxtrot Charlie Charlie
MV Garland Golf Foxtrot Charlie Charlie
Spoken Message:
My position five six degrees one eight minutes N/ zero
degrees three seven minutes E.
I am manoeuvring with difficulty. I have problems
with main engine.
I require tug assistance.
Advice: all ships keep clear.
OVER.
Procedure and structure of an Urgency Message (MMSI included)
After the transmission of a DSC Urgency Call switch the transmitter to VHF Channel 16 or
frequency 2182 kHz (if not automatically controlled) and commence the urgency traffic as
follows:
PAN PAN (repeated three times)

ALL STATIONS (repeated three times)

THIS IS
- the 9-digit MMSI of the vessel plus name / call sign or other identification
- the position of the vessel
- the text of the urgency message.

PAN PAN
PAN PAN, PAN PAN
ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS
THIS IS TWO-ONE-ONE-TWO-THREE-NINE-SIX-EIGHT-ZERO
MOTORVESSEL "BIRTE" CALL SIGN DELTA ALPHA MIKE KILO
POSITION SIX TWO DEGREES ONE ONE DECIMAL EIGHT MINUTES NORTH
ZERO ZERO SEVEN DEGREES FOUR FOUR MINUTES EAST
I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH ENGINES
I REQUIRE TUG ASSISTANCE
OUT

SAFETY MESSAGE
Safety to be used when the message contains an important navigational and meteorological
warning.
Procedure and structure
Example of a Safety Message on VHF:
Announcement and message on VHF by MV Explorer GBUT
FORMAT:
Address and Identify:

Spoken Message:

SECURITE (3X)
ALL STATIONS/SHIPS (3X)
This is M.V. ........./call sign (3X)
- the position of the vessel
- time of transmission according to UTC
- nature of imminent risk for navigation and relevant data
- any other important information and requirements.

TRANSMISSION:
Adress
and
Identify:

SECURITE SECURITE SECURITE

ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS
This is MV Explorer Golf Bravo Uniform Tango
MV Explorer Golf Bravo Uniform Tango
MV Explorer Golf Bravo Uniform Tango

Spoken Message:
My position bearing two five niner degrees from Falls
Light, distance one decimal five miles.
Time: April twenty one three four five hrs. UTC.
Information:
Buoy Foxtrot Lima one in position two five niner
Degrees from Falls Light, distance two miles, missing.
OUT
Procedure and structure of a Safety Message (MMSI included)
After the transmission of a DSC Safety Call switch the transmitter to VHF Channel 16 or
frequency 2182 kHz (if not automatically controlled) and transmit the safety message as
follows:
SCURIT (repeated three times)
ALL STATIONS (or all ships in a specific geographical area, or to a specific station)
(repeated three times)
THIS IS
- the 9-digit MMSI of the vessel plus name / call sign or other identification
- the text of the safety message.
SCURIT SCURIT SCURIT
ALL SHIPS ALL SHIPS ALL SHIPS IN AREA PETER REEF
THIS IS TWO-ONE-ONE-TWO-THREE-NINE-SIX-EIGHT-ZERO
MOTORVESSEL "BIRTE" CALL SIGN DELTA ALPHA MIKE KILO
DANGEROUS WRECK LOCATED IN POSITION TWO NAUTICAL MILES
SOUTH OF PETER REEF OVER