Transport Canada study

In a study conducted by Transport Canada, when pilots were asked whether language barriers make it challenging to communicate orders to the helmsman on foreign-registered vessels, 20% reported that it “often” resulted in difficulty communicating. In the same study, pilots stated that the major problem in pilotage anywhere on the international scene is the language barrier. They could not see how the language problem could be solved in the near future. They fear that it will again be a case of the marine industry experiencing accidents before any positive action is taken and regulations implemented.