November 2015
MarTEL is pleased to announce that they have secured new funding under the MariLANG
project as part of the EU Erasmus+ funding stream to help further develop the MarTEL
Tests and Training materials as well as expanding the MarTEL Partnership into new
organisations and Universities.
MariLANG aims to bring the two worlds of the IMO and EU together and cross-reference
their requirements (IMO Model Course and EU’s CEFR, EQF and ECVET frameworks) taking
advantage of the outcomes of EU funded Maritime English MarTEL and MarTEL Plus and
SeaTALK (www.seatalk.pro) projects to develop Maritime English learning and assessment
frameworks for the 3 new categories of seafarers identified in the 2015 revised
3.17 Maritime English Model Course who do not currently have such frameworks, namely:
- Electro-Technical Officers,
- GMDSS radio operators, and
- Personnel providing direct service to passengers in passenger spaces on passenger
ships
The project will last 3 years starting in November 2015 and more information can
be found here: www.marilang.eu
September 2015
Since January 2013 several MarTEL Partners have been working on the SeaTALK project
and are pleased to announce that the SeaTALK online platform is now launched!
The SeaTALK online platform is designed to provide Maritime English Training Modules
and access to online learning materials within a framework of STCW competences,
CEFR levels and the ECVET system that will help seafarers train to take the MarTEL
Test and training institutions deliver appropriate training courses.
The SeaTALK platform offers Maritime English Training Modules for each rank and
function on board:
- Deck Ratings (Support Level)
- Engineering Ratings (Support Level)
- Deck Officers (Operational Level)
- Engineering Officers (Operational Level)
- Electro Technical Officers (Operational Level)
- Senior Deck Officers (Management Level)
- Senior Engineering Officers (Management Level)
Not only can you use the SeaTALK Training Modules and Learning Materials, if you
are a Maritime English Teacher you can also contribute your own Learning Materials
to the platform as many have already done!
For more information about SeaTALK please visit: www.seatalk.pro
June 2015
The MarTEL Team were pleased to be able to demonstrate the MarTEL tests at The SeaTALK
Maritime English Symposium at IMO's World Maritime university in Malmo, Sweden on
the 17th June 2015. MarTEL was presented to over 50 guests from 30 countries - a
truly global audience. The audience responded warmly to MarTEL and acknowledged
the need for a single standardised approach to testing Maritime English to increase
safety and we at MarTEL look forward to future collaborations with many of the delegates.
There was also a meeting of several MarTEL Test Developers and Assessors on the
15 - 16 June 2015 where the updated MarTEL scoring system and Rating scales were
presented and assessors received refresher training. The training went well and
the team is confident that the new grading system will mean secure the reliability
of the grading of MarTEL Tests in the future.
The MarTEL team has continued to have meetings with International partners seeking
new ways to deliver the Training and Tests to a global audience and there have been
exciting developments - more news about this will be published as it becomes available.
January 2015
As readers will be aware the IMO have asked the International Maritime Lecturers
Association I(MLA) to revise the 3.17 (Maritime English) Model Course. We at MarTEL
have been involved with the revision process and are proud to reveal that the new
model course clearly references MarTEL. This validates the structure and content
of the MarTEL Tests as being recognised by the academic and policy making bodies
of the Maritime Industry through the drafting of the revised course.
As such we will now be moving ahead with our meetings with International delivery
partners and Industry representatives to determine the best approach for delivering
MarTEL Tests and Training to the global community.
February 2014
International Promotional Activities
MarTEL Directors and Project officers from Turkey recently had meetings in Genoa
IMO accredited education facilities regarding implementing MarTEL. Meetings were
also held with the senior colleagues at number of major shipping companies in Italy
to discuss the potential for incorporating MarTEL into their personnel development
programmes. The MarTEL Chairman was also invited to give a lecture at the prestigious
International Propeller Club in Genoa.
The MarTEL Directors are currently involved in ongoing discussions with the Turkish
Chamber of Shipping and the Maritime Industry leaders about tailoring a service
in order to implement the MarTEL Tests across Turkey during 2014.
Further Research and Development Activities 2013-2015
The major and prestiguous EU funded SeaTalk Project aims to develop a Maritime English
ECVET model for the mutual recognition and transparency of learning outcomes and
competencies within the EU. The SeaTalk ECVET model will lead to enhanced training
courses in line with ECVET principle that will support the MarTEL Tests and Training
Courses. Several members of the MarTEL development team are involved in the EU funded
project which will run until June 2015. For more information please visit: http://www.seatalk.pro/
The ACTS project has two main area of focus: one concerns recently identified skill
gaps (Szozda, 2012) relating to recent accidents (e.g. Costa Concordia), and the
other relates to identified problems in the application of current collision regulations
(Colregs, 1972). The ACTS project includes collisions with fixed objects (Groundings).
The outcome of the ACTS project will be an online learning platform designed to
deliver self learning courses and programmes for seafarers to update their Colregs
knowledge.
The temporary ACTS website is available at:
www.ecolregs.com
November 2013
MarTEL International Promotional Activities
MarTEL Directors attended both the IMEC and IMLA Conferences in Istanbul and Canada
respectively. The MarTEL Tests in their final form, as approved by the EU via the
UK National Agency, were officially launched to the audiences of Maritime Education
Professionals from around the world. The tests were well received and we have received
higher levels of Interest about MarTEL from across the globe.
IMEC (http://imec25.pirireis.edu.tr/imec_25.html)
IMLA (http://www.imla2013.com/)
June 2013
The MarTEL Plus project report was received from the UK National Agency, where the
project scored very highly. The outcomes of the MarTEL Plus project are being maintained
and valorised during the post funding stage.
All key project deliverables were met and completed thanks to the collaborative
efforts of the project consortium. A new website was recently launched showing the
MarTEL Plus features and functionalities and this is now live on the following link:
www.martel.pro
Encouraging news has reached the MarTEL team. A number of centres around the world
have shown interest in becoming a test centre. Negotiations are taking place and
an update will be available in the forthcoming months.
MarTEL is continuously trying to enhance its tests and materials; and evaluation
activities are taking place across the partnership to enhance the quality of the
MarTEL. Full piloting will take place with Piri Reis University Meslek Yuksek Okulu
programmes in 2013/14 academic year. Upon piloting, further enhancements to the
assessment platform will be made with the lead of IT partner, SPIN.
MarTEL was presented in a workshop held at European Maritime Day 2013 in Malta.
Capt, Professor Dr Janusz Uriasz, from University of Szczecin, presented a short
summary of MarTEL on behalf of Centre for Factories of the Future. Summary of his
presentation can be downloaded from Marifuture May progress report (www.marifuture.pro).
MarTEL was chosen as one of the best LLP project in UK and allocated an exhibition
stand at Telford language conference in UK in June. Preparations are being made
by the MarTEL team. Outcome of the exhibition will be available in June progress
report.
The MarTEL partnership invites all interested parties, including seafarers of all
ranks, maritime industry experts, professionals and organisations, and those institutions
or companies. For more information, please visit project website.
Previous news
If you wish to read the previous news, click here.