本教材编写的指导思想是教材能够覆盖海船船员适任考试大纲的全部内容，帮助学员顺利地通过适任证书的考试，并尽可能考虑了船员的英语基础、英语在目标情景中的使用等问题，以必需和够用为原则，选材力求最新，以加强对船员实际英语应用能力的培养。全书共分16单元。每一单元基本由USEFUL WORDS & EXPRESSIONS，BASIC KNOWLEDGE，AUTHENTIC MATERIAL，RELATED SMCP组成。此外，本书列出了部分练习题，供学员练习使用。

Unit 1 Familiarization on Board

Unit 2 Ship Structure

Unit 3 Safety on Board

Unit 4 Cargo Work

Unit 5 Seamanship

Unit 6 Navigating Instrument

Unit 7 Marine Meteorology

Unit 8 Communication at Sea

Unit 9 Emergency at Sea

Unit 10 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea

Unit 11 Standing Orders

Unit 12 Navigational Watch at Sea

Unit 13 Logbook

Unit 14 Notices to Mariners and Navigational Warnings

Unit 15 Nautical Chart

Unit 16 Ship' s Certificates

Glossary

Exercises

Bibliography