Okuzeka
Maritime & Shipping vocabulary · Radio Communication & SMCP

Pan-pan

Meaning in maritime & shipping, with examples

nounCommon term

In maritime & shipping, pan-pan means: The radio urgency signal, spoken three times, used when there is an urgent problem concerning the safety of a ship or a person but no grave and imminent danger.

In Turkish: ivedilik çağrısı, aciliyet çağrısı

How it is used

Typical reasons are a medical emergency on board or a loss of propulsion with no immediate danger. In priority it ranks below mayday and above sécurité.

Example sentences

  1. Pan-pan, pan-pan, pan-pan, all stations, this is tanker Aegean Sun: we have lost propulsion.

  2. The master sent a pan-pan call to get medical help for an injured crew member.

Common collocations

  • pan-pan call
  • urgency message
  • send a pan-pan
  • all stations
  • maydayThe international radio distress signal, spoken three times, used when a ship, aircraft or person is in grave and imminent danger and needs immediate help.
  • sécuritéThe radio safety signal, spoken three times, used before a message about navigational or weather safety, such as a buoy out of position or a gale warning.
  • channel 16The international VHF frequency (156.8 MHz) reserved for distress, urgency and safety calls and for first contact between stations. Ships at sea keep listening on it at all times.
  • GMDSSGlobal Maritime Distress and Safety System: the international system of radio and satellite equipment and procedures that lets ships send distress alerts and receive safety information anywhere at sea.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Radio Communication & SMCP

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: