The article analyzes the requirements set out in legal documents for Maritime English (ME) teaching and the results of the survey on the view of students’, who completed seagoing training, needs for ME, in order to set the guidelines for further development of the ME teaching. The survey showed that understanding technical texts and listening were given the greatest importance. In addition, radio communication proved to be one of the most needed skills. As regards the evaluation of the topicality of the ME vocabulary for the work at sea, the students of Marine Engineering and Marine Navigation evaluated some topics of other programme as important ones. Thus, one of the areas to take into account is a wider view on the professional ME topics that are included in the courses for both marine engineers and navigators. Other suggestions for further development of the ME teaching are to pay more attention to radio communication and to develop the skills of reading technical documentation.