<p>The term <i>literacy</i> is not used simply to denote whether an individual is literate or illiterate. The term has greater implications. Thus literacy, as a social practice, {“is what people do with reading, writing and texts in real world contexts and why they do it”}. This study explores literacy as an access competence, or gateway, to the profession of merchant marine officer. In this article, {access competence} may be understood to comprise the {disciplinary literacy} and communicative skills needed to perform duties on board. Building on sociocultural perspectives on literacy and multiliteracies, the role of {functional literacy} in an officer’s education, specifically during formative assessment in maritime simulator training, will be discussed. Research pertains to MET institutions in Norway and Belgium and, through semi-guided interviews with maritime students and simulator instructors, aims specifically to examine the full-mission bridge simulator as an arena for the language learning skills and communicative practices needed to facilitate the professional function of a maritime officer on board, primarily on the bridge. The interviews draw on experience and attitudes with a view to extracting suggestions on how to implement maritime literacy in the simulator. Conclusions provide constructive options and pedagogical suggestions regarding communicative literacy and formative assessment in the simulator.</p>