The article explores the methodological potential of forming the professional communicative competence of maritime institute cadets in the process of teaching English through the use of authentic shipboard documents. The relevance of the study is determined by the increasing role of English as the working language of international maritime communication and the need to align language training with real professional tasks of future maritime specialists. The paper analyzes recent research in the field of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and professionally oriented language education, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and standardization as key principles of maritime communication. The study defines the aim, object, subject, and research methods, and substantiates the compliance of the proposed methodology with the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standards of Higher Education for maritime specialties. Special attention is given to the description of a practice-oriented teaching model based on authentic materials, including ship’s logbooks, checklists, standardized abbreviations, and IMO Standard Marine Communication Phrases. The methodology integrates listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities within the framework of modeled professional scenarios related to watchkeeping duties and ship documentation procedures. The results of pedagogical observation and analysis of students’ learning activities indicate the methodological feasibility of the systematic use of authentic shipboard documents as a means of forming professional communicative competence of future maritime specialists.