<![CDATA[The effect of Maritime English proficiency on operational safety and career advancement in global shipping requires clear communication. Research on motivation in Maritime English learning remains underexplored. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design that identified the relationships between self-efficacy (SE), technology accessibility (TEA), teaching methods (TM), and learning motivation (LM), comprising learning interest (LI) and career value (CV), and test achievement (TA). A survey of 207 maritime cadets was conducted to measure five constructs using validated scales, and the data were analyzed using PLS-SEM. This was followed by WhatsApp interviews with 15 cadets from various sampled achievement levels, forming the qualitative strand. SE predicted LI (β = 0.260), CV (β = 0.248), and TA (β = 0.259). TM had the highest influence on both LI (β = 0.499) and CV (β = 0.399). Lastly, TA (β = 0.281) did not influence motivational constructs. The study also shows that heavy career focus creates counterproductive anxiety. Where linguistic competence meets operational safety, intrinsic motivation outranked extrinsic motivation. Based on the results, maritime institutions should consider building SE by facilitating experiences, managing career pressure by keeping LI, deploying technology as performance support, and matching authentic pedagogy with assessment. Moreover, institutions, especially vocational training, should integrate Social Cognitive Theory, Technology Acceptance Model, and Self-Determination Theory into safety-critical vocational contexts.]]>
