The U.S. Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center recently announced that STCW certificates no longer will indicate the dates when mariners complete STCW Basic Safety Training (BST).In announcing the change, the Coast Guard noted that because BST is renewable via sea service, “the date of competency also changes and moves forward.” This situation had caused some confusion when mariners went to Coast Guard regional examination centers (RECs) to renew their certificates.
BST is a key component of the amended STCW convention. As previously reported, according to National Maritime Center Policy Letter 12-01, “A mariner who has met the requirements for initial competency in BST and who is actively serving on seagoing ships will be considered as having demonstrated continuing competence in BST provided he or she completes at least one year of sea service within the past five years. This five-year period is a running calendar in which credit for competency in BST extends for five years beyond the critical date at which the mariner has completed one year of sea service.
“To determine the critical date,” the letter continues, “review the mariner’s sea service starting with the current date and go backwards in time until one year of sea service is counted. The period of validity for continuing competence in BST is then five years from the date where the mariner has completed one year of sea service. For example, if on 1 October 2001, you count backward and determine the mariner completed one year of sea service on 1 June 2000, then the mariner is considered to be competent in the four elements of BST through 31 May 2005.
“Using similar dates, if on 1 October 2001 a mariner completed one year of sea service on 1 June 1996, then the BST would have been valid until 31 May 2001. Because 31 May 2001 has passed (today’s date in this example is 1 October 2001), the mariner has not retained competency in BST.”
The policy letter also notes that the “critical date” mentioned above will advance as a mariner continues serving on a seagoing vessel. Additionally, RECs may accept discharges or sea-service letters “prepared in accordance with current standards” as proof of sea service.”
If a mariner cannot prove evidence of one year of sea service within the past five years, then he or she must complete a U. S. Coast Guard approved or accepted course “approved for revalidation of BST,” such as the STCW curriculum available at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, located in Piney Point, Md.
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