The SIU and its affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education applaud several recent changes announced by the U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing. Specifically, the agency on Sept. 23 publicized changes to three Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circulars (NVICs) pertaining to qualification for certain STCW endorsements.
The NVICs are lengthy, but one upshot is that mariners now can get credit for ROS sea time towards their sea service requirement of 360 days sailing in the past five years, when renewing Basic Training, Advanced Firefighting, and Proficiency in Survival Craft.
Here’s an excerpt from NVIC 08-14, “GUIDELINES FOR QUALIFICATION FOR STCW ENDORSEMENTS IN BASIC TRAINING”:
c. For demonstrating continued competence in BT, the Coast Guard will accept service in any capacity aboard a vessel that is required to hold regular fire and emergency and abandon ship drills as being relevant to the qualification of BT. Service on vessels in reduced operating status (ROS) will be accepted as these vessels are required to hold drills under 46 CFR Subchapter W. Mariners may demonstrate that service on other vessels is relevant by providing evidence that their service included duties relevant to BT and/or that their service included ongoing participation in training and drills relevant to BT.
d. For purposes of continued competence for BT, this service will be credited at day for day (one day of service equals one day of service credit).
e. The Coast Guard may accept discharges, or sea service letters prepared in accordance with current standards, as proof of seagoing service. For the purposes of determining competency in BT.
f. Mariners who can provide evidence of 360 days of service within the past five years may complete revalidation training to maintain competency for BT. Mariners who cannot provide evidence of this service must complete U. S. Coast Guard approved or accepted refresher training (46 CFR 11.302(e) and 12.602(e)). Refresher training must include assessment of all BT components.
Following is the announcement from the Coast Guard’s Maritime Commons blog, with links to the respective NVICs:
Revisions to NVICs concerning merchant mariner credential STCW endorsements
The Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing has published changes to three Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circulars (NVICs) concerning qualification for certain Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) STCW endorsements.
NVICs 04-14, 08-14, and 09-14 have been revised to provide guidance on renewal of STCW endorsements for Proficiency in Survival Craft, Proficiency in Survival Craft-Limited, Basic Training, and Advanced Firefighting for mariners serving on vessels in reduced operating status and on other vessels that that are in operation that do not get underway.
The revised NVICs are available online.
For information about these NVICs or to suggest changes, contact the Mariner Credentialing Program Policy Division (CG-MMC-2), at (202) 372-2357 or [email protected].
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