US Coast Guard Announces New Merchant Mariner Credential
is replacing the legacy MMC passport-style booklet (“Red Book”) with a new certificate size one page credential. The new credential will be issued to all mariners after the implementation date.The change comes because the existing passport style credential printers at the Coast Guard National Maritime Center (NMC) are outdated and due for replacement, prompting the need for a more reliable and modern solution, the Coast Guard said.NMC will now issue the new credential on 8.5" x 11" waterproof synthetic paper, sourced from the Government Printing Office (GPO). This updated credential
Cultivating Tomorrow’s Waterways Workforce
and retaining high-quality employees. Coast Guard credential processing delays are an ongoing challenge, as they not only create obstacles for new mariners entering our industry but can also drive away current mariners seeking to continue and advance their careers. AWO is partnering with the National Maritime Center and the National Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee to alleviate processing delays, as well as advocating for regulatory action that ensures safety and mariner competency while removing unnecessary requirements that hold back mariner advancement.The growing patchwork of states
TECH FILE: Software Helps Merchant Mariners with USCG Credentials
.Civilian mariners are required to have valid USCG Merchant Mariner Credentials (MMC) to be onboard any commercial or federal ship in the United States. Credentialing is a complex and vague process. From 2012 to 2018, 44.9 percent of approximately 500,000 applications submitted to the USCG National Maritime Center were incomplete or missing key documents.“I’ve been sailing my whole life, and as a captain, I knew how hard it was for me to obtain and grow my credentials. I first thought of MM-SEAS™ because I started to help other mariners apply for their endorsements,” said Nate
Government Shutdown: USCG Update
To mitigate the impact caused by the partial lapse in appropriations and shutdown of National Maritime Center (NMC) operations, the following updated actions are being taken:• Merchant Mariner Credentials (MMC) (National Endorsements only) and Medical Certificates that expire in December 2018, January 2019, or February 2019 are extended as valid until April 30, 2019. Print letter and carry it with your credential.• Additional Information (AI) letters, sent to mariners that expire in December 2018, January 2019, or February 2019 are extended to April 30, 2019.• Approval to Test (ATT)
Meet the Maritime Education Standards Council
of privately owned, public and/or nonprofit maritime education providers that offer national and STCW maritime education, training and assessments of competency to professional mariners as well as the general public. As an organization, MESC speaks with a unified voice to the USCG’s National Maritime Center in regards to policies, regulations and educational issues, working closely with the USCG to ensure compliance with policies and standards
