93040 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

46 CFR Parts 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 30, 

35, and 39 

[Docket No. USCG–2021–0097] 

RIN 1625–AC75 

Electronic Submission of Mariner 

Course Completion Data 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is requiring 

Coast Guard-approved training 

providers to electronically submit 

student course completion data to the 

Coast Guard within 5 business days of 

completion. The National Maritime 

Center will use this information to 

validate mariner course completion as 

part of an application for a Merchant 

Mariner Credential. In addition, the 

Coast Guard is replacing gendered titles 

for certain officer and rating 

endorsements in keeping with Coast 

Guard policy of using gender-neutral 

language whenever possible. We expect 

these changes to improve the Coast 

Guard’s verification process of mariner 

credential applications and to 

appropriately conform terms that should 

be gender neutral. 

DATES: This final rule is effective 

January 17, 2025. Reporting 

requirements in 46 CFR 10.403(a)(7) 

need not be complied with until 

November 25, 2026. The incorporation 

by reference of certain material listed in 

the rule was approved by the Director of 

the Federal Register as of July 6, 2016. 

ADDRESSES: To view documents 

mentioned in this preamble as being 

available in the docket, go to 

www.regulations.gov, type USCG–2021– 

0097 in the search box and click 

‘‘Search.’’ Next, in the Document Type 

column, select ‘‘Supporting & Related 

Material.’’ 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

information about this document, call or 

email Mr. Brian T. Eichelberger, Office 

of Merchant Mariner Credentialing, 

Coast Guard; telephone 202–372–1450, 

email Brian.T.Eichelberger@uscg.mil. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents for Preamble 

I. Abbreviations 

II. Basis and Purpose, and Regulatory History 

III. Discussion of Comments and Changes 

IV. Discussion of the Rule 

V. Regulatory Analyses 

A. Regulatory Planning and Review 

B. Small Entities 

C. Assistance for Small Entities 

D. Collection of Information 

E. Federalism 

F. Unfunded Mandates 

G. Taking of Private Property 

H. Civil Justice Reform 

I. Protection of Children 

J. Indian Tribal Governments 

K. Energy Effects 

L. Technical Standards 

M. Environment 

I. Abbreviations 

BLS Bureau of Labor Statistics 

CFR Code of Federal Regulations 

CSV Comma-Separated values 

DHS Department of Homeland Security 

FR Federal Register 

GS General Schedule 

ICR Information collection request 

IT Information technology 

MMC Merchant Mariner Credential 

MMLD Merchant Mariner Licensing and 

Documentation 

MRN Mariner reference number 

MTAD Mariner Training and Assessment 

Data 

NMC National Maritime Center 

NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking 

OMB Office of Management and Budget 

PII Personally identifiable information 

PDF Portable document format 

QSS Quality Standard System 

RA Regulatory analysis 

SME Subject matter expert 

SSN Social security number 

STCW International Convention on 

Standards of Training, Certification, and 

Watchkeeping, 1978, as amended 

§ Section 

U.S.C. United States Code 

II. Basis and Purpose, Background and 

Regulatory History 

The legal basis of this rulemaking is 

Title 46 of the United States Code 

(U.S.C.), Sections 7101(b) and 7301(b), 

which authorize the Secretary of the 

department in which the Coast Guard is 

operating to prescribe regulations 

relating to issuing Merchant Mariner 

Credentials (MMCs) with officer and 

rating endorsements. The Secretary of 

the Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) has delegated the rulemaking 

authority under 46 U.S.C. 7101(b) and 

7301(b) to the Coast Guard through 46 

U.S.C. 2104 and DHS Delegation No. 

00170.1, Revision No. 01.4, paragraph 

(II)(92)(e). Additionally, 14 U.S.C. 

102(3) grants the Coast Guard broad 

authority to issue and enforce 

regulations to promote safety of life and 

property on waters subject to the 

jurisdiction of the United States, which 

includes establishing the experience, 

professional qualifications, and 

processes required for issuing 

credentials. 

The Coast Guard issues MMCs to 

mariners who have met the regulatory 

requirements for individual 

endorsement(s), as described in title 46 

of the Code of Federal Regulations 

(CFR), parts 10, 11, 12, and 13. 

Professional requirements for an MMC 

endorsement generally include sea 

service, completion of Coast Guardapproved training, and having a met a 

standard of competence through 

practical demonstration and completion 

of a written examination. The general 

standards for Coast Guard-approved 

courses and programs are found in 46 

CFR 10.403. Coast Guard-approved 

training providers are required to 

maintain physical or electronic records 

of all students who took a course for at 

least 5 years after the completion of the 

course. 

Starting November 25, 2026, this final 

rule will require Coast Guard-approved 

training providers to submit students’ 

course completion data electronically to 

the Coast Guard within 5 business days 

of the course ending. This action lessens 

the probability of issuing MMCs to 

mariners who have not met the 

professional requirements for their 

endorsements and improves the 

efficiency of the credentialing process. 

In addition, this final rule replaces 

gendered titles for certain officer and 

rating endorsements to align with the 

Coast Guard’s policy of using genderneutral language whenever feasible, 

capitalizes the endorsements for 

uniformity, removes some references to 

an obsolete Coast Guard document, and 

makes editorial changes such as 

replacing ‘‘shall’’ with ‘‘must’’ and ‘‘his 

or her’’ with ‘‘their’’. 

The Coast Guard published a notice of 

proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on May 5, 

2023 (88 FR 29013), explaining the 

MMC application process and proposing 

these changes—minus the delay in 

implementing reporting requirements. 

In response, we received three 

comments and subsequently made 

changes to the regulatory text based on 

the comments. 

III. Discussion of Comments and 

Changes 

Of the three comments received by 

the Coast Guard, one commenter 

strongly supported the rule, particularly 

the gender-neutral language measures. 

The remaining two commenters had 

recommendations for the Coast Guard to 

consider. 

One of the commenters, hereafter 

‘‘Commenter 1’’, recommended that the 

submission period for Coast Guardapproved training providers to submit 

students’ course completion data to the 

Coast Guard should be 10 business days 

instead of the 5-day period that was 

included in the proposed rule. 

The Coast Guard has elected to retain 

the 5-day submission period. Our reason 


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1https://www.dhs.gov/publication/dhsuscgpia015-merchant-mariner-licensing-anddocumentation-system (last accessed January 18, 

2024). 

2Homeport is the Coast Guard’s enterprise 

internet portal for the maritime community and can 

be accessed at https://homeport.uscg.mil/. 

for this decision is that the majority of 

mariners will take a course and then 

apply for an endorsement immediately 

after completing the course. Requiring 

Coast Guard-approved training 

providers to submit the data within a 5- 

day period ensures that the course 

completion data will be uploaded to the 

mariner’s file within the Merchant 

Mariner Licensing and Documentation 

(MMLD) 1 database promptly, and the 

application process will not be delayed. 

Commenter 1 also urged the Coast 

Guard to limit the data submission 

requirement to students who have 

passed the course. 

The Coast Guard agrees with this 

suggestion and notes that, as proposed 

in the NPRM, the requirement to submit 

course completion data is limited to 

‘‘each student who successfully 

completes an approved course or 

program.’’ 

Commenter 1 further recommended 

that hard-copy certificates issued to 

students should be optional and allow 

for electronic or portable document 

format (PDF) certificates. Another 

commenter, hereafter ‘‘Commenter 2’’. 

recommended that the Coast Guard no 

longer support the issuance of hardcopy course completion certificates. 

The Coast Guard does not require 

approved training providers to issue 

hard copies of certificates to students 

who complete the course. Coast Guardapproved training providers, however, 

may continue to issue certificates as 

they have historically done for students 

who complete the course or program. 

That is, Coast Guard-approved training 

providers can issue the certificates to 

students via email, PDF, or hard copy. 

Coast Guard-approved training 

providers should continue to issue 

course completion certificates to 

students so they can submit them with 

their application for an MMC, in order 

to validate the certificates with the 

course completion data submitted 

electronically by the training provider. 

Commenter 1 recommended that the 

submission of the course completion 

data should allow for comma-separated 

values (CSV) files for easy upload, and 

also allow for direct system entry. 

The existing Homeport system 

currently supports this file type. It is a 

role-based environment that brings 

together Coast Guard personnel, 

members of the maritime community, 

and other designated individuals, 

allowing them to share information, and 

for records to be submitted by either 

single entry via webform or by multiple 

entries at once using a CSV file. 

Commenter 1 recommended a 2-year 

phased in approach, where a 2-year 

period should be given to Coast Guardapproved training providers to 

implement these new requirements. The 

commenter also suggested that the 

phase-in periods should be based on 

course approval or expiration dates. 

The Coast Guard agrees with this 

recommendation and has edited the 

preamble and regulatory text consistent 

with this recommendation. 

The Coast Guard, however, declines 

to adopt the recommendation that the 

phase-in period should be based on 

course approval or expiration dates. 

Although course approvals are valid for 

5 years, not all courses or programs are 

approved for the same 5-year calendar 

period. The Coast Guard’s intention is to 

bring all training course providers into 

compliance at the same time. Coast 

Guard-approved training providers will 

have until 2 years after the effective date 

of this rule to come into compliance 

with the new requirements. 

Commenter 1 also stated that the 

Coast Guard needs a faster, more userfriendly system for uploading course 

completion data. The Coast Guard 

agrees, and has long-term plans for 

developing a more secure, agile, and 

user-friendly system in the future. For 

now, providers comply with the 

requirements of this rule by submitting 

data through Homeport. 

Commenter 2 urged the Coast Guard 

to revise the Code of Federal 

Regulations (CFR) to eliminate any use 

of gendered pronouns from the 

proposed text. In addition, this 

commenter provided a list of sections 

within parts 30, 31, 32, and 35 where 

‘‘his or her’’ remains in use. 

The Coast Guard agrees with the 

recommendation to eliminate the use of 

gendered pronouns from the proposed 

text and has made edits accordingly. 

The Coast Guard appreciates the 

information listing additional instance 

where ‘‘his or her’’ remains in use and 

will evaluate whether to amend these 

parts when we draft our annual 

technical amendments. 

Commenter 2 also suggested that 

Coast Guard-approved training 

providers should include a mariner’s 

social security number (SSN) on their 

course completion certificate. 

The Coast Guard does not accept this 

recommendation. Mariners provide 

their SSNs as required on the 

Application for Merchant Mariner 

Credential (Form CG–719B), and they 

are issued a mariner reference number 

(MRN) after they apply for their original 

MMC. The MRN is used by the Coast 

Guard to identify the mariner in all 

future credentialing transactions, and all 

records are matched to the MRN rather 

than the SSN. 

Commenter 2 believes that the 

proposed language in 46 CFR 10.403, 

paragraph (a)(7), could be revised to 

make it clear that Coast Guard-approved 

training providers must submit the 

information listed in subparagraphs (i) 

through (iv). 

The Coast Guard agrees with the 

comment and has made editorial 

changes to the text to make that clear. 

Commenter 2 also suggested that the 

Coast Guard update 46 CFR 10.402(b)(8) 

by requiring the same information listed 

in 46 CFR 10.403(a)(7)(i) through (iv) be 

included on the sample course 

completion certificates that Coast 

Guard-approved training providers 

submit to the Coast Guard for approval 

of a specific course or program. 

As the NPRM did not discuss changes 

course and proposal approval 

requirements, these changes are outside 

the scope of this rulemaking. 

IV. Discussion of the Rule 

This rule amends 46 CFR 10.403 to 

require Coast Guard-approved training 

providers to submit course completion 

data electronically to the National 

Maritime Center (NMC) for each student 

who successfully completes a Coast 

Guard-approved course or program. 

Under this rule this data must be 

submitted electronically within 5 

business days of the completion of any 

Coast Guard-approved course or 

program. Coast Guard-approved training 

providers will submit this data through 

Homeport to comply with this 

requirement until the Coast Guard 

announces the availability of a new 

method of compliance.2

Mariners submitting course 

completion data to the Coast Guard as 

part of their MMC application, and 

Coast Guard-approved training 

providers submitting course completion 

data electronically to the Coast Guard, 

must attest, under criminal penalty, that 

the records are accurate to the best of 

their knowledge and that no false 

entries or statements were made. See 18 

U.S.C. 1001. The NMC will use this 

information to confirm that the 

applicant has completed the training 

required for the requested MMC 

endorsement. Requiring all Coast Guardapproved training providers to submit 

this data electronically improves the 

efficiency of the credentialing process 

and allows for the validation of course 


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completion data ensuring the mariner 

meets the requirements for issuance of 

an endorsement. Under the process 

utilized prior to implementation of this 

rule, when a mariner submits an 

application, NMC personnel evaluate 

what is submitted and input the 

information into the mariner’s training 

record within the MMLD database. If the 

course has not been electronically 

submitted by the training provider, then 

the evaluator has to enter the course 

completion information into the MMLD 

database manually. Under the process as 

implemented by this rule, NMC 

evaluators can use the data submitted 

electronically by training providers to 

verify quickly that the information 

submitted by the training provider is 

identical to the information submitted 

by the mariner with their application. 

Providing 5 business days to submit 

course completion data ensures that a 

mariner’s application will not be 

delayed due to the NMC waiting for 

training providers to submit the course 

completion data. By reducing delays in 

issuing an MMC, this final rule can help 

avoid loss of employment for a mariner, 

which supports NMC’s mission to issue 

credentials to fully qualified mariners in 

the most effective and efficient manner 

possible. 

Although the Coast Guard will 

electronically receive course completion 

data under this final rule, Coast Guardapproved training providers should 

continue to issue course completion 

certificates to their students, as mariners 

will still be responsible for including 

their course completion certificates as 

supporting documentation with their 

MMC application package (46 CFR 

10.209(d)). This allows Coast Guard 

evaluators to validate the information 

submitted by the mariner with their 

MMC application against information 

submitted electronically by the training 

provider. 

Under this final rule, training 

providers are required to submit the 

name of the training provider, the 

training provider’s Coast Guard-issued 

provider code, the title of the Coast 

Guard-approved course or program, the 

Coast Guard-issued course code, the 

dates the training provider held the 

course, and the name of the approved 

instructor. This information allows the 

Coast Guard to validate that the course 

is one that has been approved by the 

Coast Guard and conducted by an 

approved instructor, and to verify the 

dates the course was held. The 

electronic submission also requires the 

student’s full name as it appears on 

their MMC or other valid Governmentissued identification, and their Coast 

Guard-issued MRN, or their date of birth 

and place of birth if they do not have 

an MRN. 

The Coast Guard is currently in the 

process of developing a replacement for 

the MMLD database with a more secure, 

agile, and user-friendly system that 

provides better service to the maritime 

industry. Since the new system has yet 

to be developed, the best way for 

training providers to comply with the 

requirements is to electronically submit 

course completion data through 

Homeport. The Coast Guard realizes that 

Homeport does not have all the data 

fields listed that are required for this 

rule. Until Homeport or other means of 

electronic submission is updated, 

training providers will need to input 

only data currently required in 

Homeport for submittal of course 

completion. Some of the data required 

by this rule to be submitted 

electronically, including course 

instructor name and date of birth (if a 

mariner currently does not have a 

reference number) cannot currently be 

inputted into Homeport. In the event a 

new system is developed and becomes 

fully operational, it will be announced 

through publication of a Federal 

Register notice. 

The Coast Guard understands that 

immediate compliance upon 

publication of the final rule may not be 

feasible for many training providers 

submitting mariner course completion 

data. For that reason, we have amended 

46 CFR 10.403 from what we proposed 

in the NPRM so that the requirements in 

paragraph (a)(7) need not be met until 

November 25, 2026. This gives training 

providers 2 years from this rule’s 

effective date to come into compliance 

with the new requirements. To be 

prepared for enforcement, training 

providers should request accounts for 

Homeport at least 90 days prior to the 

enforcement date of this rule. Guidance 

for requesting accounts to Homeport can 

be found on the NMC’s website at 

www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/ 

training/how_to_obtain_a_homeport_

account.pdf?. 

This rule also amends 46 CFR parts 

10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 30, 35, and 39 to 

ensure the titles of certain officer and 

rating endorsements are gender neutral. 

In this initiative, the Coast Guard is 

amending the following endorsement 

titles as described in table 1: 

TABLE 1—NOMENCLATURE CHANGES

TO 46 CFR PARTS 10, 11 12, 13, 

15, 16, 30, 35, AND 39 

Prior to this rule As amended by this rule 

Apprentice mate 

(steersman).

Apprentice Mate of Towing Vessels. 

TABLE 1—NOMENCLATURE CHANGES

TO 46 CFR PARTS 10, 11 12, 13, 

15, 16, 30, 35, AND 39—Continued 

Prior to this rule As amended by this rule 

Crewman ........................ Crewmember. 

Fireman ........................... Boiler Technician. 

Hospital corpsman .......... Medical Technician. 

Lifeboatman .................... Lifeboat Operator, Lifeboat Operator-Limited. 

Pumpman ....................... Pump Technician. 

Seaman .......................... Seafarer, Able SeafarerUnlimited, Able Seafarer-Limited, Able 

Seafarer-Special, Able 

Seafarer-Offshore 

Supply Vessel, Able 

Seafarer-Sail, Able 

Seafarer-Fishing Industry. 

Tankerman ...................... Tank Vessel-PIC, Tank 

Barge-PIC, Restricted 

Tank Vessel-PIC, Restricted Tank BargePIC. Tank Vessel-Assistant, Tank VesselEngineer. 

Upon the effective date of this rule, 

the Coast Guard will issue 

endorsements using the endorsement 

titles as implemented by this rule. 

Mariners do not have to apply to have 

the endorsement titles changed on their 

MMCs. The endorsement titles will be 

updated at the next credential 

transaction when an application is 

submitted to the Coast Guard. 

With this final rule, the Coast Guard 

is changing the title of the Able Seaman 

endorsement to Able Seafarer. To 

differentiate in 46 CFR 10.231(c)(6)(ii) 

between the already established 

International Convention on Standards 

of Training, Certification, and 

Watchkeeping, 1978, as amended 

(STCW) endorsements of Able SeafarerDeck and Able Seafarer-Engine and the 

Able Seafarer endorsement, the 

endorsement will be referred to as 

national Able Seafarer. 

In some provisions of 46 CFR part 12, 

the legacy titles of endorsements will 

not be changed to the new endorsement 

titles. Specifically, §§ 12.501(b)(2) 

12.607(b), 12.613(c), and 12.615(c) 

reference endorsements that would have 

been held before 2017 with the legacy 

name. 

Finally, the Coast Guard is removing 

the expired grandfathering provisions in 

46 CFR 13.603(e), 13.605(e), 13.607(e), 

13.609(b), and 13.611(b). These 

provisions provided a method for 

mariners who held valid national 

tankerman endorsements issued before 

March 24, 2014, to qualify for original 

STCW tanker cargo operations 

endorsements. Any national tankerman 

endorsements issued before March 24, 

2014, would have expired as of March 

23, 2019; therefore, the grandfathering 


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provisions have expired. Mariners who 

wish to obtain original STCW tanker 

cargo endorsements must meet the 

requirements of the applicable section. 

In addition to these changes, the Coast 

Guard is making a number of technical 

amendments to improve the clarity of 

the regulations. These changes include 

capitalizing certain terminology, making 

additional changes to gendered 

language, and edits for clarity. Because 

of these changes, our regulatory text in 

this final rule is significantly longer 

than the text in the NPRM. We have 

added redlines illustrating the changes 

to parts 13 and 15, and subpart B of part 

16 to the docket where indicated under 

the ADDRESSES portion of the preamble. 

V. Regulatory Analyses 

We developed this rule after 

considering numerous statutes and 

Executive orders related to rulemaking. 

Below we summarize our analyses 

based on these statutes or Executive 

orders. 

A. Regulatory Planning and Review 

Executive Orders 12866 (Regulatory 

Planning and Review) as amended by 

Executive Order 14094 (Modernizing 

Regulatory Review), and 13563 

(Improving Regulation and Regulatory 

Review) direct agencies to assess the 

costs and benefits of available regulatory 

alternatives and, if regulation is 

necessary, to select regulatory 

approaches that maximize net benefits 

(including potential economic, 

environmental, public health and safety 

effects, distributive impacts, and 

equity). Executive Order 13563 

emphasizes the importance of 

quantifying costs and benefits, reducing 

costs, harmonizing rules, and promoting 

flexibility. 

Executive Order 13610 (Identifying 

and Reducing Regulatory Burdens) 

promotes the goals of Executive Order 

13563. Executive Order 13610 aims to 

modernize the regulatory systems and to 

reduce unjustified regulatory burdens 

and costs on the public. 

The Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) has not designated this final rule 

a significant regulatory action under 

section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, as 

amended by Executive Order 14094. 

Accordingly, OMB has not reviewed 

this rule. 

The changes from the NPRM, as 

published in the Federal Register on 

May 5, 2023, to this final rule are 

detailed in table 2. 

TABLE 2—CHANGES FROM THE NPRM TO THE FINAL RULE

Description NPRM Final rule Resulting change in regulatory analysis 

Wage data for training providers and 

Coast Guard personnel.

Wages were calculated for 2020 .......... Wages are calculated for 2022, with 

new data sources for Federal employee wages.

Figures have been updated with more 

recent data from the Bureau of Labor 

Statistics (BLS) and the OMB. 

Cost savings for automatic verification 

of mariner course completion data.

The use of Homeport allows for 

verification of course completion information submitted by mariners and 

course completion information submitted by training providers. This was 

not included as a cost savings.

Identification of improved efficiency 

means that verification is quantified.

Cost savings is now included in the 

rule and has produced a net savings 

to the Federal Government. 

Period of analysis .................................. Cost estimate was derived from the 

years 2010–2020.

This period was updated to more recent years (2013–2022).The period of analysis shifted to 2013– 

2022, using the most recently available data under a 10-year window of 

time. 

Phase-in period ...................................... The rule was to become effective following publication in the Federal 

Register.

After responding to public comments, 

the rule now includes a 2-year 

phase-in period during which training 

providers can prepare by establishing Homeport accounts and familiarizing themselves with the new requirements.

The reporting requirements in 46 CFR 

10.403(a)(7) need not be complied 

with until 2 years after the rule is 

published in the Federal Register. 

This phase-in period is accounted for 

in the cost analysis. 

Table 3 shows the summary of the 

estimated impacts of this final rule. A 

regulatory analysis follows. 

TABLE 3—SUMMARY OF THE IMPACTS OF THE FINAL RULE

Category Summary 

Affected Population ............................................. Approximately 327 Coast Guard-approved training providers. 

Cost to Industry over 10 Years (2022 dollars, 

7% discount rate).

$933,588. 

Cost to Government over 10 Years (2022 dollars, 7% discount rate).A cost savings of $142,393. 

Unquantified Benefits .......................................... The final rule will improve efficiency and accuracy during the MMC evaluation process by the 

NMC and help ensure that mariner credentials are not issued to mariners who have not met 

the required qualifications. 

Affected Population 

As discussed in Section II. Basis and 

Purpose, and Regulatory History, the 

NMC must determine that a mariner 

meets the requirements for an 

endorsement on their MMC prior to 

issuance of that endorsement. Currently, 

the NMC makes this determination by 

reviewing course completion certificates 

submitted with an MMC application. As 

discussed previously, the NMC’s current 

course completion verification process 

is cumbersome and time-consuming. 

This final rule seeks to address this 

issue by mandating that training 

providers electronically submit their 

course completion data to the NMC, 

which Coast Guard personnel will 

match to the mariner’s MMLD profile. 


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Starting in 2010, the NMC launched a 

pilot program to collect course 

completion records via Homeport. Table 

4 provides a 10-year historic overview 

of Coast Guard-approved training 

providers, the annual count of training 

providers submitting records via 

Homeport, and the number of records 

the NMC processed each year. 

TABLE 4—NUMBER OF APPROVED TRAINING PROVIDERS AND COURSE COMPLETION RECORDS SUBMITTED TO THE NMC, 

2013–2022 

Year 

Approved 

training 

providers 

Training 

providers 

using 

Homeport 

Student course completion submissions 

Via mariner 

applications Via Homeport 

Total 

(Homeport 

plus mariner 

application 

submissions) 

2013 ..................................................................................... 330 36 49,577 12,110 61,687 

2014 ..................................................................................... 329 43 57,119 13,051 70,170 

2015 ..................................................................................... 340 43 51,890 19,491 71,381 

2016 ..................................................................................... 343 44 57,207 20,248 77,455 

2017 ..................................................................................... 338 49 47,074 25,125 72,199 

2018 ..................................................................................... 340 41 45,812 21,031 66,843 

2019 ..................................................................................... 322 33 49,435 12,834 62,269 

2020 ..................................................................................... 318 26 39,866 8,208 48,074 

2021 ..................................................................................... 322 24 46,194 9,049 55,243 

2022 ..................................................................................... 289 28 48,395 13,456 61,851 

Average * .............................................................................. 327 ........................ 49,257 15,460 64,717 

* Averages rounded to the nearest whole number. Averages for ‘‘Training Providers using Homeport’’ are not calculated, as this rule will require 

all training providers to use Homeport. 

The affected population for this final 

rule includes training providers 

approved by the NMC who offer training 

courses for MMC endorsements. From 

2013 to 2022, the NMC reports that the 

number of Coast Guard-approved 

training providers ranged from a low of 

289 to a high of 343, for an average of 

327. The number of Coast Guardapproved courses offered by training 

providers can vary greatly each year, 

depending on demand for the course, 

instructor availability, and other factors. 

There were 2,515 approved courses 

offered in 2022. 

Figure 1 shows the distribution of the 

number of Coast Guard-approved 

training providers and the number of 

courses they have Coast Guard approval 

for in a given year. According to NMC 

data, there are 93 training providers that 

offer only 1 course and 154 training 

providers (47 percent of all training 

providers) that offer up to 3 courses (see 

figure 1). The NMC does not track how 

many times a training provider offers 

each of their approved courses; for 

example, it is possible that a training 

provider with only 1 Coast Guardapproved course offers that course 

multiple times in a year. The analysis 

for this final rule focuses on the number 

of course completion records submitted, 

rather than the number of courses 

offered, in order to best account for the 

frequency in course offerings. 


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3The 2022 mean hourly wage rate of $33.59 is for 

Training and Development Specialists. https://

www.bls.gov/oes/2022/may/oes131151.htm (last 

accessed January 18, 2024). 

4Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs For 

Employee Compensation—March 2022. ‘‘Table 2, 

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation for 

civilian workers by occupational and industry 

group.’’ https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ 

ecec_06162022.pdf (last accessed January 18, 2024). 

We calculated the load factor by dividing total 

compensation for education services ($57.27) by 

wages and salaries for education services ($37.69). 

(57.27/37.69 = a load factor of 1.52). 

Cost to Industry 

The cost to industry for this rule is 

comprised of two separate components: 

the cost to training providers for the 

time spent registering for a Homeport 

account, and the recurring cost to 

training providers for submitting course 

completion records. To find the total 

cost to industry, these costs are 

calculated individually and then 

combined under a 10-year timeline. 

We find the initial cost of the rule by 

multiplying the number of training 

providers who must register for a 

Homeport account by the time it takes 

to register the account by the hourly 

wages of those who will register. 

According to an NMC subject matter 

expert (SME) familiar with Homeport, it 

takes a training provider approximately 

20 minutes to establish a Homeport 

account. Given that Homeport accounts 

will be mandatory for the entire affected 

population, the cost of the rule is 

estimated to include all 327 training 

providers, even those who have already 

registered a Homeport account. These 

training providers must all be registered 

by the end of the 2-year phase-in period. 

According to data from the NMC, 

there are currently 32 training providers 

who have registered accounts in 

Homeport, which means an additional 

295 must be registered by the end of the 

2-year phase-in period. For this 

analysis, we assume that half the 

remaining providers will register during 

the first year of the implementation 

period and half will register during the 

second year. That is, 147 training 

providers will register in the first year 

(along with the 32 training providers 

already registered), and the remaining 

148 training providers will register in 

the second year. 

After the training providers have all 

established their Homeport accounts, 

we expect any new training providers 

will register as they are approved by the 

NMC. We can anticipate these future 

training providers by examining the 

fluctuations in training providers from 

2013 to 2022. Instances in which the 

population of training providers 

declined can be ignored (there is no cost 

to training providers for leaving the 

field), and the anticipated yearly 

number of new training providers can 

be found by finding the 10-year historic 

average for years when the count of 

training providers increased. As 

calculated from table 4, there have been 

18 new Homeport accounts created over 

the 10-year period of the analysis. 

Rounding to the nearest whole number, 

the 10-year average for new training 

providers is two (2) training providers 

per year. 

When calculating hourly wages, the 

Coast Guard must account not only for 

the hourly wages of personnel, but also 

for the additional costs the employer 

must pay to employ that individual, 

such as payroll taxes, Social Security, 

and insurance. These additional costs, 

when added to wages, are considered 

the ‘‘total compensation’’ of that job. To 

find the total compensation of training 

providers, the Coast Guard researched 

the wages and total compensation for 

the education industry as a whole, as 

provided by the BLS, and divided the 

total cost of employment by wages in 

order to find their ratio. This number is 

considered the ‘‘load factor’’ that, when 

multiplied by wages, produces the total 

cost of employing a training provider. 

The loaded mean hourly wage rate of 

submitters is approximately $51.06 for 

2022, derived from an unloaded mean 

hourly wage rate of $33.59 3 for Training 

and Development Specialists and a load 

factor of 1.52.4

Multiplying these factors with the 

wages of personnel who will be 

responsible for registering the account, 

we find that the cost to industry for 

registering Homeport accounts over 10 

years will be total of $5,838, as detailed 

in table 5. 

TABLE 5—THE COST TO TRAINING PROVIDERS TO ESTABLISH A HOMEPORT ACCOUNT

[2022 Dollars] 

Year 

Number of 

training 

providers 

Time to 

complete 

(hours) 

Hourly 

loaded 

wage 

Total cost 

1 ....................................................................................................................................... 179 .33 $51.06 $3,047 

2 ....................................................................................................................................... 148 .33 51.06 2,519 

3 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 51.06 34 

4 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 51.06 34 

5 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 51.06 34 

6 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 51.06 34 

7 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 51.06 34 

8 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 51.06 34 

9 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 51.06 34 

10 ..................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 51.06 34 

Total .......................................................................................................................... .................... .................... .................... 5,838 

Note: Figures may not sum due to rounding. 

The other cost to industry for the rule 

is for training providers to submit 

course completion data through 

Homeport. This is calculated on a 10- 

year timeline. Training providers can 

decide between two methods for 

uploading course completion data into 

Homeport: they can upload with a direct 

entry system through a Hyper Text 

Markup Language (HTML) form, or they 

can use a CSV file, which can upload 

multiple records at once. 

As discussed in table 4, the NMC 

provided the 10-year historical data for 

the number of student course 

completion records that training 

providers submitted. From 2013 to 

2022, there were approximately 327 

training providers responsible for 

generating an average of 64,717 course 

completion records per year. We found 


khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with RULES2
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5 General Schedule pay scale for Federal 

employees. https://www.opm.gov/policy-dataoversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/ 

pdf/2022/DCB_h.pdf (last accessed January 18, 

2024). 

6Congressional Budget Office, Comparing the 

Compensation of Federal and Private-Sector 

Employees, 2011 to 2015 (April 2017), 

www.cbo.gov/publication/52637 (last accessed 

January 18, 2024). 

‘‘Federal and Private-Sector Total Compensation, 

by Workers’ Educational Attainment’’: Federal 

Government, All Levels of Education. Page 16. 

‘‘Federal and Private-Sector Wages, by Workers’ 

Educational Attainment.’’ Federal Government, All 

Levels of Education. Page 11. 

the cost to training providers to submit 

the record electronically to the NMC by 

multiplying the average annual number 

of course completion records submitted 

by the time it takes to submit records 

and then by the hourly wages of those 

who will submit records. 

To estimate the time cost for 

submitting records electronically, we 

surveyed training providers currently 

using Homeport. Under the Paperwork 

Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), 

we are limited in how many training 

providers we could solicit for 

information. We contacted eight 

providers and received four complete 

responses back, three of which 

quantified the time required to submit 

data through Homeport. The two key 

questions asked as part of the survey 

were: 

• Excluding time already spent on 

issuance of conventional paper course 

completion certificates, what is the 

minimum additional amount of time 

you estimate it takes to enter data into 

Homeport for each course? 

• What is the maximum additional 

amount of time you estimate it takes to 

enter data into Homeport for each 

course? 

Using the survey responses, we 

estimate a range for the time to submit 

each student course completion record 

to be approximately 0.0114 hours (0.68 

minutes) on the lower end, and 0.0688 

hours (4.13 minutes) on the higher end, 

for an average of .04 hours (2.4 minutes) 

per submission. We will use the average 

submission time for our subsequent cost 

calculations. 

Based on the 10-year average 

calculated from table 4, we estimate that 

training providers will submit 64,717 

course completion records 

electronically annually. Multiplying the 

average number of annual records by the 

average time to upload a record and 

then by the loaded wage for a training 

provider (64,717 records × 0.04 hrs. × 

$51.06) gives us an annual total cost to 

training providers of approximately 

$132,178. Dividing the annual total 

costs by the number of training 

providers gives us an annual pertraining provider cost of uploading 

course completion records of 

approximately $404 ($132,178/327). 

We estimate the 10-year total costs to 

training providers by combining the 

Homeport account creation costs and 

the recurring course completion record 

submission costs. Table 6 presents the 

undiscounted total costs of this rule as 

well as the 3 percent and 7 percent 

discounted costs. The annualized total 

costs to training providers, discounted 

at 3 percent and 7 percent, are estimated 

to be $132,829 and $132,922, 

respectively. 

TABLE 6—TOTAL COSTS TO TRAINING PROVIDERS

[2022 Dollars] 

Year 

Homeport 

account 

creation 

Course 

completion 

record 

submission 

Total cost 3% discount 7% discount 

1 ................................................................................................................................................ $3,047 $132,178 $135,225 $131,286 $126,378 

2 ................................................................................................................................................ 2,519 132,178 134,697 126,965 117,650 

3 ................................................................................................................................................ 34 132,178 132,212 120,993 107,924 

4 ................................................................................................................................................ 34 132,178 132,212 117,469 100,864 

5 ................................................................................................................................................ 34 132,178 132,212 114,047 94,265 

6 ................................................................................................................................................ 34 132,178 132,212 110,726 88,098 

7 ................................................................................................................................................ 34 132,178 132,212 107,500 82,335 

8 ................................................................................................................................................ 34 132,178 132,212 104,369 76,949 

9 ................................................................................................................................................ 34 132,178 132,212 101,330 71,915 

10 .............................................................................................................................................. 34 132,178 132,212 98,378 67,210 

Totals ................................................................................................................................. 5,838 1,321,780 1,327,618 1,133,063 933,588 

Annualized ......................................................................................................................... .................... .................... .................... 132,829 132,922 

Note: Figures may not sum due to rounding 

Cost to the Federal Government 

The cost to the Federal Government 

for this final rule is comprised of the 

cost for Coast Guard personnel to verify 

new training provider accounts created 

on Homeport, the cost for Coast Guard 

personnel to manually match course 

completion data to mariner accounts 

when personally identifiable 

information is not available, and the 

cost savings from NMC evaluators not 

having to manually enter mariner course 

completion data directly into MMLD. 

The total cost to the Federal 

Government is found by combining 

these costs and cost savings within a 10- 

year period. 

In order for a training provider to be 

able to electronically submit course 

completion data through Homeport, 

they must first establish a user account 

by registering on the site. User accounts 

must be verified by Coast Guard 

personnel at the NMC before they are 

ready for use. According to an NMC 

SME familiar with Homeport, it takes a 

General Schedule (GS)–07 civilian 

employee approximately 20 minutes to 

verify a Homeport user account. The 

estimate for the number of training 

providers over a 10-year period are 

taken from table 5. 

The cost of verifying training provider 

accounts on Homeport is found by 

multiplying the wages of Coast Guard 

personnel who verify new Homeport 

accounts by the amount of time they 

spend performing that task. 

We calculated wages for civilian 

Federal employees by taking the wages 

for a Federal employee in their locality, 

with their grade, at step 5 (which is 

considered an average). As of January 

2022 in the national capital region, this 

is $27.50 per hour for GS–07 

employees.5 To account for the total 

cost of the position, wages are 

multiplied by a load factor, which is 

found by taking the total compensation 

for Federal employees ($64.80) and 

dividing by average wages for Federal 

employees ($38.30).6 The calculation 

creates a load factor of 1.69, and, when 

multiplied by the hourly wage, the total 


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7The current figure of 3 hours only accounts for 

24% of the record matching that will occur due to 

the rule. To find how much time is needed, we 

divide the time already being used (3 hours) by the 

percentage of the job that is already being 

completed (24) to find the required hours as a single 

percentage of the total job. Then we multiply by 100 

to find the total time required for the job, which 

gives us 12.5 hours per week. 

wages for a GS–07 employee becomes 

$46.48 per hour. 

The 10-year cost of Homeport account 

verification is $5,314, as detailed in 

table 7. 

TABLE 7—COST TO GOVERNMENT OF VERIFYING HOMEPORT USER ACCOUNTS

[2022 Dollars] 

Year 

Number of 

training 

providers 

Time to 

verify new 

homeport 

account— 

hours 

(20 min.) 

Hourly 

GS–07 

wages 

Total cost 

1 ....................................................................................................................................... 179 .33 $46.48 $2,773 

2 ....................................................................................................................................... 148 .33 46.48 2,293 

3 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 46.48 31 

4 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 46.48 31 

5 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 46.48 31 

6 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 46.48 31 

7 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 46.48 31 

8 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 46.48 31 

9 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 46.48 31 

10 ..................................................................................................................................... 2 .33 46.48 31 

Total .......................................................................................................................... .................... .................... .................... $5,314 

Note: Figures may not sum due to rounding. 

The second part of the cost to 

Government is found by multiplying the 

wages of Coast Guard personnel who 

will manually match the course 

completion information with existing 

mariner records by the time they spend 

performing that task. This is considered 

a recurring cost for the Coast Guard and 

is calculated over a 10-year period. 

The course completion data that the 

training provider submits through 

Homeport is added to a database known 

as Mariner Training and Assessment 

Data (MTAD) and is automatically 

matched to the mariner’s profile in the 

MMLD using the individual’s MRN. If a 

mariner does not have an MRN, the 

course data appears in the MMLD as an 

unmatched entry because it does not 

match to an existing MRN. This 

situation prompts manual review by 

personnel at NMC. 

However, records may also not match 

due to a misspelling or other errors in 

data entry. If neither an SSN nor an 

MRN are provided, the certificate would 

remain unmatched to a mariner’s record 

in the MMLD until it can be matched 

manually. The need for manual review 

to match records in the MMLD 

represents a cost to the Coast Guard. 

For the period 2012 to 2022, 15,460 of 

the 64,717 course completion records 

submitted required manual matching. 

Using these data, Coast Guard estimates 

that approximately 24 percent (15,460 ÷ 

64,717) of records must be manually 

matched. According to a Coast Guard 

SME from the NMC, manually matching 

records in the MMLD requires 3 hours 

per week at the GS–7 level and 0.5 

hours per week at the GS–13 level, for 

the current 24 percent of course 

completion records entered into the 

MMLD. This number will be projected 

at an additional 76 percent to account 

for the remaining Coast Guard-approved 

training providers who will begin 

submitting course completion data to 

the NMC under this rule. The projected 

total cost to the Coast Guard is 12.5 

hours per week at the GS–7 level: 

((3/24) × 100 = 12.5 hours per week,7

rounded; 12.5 × 52 weeks per year = 650 

hours per year), 

The projected total cost to the Coast 

Guard is 2.1 hours per week at the GS– 

13 level: 

((.5/24) × 100 = 2.1 hours per week, 

rounded; 2.1 × 52 week per year = 109 

hours per year). 

There is a total annual burden of 759 

hours—650 hours for a GS–7 and 109 

hours for a GS–13. Total wages for GS– 

07 employees are $46.48 per hour, and 

total wages for GS–13 are $98.04 per 

hour. : 

(GS–07 Step 5: 27.50 × 1.69 = 46.48 per 

hour) 

(GS–13 Step 5: 58.01 × 1.69 = 98.04 per 

hour) 

To find the cost of the final rule to the 

Federal Government over a 10-year 

period, we first multiply the wages of 

personnel by the hours they work 

verifying course completion data in a 

given year. GS–07 personnel work for 

650 hours at the rate of $46.48 per hour, 

totaling to $30,212. GS–13 personnel 

work for 109 hours at the rate of $98.04 

per hour, totaling to $10,686. Combining 

these figures, the final rule will cost the 

Federal Government $40,898 annually. 

If we divide this amount by the total 

759 hours of verification, we find the 

weighted average wage of manually 

matching mariner records is $53.88 per 

hour. The first 2 years are adjusted for 

the phase-in period, as calculated in 

table 5: 

(Year 1: 179/327 = .55, and 759 × 55% 

= 417) 

(Year 2: 148/327 = .45, and 759 × 45% 

= 342) 

The details of this cost, and the 

discounted cost at 3 percent and 7 

percent, are provided in table 8. 


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8See methodology outlined above for calculated 

loaded wages for Federal employees. 

TABLE 8—ESTIMATED COSTS OF MATCHING RECORDS TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

[2022 Dollars] 

Year Total time 

(hours) 

Weighted 

average 

wage 

Total 

annual 3% discount 7% discount 

1 ........................................................................................... 417 53.88 22,468 21,814 $20,998 

2 ........................................................................................... 342 53.88 18,427 17,369 16,095 

3 ........................................................................................... 759 53.88 40,895 37,425 33,382 

4 ........................................................................................... 759 53.88 40,895 36,335 31,199 

5 ........................................................................................... 759 53.88 40,895 35,276 29,158 

6 ........................................................................................... 759 53.88 40,895 34,249 27,250 

7 ........................................................................................... 759 53.88 40,895 33,251 25,467 

8 ........................................................................................... 759 53.88 40,895 32,283 23,801 

9 ........................................................................................... 759 53.88 40,895 31,343 22,244 

10 ......................................................................................... 759 53.88 40,895 30,430 20,789 

Total .............................................................................. .................... .................... 368,055 309,774 250,383 

Annualized .................................................................... .................... .................... .................... 36,315 35,649 

Note: Figures may not sum due to rounding. 

The cost for matching records in the 

MMLD is $368,055 over a period of 10 

years. The total cost, discounted at 7 

percent, is $250,383 over a 10-year 

period. 

This final cost factor of the rule to the 

Federal Government will be cost savings 

from automating the process for 

inputting mariner course completion 

data in MMLD as part of the evaluation 

of an MMC application. Course 

completion data submitted 

electronically by training providers will 

be matched to the MRN in MTAD and 

ultimately recorded in the mariner’s 

training profile in MMLD, rather than 

evaluators manually inputting the 

course completion information directly 

into the MMLD. 

An NMC SME estimated that 

electronic submission will save the 

Coast Guard 1 minute per record when 

submitted through Homeport, resulting 

in cost savings for the Federal 

Government. There are 64,717 records 

submitted annually, resulting in a 

savings of 64,717 minutes per year, or 

1,079 hours. The manual entry of 

mariner course completion data is 

completed through a pool of 32 Coast 

Guard evaluators at NMC, 13 of whom 

are GS–07 employees and 19 of whom 

are GS–09. Manual entry of mariner 

course completion data is divided 

evenly among the pool, meaning the 

evaluators all spend an equal amount of 

time on entering course completion 

data, so that GS–07 employees perform 

41 percent of the manual entry, and GS– 

09 employees perform 59 percent of the 

manual entry. The loaded wages for 

these personnel are $46.48 for GS–07s 

and $56.85 for GS–09s.8

The total cost savings for this rule is 

derived by multiplying the amount of 

time saved by the wages of Coast Guard 

personnel who had previously done the 

manual entry of mariner course 

completion data. This calculation must 

account for different wages of the 

personnel based on their GS step, and 

the percentage of the manual entry 

performed by the individuals. The total 

cost savings is $56,586 per year, or 

$565,860 over a 10-year period, as 

outlined in table 9. 

TABLE 9—ANNUAL COST SAVINGS OF ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION TO THE GOVERNMENT

[2022 Dollars] 

Time manually entering course completion data Evaluators 

Percentage 

of time by 

GS step 

manually 

entering 

course 

completion 

data 

(%) 

Total hours Wages Total cost savings 

A B A * B C A * B * C 

1,079 hrs. ................................................................................... GS–07 41 442 46.48/hr. 20,544 

GS–09 59 637 56.85/hr. 36,041 

Total .................................................................................... .................... 1,079 .................... 56,586 

Note: Figures may not sum due to rounding. 

Net Cost to the Federal Government 

The net cost of this final rule to the 

Federal Government is found by adding 

all three cost factors: the cost of 

verifying new Homeport accounts, the 

cost of manually matching submitted 

records to a mariner’s profile in MMLD, 

and the cost savings that result from 

eliminating the need to manually enter 


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mariner course completion data. These 

combined factors result in an overall 

cost savings for the Federal Government 

of $192,491 over 10 years, and a total of 

$142,393 over 10 years when 

discounted at 7 percent. The results are 

outlined in table 10. 

TABLE 10—TOTAL COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

[2022 Dollars] 

Year 

Verifying 

homeport 

accounts 

Matching 

records 

Cost savings 

from elimination of manual entry of course 

completion 

data 

Total 3% 

Discount 

7% 

Discount 

A B C (A + B)¥C 

1 .................................................................................................................... $2,773 $22,468 $56,586 ($32,910) ($31,951) ($30,757) 

2 .................................................................................................................... 2,293 18,427 56,586 (34,301) (32,332) (29,960) 

3 .................................................................................................................... 31 40,895 56,586 (15,660) (14,331) (12,783) 

4 .................................................................................................................... 31 40,895 56,586 (15,660) (13,914) (11,947) 

5 .................................................................................................................... 31 40,895 56,586 (15,660) (13,508) (11,165) 

6 .................................................................................................................... 31 40,895 56,586 (15,660) (13,115) (10,435) 

7 .................................................................................................................... 31 40,895 56,586 (15,660) (12,733) (9,752) 

8 .................................................................................................................... 31 40,895 56,586 (15,660) (12,362) (9,114) 

9 .................................................................................................................... 31 40,895 56,586 (15,660) (12,002) (8,518) 

10 .................................................................................................................. 31 40,895 56,586 (15,660) (11,653) (7,961) 

Total ....................................................................................................... 5,314 368,055 565,860 (192,491) (167,901) (142,393) 

Annualized ............................................................................................. .................... .................... ........................ .................... (19,683) (20,273) 

Note: Figures may not sum due to rounding. 

Net Total Cost of the Final Rule 

The net cost of the final rule is found 

by taking the cost to training providers 

and subtracting the cost savings to the 

Federal Government. Table 11 shows 

the net cost of the final rule combining 

the results from table 6 and table 10. 

TABLE 11—NET COSTS OF THE FINAL RULE: 

[2022 Dollars] 

Year 

Cost to 

training 

providers 

Cost to 

govt. 

Total net 

cost 3% discount 7% discount 

1 ................................................................................................................................................ $135,225 ($32,910) $102,315 $99,335 $95,621 

2 ................................................................................................................................................ 134,697 (34,301) 100,396 94,633 87,690 

3 ................................................................................................................................................ 132,212 (15,660) 116,552 106,662 95,141 

4 ................................................................................................................................................ 132,212 (15,660) 116,552 103,555 88,917 

5 ................................................................................................................................................ 132,212 (15,660) 116,552 100,539 83,100 

6 ................................................................................................................................................ 132,212 (15,660) 116,552 97,610 77,664 

7 ................................................................................................................................................ 132,212 (15,660) 116,552 94,767 72,583 

8 ................................................................................................................................................ 132,212 (15,660) 116,552 92,007 67,834 

9 ................................................................................................................................................ 132,212 (15,660) 116,552 89,327 63,397 

10 .............................................................................................................................................. 132,212 (15,660) 116,552 86,726 59,249 

Total ................................................................................................................................... 1,327,618 (192,491) 1,135,127 965,161 791,196 

Annualized ......................................................................................................................... .................... .................... .................... 113,146 112,648 

Note: Figures may not sum due to rounding. 

The estimated total cost of the final 

rule over a 10-year period is 

approximately $1.135 million. The 

annualized total cost of the final rule, 

when discounted at 3 and 7 percent, is 

$113,146 and $112,648, respectively. 

Benefits 

The benefit of the rule will be to 

improve efficiency and accuracy during 

the evaluation of MMC applications by 

streamlining the process for verifying 

mariner course completions and 

eliminating the need for manual entry of 

course information in MMLD. Currently, 

mariner course completion data can be 

verified by having Coast Guard 

personnel call the training provider to 

confirm that the mariner’s reported 

course completion information matches 

the records of the provider, and then 

reconcile any discrepancies. Under this 

final rule, both the mariner and the 

training provider will submit their 

course completion data to the Coast 

Guard: the mariner submits course 

completion data with their application 

for an MMC, and the training provider 

submits course completion data through 

Homeport. NMC evaluators then verify 

that the data submitted by the mariner 

matches the data submitted by the 

training providers. If any discrepancies 

are found, an investigation may be 

initiated to determine the nature of the 

discrepancy and whether the mariner 

has met the requirements to be issued 

the credential. 

Alternatives Considered 

1. No action. We rejected this 

alternative because the Coast Guard has 

a responsibility to improve the 

credentialing process for training 

providers and mariners, and to 

minimize operating costs wherever 

possible. These responsibilities will be 

better served under this final rule than 

under the current process. 

2. Coast Guard-provided serial 

numbers for training certificates. Under 


khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with RULES2
93050 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

9The definitions for small entities were based on 

the July 2022 SBA Small Business Size Standards, 

https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2022-07/ 

Table%20of%20Size%20Standards_

Effective%20July%2014%202022_Final508.pdf,(accessed Jan. 18th, 2024.) 

this alternative, the Coast Guard would 

provide training providers with a list of 

serial numbers to use on the course 

completion certificates they issue to 

students. We rejected this alternative 

because, to implement it, the Coast 

Guard would need to develop an 

electronic system to track certificate 

serial numbers. Prior attempts at adding 

new capabilities to the MMLD have 

been unsuccessful. Implementing this 

alternative would require additional 

human resources to develop and 

manage a secondary system to track 

certificate numbers and increase 

application evaluation times due to the 

need to access multiple databases to 

verify data. None of these requirements 

are feasible in the immediate near term. 

B. Small Entities 

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 

5 U.S.C. 601–612, we have considered 

whether this final rule will have 

significant economic impact on a 

substantial number of small entities. 

The term ‘‘small entities’’ comprises 

small businesses, not-for-profit 

organizations that are independently 

owned and operated and are not 

dominant in their fields, and 

governmental jurisdictions with 

populations of less than 50,000. 

The impact of this final rule on each 

training provider varies by how many 

Coast Guard-approved courses a training 

provider offers in any given year, and 

how many student records a training 

provider submits to the Coast Guard. 

Larger training providers that offer 

many courses, and thus manage more 

student records, have a larger burden 

from the final rule, but they also have 

larger revenues. Conversely, smaller 

training providers that manage fewer 

student records have a smaller burden 

under this final rule but may have less 

revenue to mitigate the burden. To 

assess the potential burden on small 

entities, we took a random sample of the 

total population of Coast Guardapproved training providers and 

multiplied the cost per course by the 

number of courses each training 

provider offered in a year. 

Of the 327 training providers 

impacted by this final rule, we took a 

random sample of 173 companies 

(training providers) to achieve a 95- 

percent confidence interval. We found 

147 of the companies in the random 

sample that had known revenues or 

employee information. Of these, 100 

had both measures, while 47 had only 

known employee information. The 

sample represented 59 different North 

American Industry Classification 

System codes, including schools, 

professional training centers, and 

specific trades reflecting the range of 

courses required to qualify for an MMC 

and associated endorsements. 

Out of the sample of 173 companies 

(training providers), we found 166 small 

entities overall that could potentially be 

affected by this final rule.9 Among the 

sample of 173 companies, we found that 

74 are small entities based on a revenue 

size standard, and 11 are small entities 

based on an employee size standard. 

There was insufficient information to 

determine the size of 81 companies, so 

we assumed that they are also small 

entities. Overall, we found 166 small 

entities that could potentially be 

affected by this final rule. Table 12 

presents the number of small entities 

based on employee size standard, 

revenue size standard, or other 

information. 

TABLE 12—NUMBER OF SMALL

ENTITIES

Category Number 

Small entities by revenue 

standard ............................ 74 

Small entities by employee 

standard ............................ 11 

Entities assumed to be small 

with insufficient information 81 

TABLE 12—NUMBER OF SMALL

ENTITIES—Continued 

Category Number 

Total small entities ........ 166 

Number of entities in sample 173 

The annual impact of this final rule 

on each entity will be proportional to 

the number of courses offered. Here, we 

use the number of courses rather than 

the number of students, because the 

number of Coast Guard-approved 

courses is known, but the number of 

students per training provider is not. To 

estimate the impact, we multiply the 

number of Coast Guard-approved 

courses offered by the estimated time 

burden per course in hours, and then 

multiply by the loaded hourly wage rate 

of the submitters. 

According to an SME at the NMC, we 

estimate training provider class sizes to 

be 20 students per course. We can 

estimate the per-course time burden by 

multiplying the class size by the time it 

takes to submit a student course 

completion record. Using the survey 

response range for the time to submit 

each student’s course completion record 

of 0.0114 hours (0.68 minutes) on the 

lower end, and 0.0688 hours (4.13 

minutes) on the higher end, we estimate 

an hourly range per course to be 

between 0.228 and 1.376 hours, for an 

average of .802 hours. 

If a training provider offered two 

Coast Guard-approved courses, for 

example, their burden would be 

approximately $81.90 (2 courses × .802 

hours × $51.06). For a rule to create an 

impact of more than 1 percent of 

revenues, an entity would need to have 

annual revenues less than or equal to 

$8,190 ((2 × .802 × 51.06) × 100). 

The mode of courses offered by small 

entities is one: most small entities only 

offer one course. The mean of courses 

offered by small entities is 9.22. 

TABLE 13—NUMBER OF COURSES AND COST OF RULE BY SMALL ENTITIES

Number of courses 

Number of 

small 

entities 

Percentage 

of small 

entities 

Cost of rule 

1 ............................................................................................................................................................... 49 29% $41 

2 ............................................................................................................................................................... 17 10 82 

3 ............................................................................................................................................................... 13 8 123 

4 ............................................................................................................................................................... 16 10 164 

5 ............................................................................................................................................................... 11 7 205 

6 ............................................................................................................................................................... 3 2 246 

7 ............................................................................................................................................................... 6 4 287 

8 ............................................................................................................................................................... 4 2 328 

9 ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 5 369 


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TABLE 13—NUMBER OF COURSES AND COST OF RULE BY SMALL ENTITIES—Continued 

Number of courses 

Number of 

small 

entities 

Percentage 

of small 

entities 

Cost of rule 

10 ............................................................................................................................................................. 6 4 410 

11 ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 1 450 

12 ............................................................................................................................................................. 5 3 491 

13 ............................................................................................................................................................. 1 1 532 

14 ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 1 573 

16 ............................................................................................................................................................. 1 1 655 

18 ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 1 737 

19 ............................................................................................................................................................. 1 1 778 

20 ............................................................................................................................................................. 3 2 819 

>20 * ......................................................................................................................................................... 16 10 1,359 

Note: Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding. 

* Estimates for the ‘‘over 20 courses’’ category uses a mean of 32 courses, derived from a sample of ten small entities after removing six large 

outliers. 

Table 14 shows the number of small 

entities with a greater than 1 percent 

impact on their annual revenues as the 

percentage of the total population of 

small entities that we found through our 

analysis. Of the 166 small entities for 

which we found revenue data from a 

survey provided to a random sample of 

mariner training providers, over the 10- 

year period of analysis, on the lower 

end, one small entity experienced an 

impact of greater than 1 percent of its 

total annual revenues, and on the higher 

end, five small entities experienced an 

impact of greater than 1 percent of its 

total annual revenues. Therefore, an 

average of three small entities are 

expected to experience an impact of 

greater than 1 percent of its total annual 

revenues, which is not a substantial 

number of small entities out of a total 

population of 327 training providers 

that offer at least 1 course. 

TABLE 14—ESTIMATED INITIAL AND ANNUAL IMPACT OF THE FINAL RULE ON SMALL ENTITIES

Category Lower 

estimate 

Higher 

estimate 

Average 

estimate 

Number of small entities where impact is greater than 1% of revenues ................................................ 1 5 3 

Percentage of small entities where impact is greater than 1% of revenues .......................................... 0.60% 3.01% 1.8% 

Table 15 shows the number of small 

entities affected by the final rule as a 

percentage of the small entities’ total 

annual revenues. 

TABLE 15—ESTIMATED INITIAL AND ANNUAL PERCENTAGE REVENUE IMPACT OF THE FINAL RULE ON SMALL ENTITIES

Category Lower 

estimate 

Higher 

estimate 

Average 

estimate 

Impact <1% of revenues .......................................................................................................................... 91 87 89 

Impact 1 to 2% of revenues .................................................................................................................... 0 2 1 

Impact 2 to 3% of revenues .................................................................................................................... 1 1 1 

Impact 3 to 4% of revenues .................................................................................................................... 0 1 .5 

Impact greater than 4% of revenues ....................................................................................................... 0 1 .5 

Total .................................................................................................................................................. 92 92 92 

Hence, for small entities that will 

receive an impact on their revenues of 

1 percent or more, we find that 1 

percent of the small entities will be 

impacted using the lower estimate, 5 

percent of small entities will be 

impacted using the higher estimate, and 

3 percent of small entities will be 

impacted on average (low estimate: 1 ÷ 

92 = .01, or 1%; high estimate: 5 ÷ 92 

= .05, or 5%; average estimate: 3 ÷ 92 

= .03, or 3%). 

Therefore, the Coast Guard certifies 

under 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that this final rule 

will not have a significant economic 

impact on a substantial number of small 

entities. 

C. Assistance for Small Entities 

Under section 213(a) of the Small 

Business Regulatory Enforcement 

Fairness Act of 1996, Public Law 104– 

121, we offer to assist small entities in 

understanding this rule so that they can 

better evaluate its effects on them and 

participate in the rulemaking. The Coast 

Guard will not retaliate against small 

entities that question or complain about 

this rule or any policy or action of the 

Coast Guard. 

Small businesses may send comments 

on the actions of Federal employees 

who enforce, or otherwise determine 

compliance with, Federal regulations to 

the Small Business and Agriculture 

Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman 

and the Regional Small Business 

Regulatory Fairness Boards. The 

Ombudsman evaluates these actions 

annually and rates each agency’s 

responsiveness to small business. If you 

wish to comment on actions by 

employees of the Coast Guard, call 1– 

888–REG–FAIR (1–888–734–3247). 


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D. Collection of Information 

This rule calls for a revision to a 

collection of information under the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 

U.S.C. 3501–3520. As defined in 5 CFR 

1320.3(c), ‘‘collection of information’’ 

comprises reporting, recordkeeping, 

monitoring, posting, labeling, and other 

similar actions. The title and 

description of the information 

collections, a description of those who 

must collect the information, and an 

estimate of the total annual burden 

follow. The estimate covers the time for 

reviewing instructions, searching 

existing sources of data, gathering and 

maintaining the data needed, and 

completing and reviewing the 

collection. 

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

requires the Coast Guard to consider the 

impact of paperwork and other 

information collection burdens imposed 

on the public. According to the 1995 

amendments to the Paperwork 

Reduction Act, an agency may not 

collect or sponsor the collection of 

information, nor may it impose an 

information collection requirement, 

unless it displays a currently valid OMB 

control number. 

This action contains amendments to 

the existing information collection 

requirements previously approved 

under OMB Control Number 1625–0028. 

This information collection request 

(ICR) governs all the information 

collected for training provider 

approvals, including information 

required to evaluate and approve the 

initial course, review of these materials 

by the NMC, and ongoing recordkeeping 

requirements for each student taking a 

course. This final rule increases the 

hour burden of recordkeeping for each 

Coast Guard-approved course but does 

not increase the number of responses 

(number of Coast Guard-approved 

courses). 

The hour burden of the ICR represents 

the total annual burden per Coast 

Guard-approved course, assuming that 

each Coast Guard-approved course is 

offered 12 times per year with 20 

students in each class. The current hour 

burden is 40 hours for each Coast 

Guard-approved course, or 0.1667 hours 

for each student record. Since the 

regulatory analysis for this rule used a 

range for the estimated burden, we use 

the higher end of the range to provide 

a conservative estimate of the increase 

in recordkeeping burden. This rule 

increases the hour burden per student 

record by 0.0688, from 0.1667 to 0.2355 

hours. This creates a total increase of 

about 16.51 hours per course, from 

40.01 hours per course (0.1667 × 20 

students × 12 courses) to about 56.52 

hours for each course (0.2355 × 20 

students × 12 courses). 

The title and description of the 

information collection, a description of 

those who must collect the information, 

and an estimate of the total annual 

burden, follow. The estimates cover the 

time for reviewing instructions, 

searching existing sources of data, 

gathering and maintaining the data 

needed, and completing and reviewing 

the collection. The current OMBapproved number of responses is 2,757. 

Title: Course Approval and Records 

for Merchant Mariner Training Schools. 

OMB Control Number: 1625–0028. 

Summary of the Collection of 

Information: This ICR governs all of the 

information collected for training 

providers, including approvals 

(information required to evaluate and 

approve the course and any information 

regarding the STCW Quality Standard 

System (QSS) manual) and ongoing 

recordkeeping requirements. 

Need for Information: Title 46 of the 

CFR, section 10.402, specifies the 

information that must be submitted for 

the Coast Guard to evaluate and approve 

each course. The Coast Guard is 

obligated under the STCW Convention 

to validate the training completed by 

mariners and to ensure that the 

approved training is monitored under a 

QSS. 

Proposed Use of Information: 

Personnel from NMC review the 

submitted information to ensure 

training courses and programs meet 

minimum standards for Coast Guard 

approval. The recordkeeping 

requirements help the Coast Guard 

monitor the performance of schools 

with Coast Guard-approved courses. 

Description of the Respondents: 

Training providers approved to provide 

maritime courses or programs. 

Number of Respondents: The OMBapproved number of respondents for 

this collection of information remains at 

326. 

Frequency of Response: Training 

providers submit student records every 

year based on the courses offered and 

the number of students completing 

those courses. 

Burden of Response: The total burden 

per response is 56.52 hours per course, 

which will increase from the previously 

approved number of 40.01 hours per 

course. 

Estimate of Annual Hour Burden: The 

final rule increases the estimated annual 

burden by 51,429 hours (16.51 hours per 

course multiplied by 3,115 total 

courses). This will increase the burden 

from 146,109 hours to 197,538 hours. 

As required by 44 U.S.C. 3507(d), we 

will submit a copy of this final rule to 

OMB for its review of the collection of 

information. 

You are not required to respond to a 

collection of information unless it 

displays a currently valid control 

number from OMB. OMB has not yet 

completed its review of this collection. 

Before the Coast Guard may enforce new 

collection of information requirements 

introduced by this rule, OMB will need 

to approve the Coast Guard’s request to 

collect this information. We will 

publish a Federal Register notice once 

OMB takes action on our request. 

E. Federalism 

A rule has implications for federalism 

under Executive Order 13132 

(Federalism) if it has a substantial direct 

effect on States, on the relationship 

between the National Government and 

the States, or on the distribution of 

power and responsibilities among the 

various levels of Government. We have 

analyzed this final rule under Executive 

Order 13132 and have determined that 

it is consistent with the fundamental 

federalism principles and preemption 

requirements described in Executive 

Order 13132. Our analysis follows. 

It is well settled that States may not 

regulate in categories reserved for 

regulation by the Coast Guard. It is also 

well settled that all of the categories 

covered in 46 U.S.C. 7101 and 7301 

(personnel qualifications of officers and 

ratings serving on board merchant 

vessels) and any other category in which 

Congress intended the Coast Guard to be 

the sole source of a vessel’s obligations, 

are within the field foreclosed from 

regulation by the States. See the 

Supreme Court’s decision in United 

States v. Locke, 529 U.S. 89, 120 S.Ct. 

1135 (2000), which found that the States 

are foreclosed from regulating tanker 

vessels. See also Ray v. Atlantic 

Richfield Co., 435 U.S. 151, 157, 98 

S.Ct., 988 (1978), which found that State 

regulation is preempted where ‘‘the 

scheme of federal regulation may be so 

pervasive as to make reasonable the 

inference that Congress left no room for 

the States to supplement it [or where] 

the Act of Congress may touch a field in 

which the federal interest is so 

dominant that the federal system will be 

assumed to preclude enforcement of 

state laws on the same subject.’’ 

(Citations omitted). Because this final 

rule involves the credentialing of 

merchant mariner officers and ratings 

under 46 U.S.C. 7101 and 7301 

respectively, it relates to personnel 

qualifications for vessels subject to a 

pervasive scheme of Federal regulation 

and is therefore foreclosed from 


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regulation by the States. Because the 

States may not regulate within these 

categories, this final rule is consistent 

with the fundamental federalism 

principles and preemption requirements 

in Executive Order 13132. 

While it is well settled that States may 

not regulate in categories in which 

Congress intended the Coast Guard to be 

the sole source of a vessel’s obligations, 

the Coast Guard recognizes the key role 

that State and local governments may 

have in making regulatory 

determinations. Additionally, for rules 

with federalism implications and 

preemptive effect, Executive Order 

13132 specifically directs agencies to 

consult with State and local 

governments during the rulemaking 

process. If you believe this rule will 

have implications for federalism under 

Executive Order 13132, please call or 

email the person listed in the FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 

this preamble. 

F. Unfunded Mandates 

The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 

of 1995, 2 U.S.C. 1531–1538, requires 

Federal agencies to assess the effects of 

their discretionary regulatory actions. In 

particular, the Act addresses actions 

that may result in the expenditure by a 

State, local, or Tribal Government, in 

the aggregate, or by the private sector of 

$100,000,000 (adjusted for inflation) or 

more in any one year. Although this rule 

will not result in such expenditure, we 

do discuss the effects of this rule 

elsewhere in this preamble. 

G. Taking of Private Property 

This rule will not cause a taking of 

private property or otherwise have 

taking implications under Executive 

Order 12630 (Governmental Actions and 

Interference with Constitutionally 

Protected Property Rights). 

H. Civil Justice Reform 

This rule meets applicable standards 

in sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of Executive 

Order 12988 (Civil Justice Reform) to 

minimize litigation, eliminate 

ambiguity, and reduce burden. 

I. Protection of Children 

We have analyzed this rule under 

Executive Order 13045 (Protection of 

Children from Environmental Health 

Risks and Safety Risks). This rule is not 

an economically significant rule and 

will not create an environmental risk to 

health or risk to safety that might 

disproportionately affect children. 

J. Indian Tribal Governments 

This rule does not have Tribal 

implications under Executive Order 

13175 (Consultation and Coordination 

with Indian Tribal Governments), 

because it will not have a substantial 

direct effect on one or more Indian 

Tribes, on the relationship between the 

Federal Government and Indian Tribes, 

or on the distribution of power and 

responsibilities between the Federal 

Government and Indian Tribes. 

K. Energy Effects 

We have analyzed this rule under 

Executive Order 13211 (Actions 

Concerning Regulations That 

Significantly Affect Energy Supply, 

Distribution, or Use). We have 

determined that it is not a ‘‘significant 

energy action’’ under that order because 

it is not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ 

under Executive Order 12866 and is not 

likely to have a significant adverse effect 

on the supply, distribution, or use of 

energy. 

L. Technical Standards 

The National Technology Transfer 

and Advancement Act, codified as a 

note to 15 U.S.C. 272, directs agencies 

to use voluntary consensus standards in 

their regulatory activities unless the 

agency provides Congress, through 

OMB, with an explanation of why using 

these standards would be inconsistent 

with applicable law or otherwise 

impractical. Voluntary consensus 

standards are technical standards (That 

is, specifications of materials, 

performance, design, or operation; test 

methods; sampling procedures; and 

related management systems practices) 

that are developed or adopted by 

voluntary consensus standards bodies. 

This rule does not use technical 

standards. Therefore, we did not 

consider the use of voluntary consensus 

standards. 

M. Environment 

We have analyzed this final rule 

under DHS Management Directive 023– 

01, Rev. 1, associated implementing 

instructions, and Environmental 

Planning COMDTINST 5090.1 (series), 

which guide the Coast Guard in 

complying with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and have made a 

determination that this action is one of 

a category of actions that do not 

individually or cumulatively have a 

significant effect on the human 

environment. A Record of 

Environmental Consideration 

supporting this determination is 

available in the docket. For instructions 

on locating the docket, see the 

ADDRESSES section of this preamble. 

This final rule will be categorically 

excluded under paragraphs L54 and L56 

of Appendix A, table 1 of DHS 

Instruction Manual 023–01–001–01, 

Rev. 1. Paragraph L54 pertains to 

regulations that are editorial or 

procedural. Paragraph L56 pertains to 

regulations concerning training, 

qualifying, licensing, and disciplining 

maritime personnel. 

This final rule involves establishing a 

new procedure for issuing MMCs to 

mariners who have met the regulatory 

requirements for the individual 

endorsements as described in 46 CFR 

parts 11 and 12. Under this new 

procedure, Coast Guard-approved 

training providers will be required to 

electronically submit student course 

completion data to the Coast Guard 

within 5 business days of a course 

ending. The NMC will use this 

information to validate mariner course 

completion certificates submitted as 

part of an application for an MMC. 

List of Subjects 

46 CFR Part 10 

Incorporation by reference, Penalties, 

Personally identifiable information, 

Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements, Seafarers. 

46 CFR Part 11 

Incorporation by reference, Penalties, 

Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements, Schools, Seafarers. 

46 CFR Part 12 

Incorporation by reference, Penalties, 

Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements, Schools, Seafarers. 

46 CFR Part 13 

Incorporation by reference, Cargo 

vessels, Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements, Seafarers. 

46 CFR Part 15 

Incorporation by reference, Reporting 

and recordkeeping requirements, 

Seafarers, Vessels. 

46 CFR Part 16 

Drug testing, Marine safety, Reporting 

and recordkeeping requirements, Safety, 

Transportation. 

46 CFR Part 30 

Cargo vessels, Foreign relations, 

Hazardous materials transportation, 

Penalties, Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements, Seafarers. 

46 CFR Part 35 

Cargo vessels, Incorporation by 

reference, Marine safety, Navigation 

(water), Occupational safety and health, 

Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements, Seafarers. 


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93054 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

46 CFR Part 39 

Cargo vessels, Fire prevention, 

Hazardous materials transportation, 

Marine safety, Occupational safety and 

health, Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements. 

For the reasons discussed in the 

preamble, the Coast Guard amends 46 

CFR parts 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 30, 35, 

and 39 as follows: 

PART 10—MERCHANT MARINER 

CREDENTIAL 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 10 is 

revised to read as follows: 

Authority: 14 U.S.C. 503; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 

46 U.S.C. 2101, 2103, 2104, 2110; 46 U.S.C. 

chapter 71; 46 U.S.C. chapter 73; 46 U.S.C. 

chapter 75; 46 U.S.C. 7701, 8903, 8904, and 

70105; Executive Order 10173; DHS 

Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4. 

PART 10—[Amended] 

■ 2. In part 10, remove the term in the 

left column wherever it appears and add 

in its place the term in the right 

column:: 

Remove Add 

Certificate of registry ...... Certificate of Registry. 

certificate of registry ....... Certificate of Registry. 

merchant mariner credential.Merchant Mariner Credential. 

merchant mariner credentials.Merchant Mariner Credentials. 

Merchant mariner’s document.Merchant Mariner’s Document. 

merchant mariner’s document.Merchant Mariner’s Document. 

■ 3. Amend § 10.101 by revising 

paragraph (b) to read as follows: 

§ 10.101 Purpose. 

* * * * * 

(b) A means of determining that an 

applicant is competent to serve under 

the authority of their Merchant Mariner 

Credential (MMC); 

* * * * * 

■ 4. Amend § 10.103 by revising 

paragraph (a) and the introductory text 

of paragraph (b) to read as follows: 

§ 10.103 Incorporation by reference. 

(a) Certain material is incorporated by 

reference into this part with the 

approval of the Director of the Federal 

Register under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 

CFR part 51. All approved incorporation 

by reference material (IBR) is available 

for inspection at the Coast Guard and 

the National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). Contact Coast 

Guard at: Office of Merchant Mariner 

Credentialing (CG–MMC), U.S. Coast 

Guard, Stop 7509, 2703 Martin Luther 

King Jr. Avenue SE, Washington, DC 

20593–7509; phone: 202–372–1492; 

website: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/ 

merchant_mariner_credential/. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at NARA, visit 

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@

nara.gov. The material may be obtained 

from: 

(b) International Maritime 

Organization (IMO), 4 Albert 

Embankment, London SE1 7SR, 

England; phone +44 (0)20 7735 7611; 

website: www.imo.org. 

* * * * * 

■ 5. Amend § 10.107 by revising 

paragraph (b) to read as follows: 

§ 10.107 Definitions in subchapter B. 

* * * * * 

(b) As used in this subchapter, the 

following terms apply only to merchant 

marine personnel credentialing and the 

manning of vessels subject to the 

manning provisions in the navigation 

and shipping laws of the United States: 

Able Seafarer-Deck means a rating 

qualified in accordance with the 

provisions of Regulation II/5 of the 

STCW Convention. 

Able Seafarer-Engine means a rating 

qualified in accordance with the 

provisions of Regulation III/5 of the 

STCW Convention. 

Apprentice Mate of Towing Vessels 

means a credentialed mariner in 

training to perform bridge watchkeeping 

duties onboard a towing vessel, who 

must be under the direct supervision 

and in the continuous presence of a 

Master or Mate (Pilot) of Towing 

Vessels. 

Approved means approved by the 

Coast Guard. 

Approved training means training that 

is approved by the Coast Guard or meets 

the requirements of § 10.408. 

Articulated tug barge or ATB means 

any tug-barge combination which, 

through the use of an articulated or 

‘‘hinged’’ connection system between 

the tug and barge, allows independent 

movement in the critical area of fore and 

aft pitch. 

Assistance towing means towing a 

disabled vessel for consideration. 

Assistant Engineer, for national 

endorsements, means a qualified officer 

in the engine department other than the 

Chief Engineer. 

Authorized official includes, but is 

not limited to, a Federal, State or local 

law enforcement officer. 

Ballast Control Operator or BCO 

means an officer restricted to service on 

mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) 

whose duties involve the operation of 

the complex ballast system found on 

many MODUs. When assigned to a 

MODU, a Ballast Control Operator is 

equivalent to a Mate on a conventional 

vessel. 

Barge means a non-self-propelled 

vessel as defined in 46 U.S.C. 102. 

Barge Supervisor or BS means an 

officer restricted to service on MODUs 

whose duties involve support to the 

Offshore Installation Manager (OIM) in 

marine-related matters including, but 

not limited to, maintaining watertight 

integrity, inspecting and maintaining 

mooring and towing components, and 

maintaining emergency and other 

marine-related equipment. A Barge 

Supervisor, when assigned to a MODU, 

is equivalent to a Mate on a 

conventional vessel. 

Boatswain means the leading seafarer 

and immediate supervisor of deck crew 

who supervises the maintenance of deck 

gear. 

Boundary line marks the dividing 

point between internal and offshore 

waters for the purposes of several U.S. 

statutes and, with exceptions, generally 

follows the trend of the seaward, 

highwater shorelines. See part 7 of this 

chapter. 

Cargo engineer means a person 

holding an officer endorsement on a 

dangerous-liquid tankship or a 

liquefied-gas tankship whose primary 

responsibility is maintaining the cargo 

system and cargo-handling equipment. 

Ceremonial license means a document 

that reflects a mariner’s existing 

national officer endorsement and is 

suitable for framing, but is not valid for 

use as a Merchant Mariner Credential 

(MMC). 

Chemical tanker means a tank vessel 

that is certificated to carry or carries 

chemicals in bulk as cargo or cargo 

residue. For the purposes of qualifying 

for an STCW endorsement for advanced 

chemical tanker cargo operations, this 

includes tank barges. 

Chief Engineer means the senior 

engineer responsible for the mechanical 

propulsion and the operation and 

maintenance of the mechanical and 

electrical installations of the vessel. 

Chief Mate means the deck officer 

next in rank to the Master and upon 

whom the command of the vessel will 

fall in the event of incapacity of the 

Master. 

Coast Guard-accepted means— 

(1) That the Coast Guard has officially 

acknowledged in writing that the 

material or process at issue meets the 

applicable requirements; 

(2) That the Coast Guard has issued an 

official policy statement listing or 

describing the material or process as 

meeting the applicable requirements; or 

(3) That an entity acting on behalf of 

the Coast Guard under a Memorandum 


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of Agreement has determined that the 

material or process meets the applicable 

requirements. 

Coast Guard-accepted QSS 

organization means an entity that has 

been approved by the Coast Guard to 

accept and monitor training on behalf of 

the Coast Guard. 

Coastwise seagoing vessel means a 

vessel that is authorized by its 

Certificate of Inspection to proceed 

beyond the Boundary Line established 

in part 7 of this chapter. 

Coastwise voyage is a domestic 

voyage and means a voyage in which a 

vessel proceeds— 

(1) From one port or place in the 

United States to another port or place in 

the United States; 

(2) From a port or place in a United 

States possession to another port or 

place in the same possession, and 

passes outside the line dividing inland 

waters from the high seas; or 

(3) From a port or place in the United 

States or its possessions and passes 

outside the line dividing inland waters 

from the high seas and navigates on the 

high seas, and then returns to the same 

port or place. 

Communicable disease means any 

disease capable of being transmitted 

from one person to another directly, by 

contact with excreta or other discharges 

from the body; or indirectly, via 

substances or inanimate objects 

contaminated with excreta or other 

discharges from an infected person. 

Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 12113, the 

Department of Health and Human 

Services periodically publishes in the 

Federal Register a list of infectious and 

communicable diseases that are 

transmissible through the food supply, 

and that list provides examples of 

communicable diseases for purposes of 

§ 10.304. 

Conviction means that the applicant 

for a Merchant Mariner Credential has 

been found guilty, by judgment or plea 

by a court of record of the United States, 

the District of Columbia, any State, 

territory, or possession of the United 

States, a foreign country, or any military 

court, of a criminal felony or 

misdemeanor or of an offense described 

in section 205 of the National Driver 

Register Act of 1982, as amended (49 

U.S.C. 30304). If an applicant pleads 

guilty or no contest, is granted deferred 

adjudication, or is required by the court 

to attend classes, make contributions of 

time or money, receive treatment, 

submit to any manner of probation or 

supervision, or forgo appeal of a trial 

court’s conviction, then the Coast Guard 

will consider the applicant to have 

received a conviction. A later 

expungement of the conviction will not 

negate a conviction unless the Coast 

Guard is satisfied that the expungement 

is based upon a showing that the court’s 

earlier conviction was in error. 

Credential means any or all of the 

following: 

(1) Merchant Mariner’s Document 

(MMD). 

(2) Merchant Mariner’s License. 

(3) STCW endorsement. 

(4) Certificate of Registry (COR). 

(5) Merchant Mariner Credential 

(MMC). 

Criminal record review means the 

process or action taken by the Coast 

Guard to determine whether an 

applicant for, or holder of, a credential 

is a safe and suitable person to be issued 

such a credential or to be employed on 

a vessel under the authority of such a 

credential. 

Dangerous drug means a narcotic 

drug, a controlled substance, or a 

controlled-substance analogue (as 

defined in section 102 of the 

Comprehensive Drug Abuse and Control 

Act of 1970 (21 U.S.C. 802)). 

Dangerous liquid or DL means a 

liquid listed in 46 CFR 153.40 of this 

chapter that is not a liquefied gas as 

defined in this part. Liquid cargoes in 

bulk listed in table 2 to part 153 of this 

chapter are not dangerous-liquid cargoes 

when carried by non-oceangoing barges. 

Day means, for the purpose of 

complying with the service 

requirements of this subchapter, 8 hours 

of watchstanding or day-working not to 

include overtime. On vessels authorized 

by 46 U.S.C. 8104 and § 15.705 of this 

subchapter, to operate a two-watch 

system, a 12-hour working day may be 

creditable as 11⁄2 days of service. On 

vessels of less than 100 GRT, a day is 

considered as 8 hours unless the Coast 

Guard determines that the vessel’s 

operating schedule makes this criteria 

inappropriate; in no case will this 

period be less than 4 hours. When 

computing service on MODUs for any 

endorsement, a day of MODU service 

must be a minimum of 4 hours, and no 

additional credit is received for periods 

served over 8 hours. For cadet service 

on a training ship furnished by the 

Maritime Administration under 46 CFR 

310.4, a day may be creditable as 11⁄2

days of service. 

Deck crew (excluding individuals 

serving under their officer endorsement) 

means, as used in 46 U.S.C. 8702, only 

the following members of the deck 

department: Able Seafarers, Boatswains, 

and Ordinary Seafarers. 

Deck department means the 

department aboard a ship responsible 

for navigation, cargo, command, and 

control functions. 

Designated areas means those areas 

within pilotage waters for which FirstClass Pilot endorsements are issued 

under part 11, subpart G, of this chapter, 

by the Officer in Charge, Marine 

Inspection (OCMI). The areas for which 

First-Class Pilot endorsements are 

issued within a particular Marine 

Inspection Zone and the specific 

requirements to obtain them may be 

obtained from the OCMI concerned. 

Designated Duty Engineer or DDE 

means a qualified engineer, who may be 

the sole engineer on vessels with a 

periodically unmanned engine room. 

Designated Examiner or DE means a 

person who has been trained or 

instructed in techniques of training or 

assessment on towing vessels and is 

otherwise qualified to evaluate whether 

an applicant has achieved the level of 

proficiency required to hold a towing 

vessel endorsement on an MMC. This 

person must be approved by the Coast 

Guard. 

Designated Medical Examiner means 

a licensed physician, licensed 

physician’s assistant, or licensed nurse 

practitioner who has been trained and 

approved to conduct medical and 

physical examinations of merchant 

mariners on behalf of the U.S. Coast 

Guard and may be delegated limited 

authority to grant waivers and approve 

physical/medical suitability for service. 

Directly supervised/direct supervision 

(only when referring to issues related to 

tank vessel endorsements) means being 

in the direct line of sight of the personin-charge or maintaining direct, twoway communications by a convenient, 

reliable means, such as a predetermined 

working frequency over a handheld 

radio. 

Disabled vessel means a vessel that 

needs assistance, whether docked, 

moored, anchored, aground, adrift, or 

underway. This does not mean a barge 

or any other vessel not regularly 

operated under its own power. 

Document of Continuity means a 

document issued by the Coast Guard to 

seafarers who are unwilling or 

otherwise unable to meet the 

requirements of § 10.227, for the sole 

purpose of maintaining an individual’s 

eligibility for renewal of an 

endorsement. 

Domestic voyage means a voyage from 

one United States port to another United 

States port, without entering waters 

under the jurisdiction of another 

country unless the United States has 

entered into a treaty or an agreement 

with that country respecting mutual 

recognition of national mariner 

qualifications. This includes a voyage to 

nowhere that returns to the originating 

port. 


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Drug test means a chemical test of an 

individual’s urine for evidence of 

dangerous drug use. 

Dual-mode integrated tug barge 

means an integrated tug barge (ITB) 

involving an articulated (flexible) 

coupling system where the towing unit 

rolls and heaves (articulates) about a 

horizontal pivot point. Dual mode units 

resemble a conventional tug and are 

capable of towing in other 

configurations (astern or alongside). 

Electro-technical Officer or ETO 

means an officer qualified in accordance 

with the provisions of Regulation III/6 

of the STCW Convention. 

Electro-technical Rating or ETR 

means a rating qualified in accordance 

with the provisions of Regulation III/7 

of the STCW Convention. 

Employment assigned to means the 

total period of time a person is assigned 

to work on MODUs, including time 

spent ashore as part of normal crew 

rotation. 

Endorsement is a statement of a 

mariner’s qualifications and, for the 

purposes of this chapter, includes only 

those endorsements listed in § 10.109. 

Engine department means the 

department aboard a ship responsible 

for the main propulsion and auxiliary 

systems, and other mechanical, 

electrical, hydraulic, and refrigeration 

systems, including deck machinery and 

cargo-handling equipment. 

Entry-level mariner means a mariner 

holding no rating other than Ordinary 

Seafarer, Wiper, Steward’s Department, 

or Steward’s Department Food Handler 

(F.H.). 

Evaluation means processing an 

application, from the point of receipt to 

approval or denial of the application, 

including review of all documents and 

records submitted with an application 

as well as those obtained from public 

records and databases. 

Fails a chemical test for dangerous 

drugs means that the result of a 

chemical test conducted under 49 CFR 

part 40 was reported as ‘‘positive’’ by a 

Medical Review Officer because the 

chemical test indicated the presence of 

a dangerous drug at a level equal to or 

exceeding the levels established in 49 

CFR part 40. 

First Assistant Engineer means the 

engineer officer next in rank to the Chief 

Engineer and upon whom the 

responsibility for the mechanical 

propulsion and the operation and 

maintenance of the mechanical and 

electrical installations of the vessel will 

fall in the event of the incapacity of the 

Chief Engineer. 

Great Lakes, for the purpose of 

calculating service requirements for an 

endorsement, means the Great Lakes 

and their connecting and tributary 

waters, including the Calumet River as 

far as the Thomas J. O’Brien Lock and 

Controlling Works (between miles 326 

and 327), the Chicago River as far as the 

east side of the Ashland Avenue Bridge 

(between miles 321 and 322), and the 

Saint Lawrence River as far east as the 

lower exit of Saint Lambert Lock. For 

purposes of requiring MMCs with rating 

endorsements, the connecting and 

tributary waters are not part of the Great 

Lakes. 

Gross register tons or GRT means the 

gross ton measurement of the vessel 

under 46 U.S.C. chapter 145, Regulatory 

Measurement. 

Gross tonnage or GT means the gross 

tonnage measurement of the vessel 

under 46 U.S.C. chapter 143, 

Convention Measurement. 

Harbor assist means the use of a 

towing vessel during maneuvers to 

dock, undock, moor, or unmoor a vessel, 

or to escort a vessel with limited 

maneuverability. 

High-Speed Craft Type Rating (HSC) 

means an endorsement for specific duty 

on a particular type and model of highspeed craft (compliant with the HighSpeed Craft Code). 

Horsepower or HP means, for the 

purpose of this subchapter, the total 

maximum continuous shaft horsepower 

of the entire vessel’s main propulsion 

machinery as determined by the 

manufacturer. This term is used when 

describing a vessel’s propulsion power 

and also when placing limitations on an 

engineer officer license or endorsement. 

One horsepower equals 0.75 kW. 

ILO means the International Labour 

Organization. 

IMO means the International Maritime 

Organization. 

Increase in scope means additional 

authority added to an existing 

credential, such as adding a new route 

or increasing the authorized horsepower 

or tonnage. 

Inland waters means the navigable 

waters of the United States shoreward of 

the Boundary Lines as described in part 

7 of this chapter, excluding the Great 

Lakes, and, for towing vessels, 

excluding the Western Rivers. 

Integrated tug barge or ITB means any 

tug barge combination which, through 

the use of special design features or a 

specially designed connection system, 

has increased seakeeping capabilities 

relative to a tug and barge in the 

conventional pushing mode. An ITB can 

be divided into either a dual-mode ITB 

or a push-mode ITB. The definitions for 

those categories can be found elsewhere 

in this section. 

Invalid credential means an MMC, 

MMD, License, STCW endorsement, or 

Certificate of Registry that has been 

suspended or revoked, has expired, has 

been tampered with, has not been 

signed, or has been superseded in 

accordance with § 10.205. 

ISM means the International Safety 

Management Code. 

Kilowatt or kW means 11⁄3

horsepower. This term is used when 

describing a vessel’s propulsion power 

and also when placing limitations on an 

engineer officer license or endorsement. 

Large passenger vessel, for the 

purposes of subpart H of part 12, and 

part 15 (both of this subchapter), means 

a vessel of more than 70,000 gross tons, 

as measured under 46 U.S.C. 14302 and 

documented under the laws of the 

United States, with capacity for at least 

2,000 passengers and a coastwise 

endorsement under 46 U.S.C. chapter 

121. 

Lifeboat Operator means a mariner 

who is qualified to take charge of, lower, 

and operate survival craft and related 

survival equipment on a vessel. 

Lifeboat Operator-Limited means a 

mariner who is qualified to take charge 

of, lower, and operate liferafts, rescue 

boats, and other survival equipment on 

vessels where lifeboats are not installed. 

Liquefied gas or LG means a cargo that 

has a vapor pressure of 172 kPa (25 psia) 

or more at 37.8 °C (100 °F). 

Liquefied gas tanker means a tank 

vessel that is certificated to carry or 

carries liquefied gases in bulk as cargo 

or cargo residue. For the purposes of 

qualifying for an STCW endorsement for 

advanced liquefied gas tanker cargo 

operations, this includes tank barges. 

Liquid cargo in bulk means a liquid or 

liquefied gas listed in § 153.40 of this 

chapter and carried as a liquid cargo or 

liquid-cargo residue in integral, fixed, or 

portable tanks, except a liquid cargo 

carried in a portable tank actually 

loaded and discharged from a vessel 

with the contents intact. 

Management level means the level of 

responsibility associated with— 

(1) Serving as Master, Chief Mate, 

Chief Engineer Officer, or Second 

Engineer Officer onboard a seagoing 

ship; and 

(2) Ensuring that all functions within 

the designated area of responsibility are 

properly performed. 

Marine chemist means a person 

certificated by the National Fire 

Protection Association as a marine 

chemist. 

Master means the officer having 

command of a vessel. 

Mate means a qualified officer in the 

deck department other than the Master. 

Medical Certificate means a certificate 

issued by the Coast Guard under subpart 

C of this part 10, that serves as proof 


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that the seafarer meets the medical and 

physical standards for merchant 

mariners. 

Merchant Mariner Credential or MMC 

means a credential issued by the Coast 

Guard under this part 10. It combines 

the individual Merchant Mariner’s 

Document, License, and Certificate of 

Registry enumerated in 46 U.S.C. 

subtitle II part E as well as the STCW 

endorsement into a single credential 

that serves as the mariner’s qualification 

document, certificate of identification, 

and certificate of service. 

MMC application means the 

application for the MMC, as well as the 

application for any endorsement on an 

MMC. 

Mobile offshore drilling unit or MODU 

means a vessel capable of engaging in 

drilling operations for the exploration 

for or exploitation of subsea resources. 

MODU designs include the following: 

(1) Bottom bearing units, which 

include— 

(i) Self-elevating (or jack-up) units 

with moveable, bottom bearing legs 

capable of raising the hull above the 

surface of the sea; and 

(ii) Submersible units of ship-shape, 

barge-type, or novel hull design, other 

than a self-elevating unit, intended for 

operating while bottom bearing. 

(2) Surface units with a ship-shape or 

barge-type displacement hull of single 

or multiple hull construction intended 

for operating in a floating condition, 

including semi-submersibles and drill 

ships. 

Month means 30 days, for the purpose 

of complying with the service 

requirements of this subchapter. 

National Driver Register or NDR 

means the nationwide repository of 

information on drivers maintained by 

the National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration under 49 U.S.C. chapter 

303. 

National officer endorsement means 

an annotation on an MMC that allows a 

mariner to serve in the capacities listed 

in § 10.109(a). The officer endorsement 

serves as the License and/or Certificate 

of Registry pursuant to 46 U.S.C. 

subtitle II part E. 

National rating endorsement means 

an annotation on an MMC that allows a 

mariner to serve in those capacities set 

out in § 10.109(b) and (c). The rating 

endorsement serves as the Merchant 

Mariner’s Document pursuant to 46 

U.S.C. subtitle II part E. 

NDR-listed convictions means a 

conviction of any of the following motor 

vehicle-related offenses or comparable 

offenses: 

(1) Operating a motor vehicle while 

under the influence of, or impaired by, 

alcohol or a controlled substance; or 

(2) A traffic violation arising in 

connection with a fatal traffic accident, 

reckless driving, or racing on the 

highways. 

Near-coastal means ocean waters not 

more than 200 miles offshore from the 

United States and its possessions, 

except for MMCs endorsed as Operator 

of Uninspected Passenger Vessel 

(OUPV) for which near-coastal is 

limited to waters not more than 100 

miles offshore from the United States 

and its possessions. This also includes 

those near-coastal waters identified by 

another Administration when the 

United States has entered into a treaty 

or an agreement with that country 

respecting the recognition of the U.S. 

near-coastal endorsement. 

Non-resident alien, for the purposes 

of subchapter H of part 12, and part 15, 

means an individual who is not a 

citizen or alien lawfully admitted to the 

United States for permanent residence, 

but who is employable in the United 

States under the Immigration and 

Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), 

including an alien crewmember 

described in section 101(a)(15)(D)(i) of 

that Act who meets the requirements of 

46 U.S.C. 8103(k)(3)(A). 

Oceans means the waters seaward of 

the Boundary Lines as described in part 

7 of this chapter. For the purposes of 

establishing sea service credit, the 

waters of the Inside Passage between 

Puget Sound and Cape Spencer, Alaska, 

and the inland waters of another 

country are not considered oceans. 

Officer endorsement means an 

annotation on an MMC that allows a 

mariner to serve in the capacities listed 

in § 10.109. 

Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, 

or OCMI means, for the purposes of this 

subchapter, the commanding officer of 

the National Maritime Center, or any 

person designated as such by the 

Commandant, in accordance with 

§ 1.01–5(b). 

Officer in Charge of an Engineering 

Watch in a manned engineroom 

(OICEW) or Designated Duty Engineer 

(DDE) in a periodically unmanned 

engineroom means an engineering 

officer qualified at the operational level. 

Officer in Charge of a Navigational 

Watch (OICNW) means a deck officer 

qualified at the operational level. 

Offshore Installation Manager or OIM 

means an officer restricted to service on 

MODUs. An assigned Offshore 

Installation Manager is equivalent to a 

Master on a conventional vessel and is 

the person designated by the owner or 

operator to be in complete and ultimate 

command of the unit. 

Oil tanker means a tank vessel that is 

certificated to carry or carries oil in bulk 

as cargo or cargo residue. For the 

purposes of qualifying for an STCW 

endorsement for Advanced Oil Tanker 

Cargo Operations, this includes tank 

barges. 

On location means that a mobile 

offshore drilling unit is bottom bearing 

or moored with anchors placed in the 

drilling configuration. 

Operate, operating, or operation (as 

applied to the manning requirements of 

vessels carrying passengers) refers to a 

vessel any time passengers are 

embarked whether the vessel is 

underway, at anchor, made fast to shore, 

or aground. 

Operational level means the level of 

responsibility associated with— 

(1) Serving as Officer in Charge of a 

Navigational or Engineering Watch, or 

as Designated Duty Engineer for 

periodically unmanned machinery 

spaces, or as Radio Operator onboard a 

seagoing ship; and 

(2) Maintaining direct control over the 

performance of all functions within the 

designated area of responsibility in 

accordance with proper procedures and 

under the direction of an individual 

serving in the management level for that 

area of responsibility. 

Orally assisted examination means an 

examination as described in part 11, 

subpart I, of this subchapter 

administered orally and documented by 

a Coast Guard examiner. 

Overriding operational condition 

means circumstances in which essential 

shipboard work cannot be delayed due 

to safety or environmental reasons, or 

could not have reasonably been 

anticipated at the commencement of the 

voyage. 

Participation, when used with regard 

to the service on transfers required for 

tank vessel endorsements by §§ 13.120, 

13.203, or 13.303 of this subchapter, 

means either actual participation in the 

transfers or close observation of how the 

transfers are conducted and supervised. 

Passes a chemical test for dangerous 

drugs means that the result of a 

chemical test conducted according to 49 

CFR part 40 is reported as ‘‘negative’’ by 

a Medical Review Officer according to 

that part. 

Periodically unattended engine room 

means a space containing main 

propulsion and associated machinery 

and all sources of main electrical supply 

which is not at all times manned under 

all operating conditions, including 

maneuvering. 

PIC means a Person in Charge. 

Pilot of Towing Vessels means a 

qualified officer of a towing vessel 

operated only on inland routes. 

Pilotage waters means the navigable 

waters of the United States, including 


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all inland waters and offshore waters to 

a distance of 3 nautical miles from the 

baseline from which the Territorial Sea 

is measured. 

Practical demonstration means the 

performance of an activity under the 

direct observation of a Designated 

Examiner or Qualified Assessor for the 

purpose of establishing that the 

performer is sufficiently proficient in a 

practical skill to meet a specified 

standard of competence or other 

objective criterion. 

Propulsion power means the total 

maximum continuous-rated output 

power of the main propulsion 

machinery of a vessel determined by the 

manufacturer, in either kilowatts or 

horsepower, which appears on the 

ship’s Certificate of Registry or other 

official document and excludes 

thrusters and other auxiliary machinery. 

Public vessel means a vessel that— 

(1) Is owned, or demise chartered, and 

operated by the United States 

Government or a government of a 

foreign country; and 

(2) Is not engaged in commercial 

service. 

Push-mode ITBs means those ITBs 

that involve a rigid coupling system 

and, when not coupled to the barge, are 

incapable of conducting towing in any 

other configuration (such as astern or 

alongside) because, by themselves, they 

have very limited seakeeping capability. 

The propelling unit moves as one with 

the barge unit. 

Qualified Assessor or QA means a 

person who is qualified to evaluate, for 

STCW endorsements, whether an 

applicant has demonstrated the 

necessary level of competence in the 

task for which the assessment is being 

made. This person must be individually 

approved by the Coast Guard. 

Qualified Instructor means a person 

who has been trained in instructional 

techniques and is otherwise qualified to 

provide required training to candidates 

for an MMC endorsement. A faculty 

member employed at a State maritime 

academy or the U.S. Merchant Marine 

Academy operated under 46 CFR part 

310 and instructing a course on 

merchant marine officer or rating 

knowledge, understanding, or 

proficiency requirements is qualified to 

serve as a Qualified Instructor in their 

area of specialization without 

individual evaluation by the Coast 

Guard. 

Qualified rating means various 

categories of Able Seafarer, Qualified 

Member of the Engine Department, or 

tank vessel endorsements issued on 

MMCs. 

Quality Standard System or QSS 

means a set of policies, procedures, 

processes, and data required to establish 

and fulfill the organization’s objectives. 

Raise of grade means an increase in 

the level of authority and responsibility 

associated with an officer or rating 

endorsement, such as from Mate to 

Master or Second Assistant Engineer to 

First Assistant Engineer. 

Rating endorsement is an annotation 

on an MMC that allows a mariner to 

serve in those capacities set out in 

§ 10.109. 

Regional examination center or REC 

means a field office of the National 

Maritime Center that receives and 

screens credential applications, 

conducts approved course oversight, 

and administers Coast Guard 

examinations as required by this 

subchapter. 

Rest means a period of time during 

which the person concerned is off duty, 

is not performing work (which includes 

administrative tasks such as chart 

correction or preparation of port-entry 

documents), and is allowed to sleep 

without interruption. 

Restricted tank vessel endorsement 

means a valid tank vessel endorsement 

on an MMC restricting its holder as the 

Coast Guard deems appropriate. For 

instance, the endorsement may restrict 

the holder to one or a combination of 

the following: A specific cargo or 

cargoes; a specific vessel or vessels; a 

specific facility or facilities; a specific 

employer or employers; a specific 

activity or activities (such as loading or 

unloading in a cargo transfer); or a 

particular area of water. 

Rivers means a river, canal, or other 

similar body of water designated as such 

by the Coast Guard. 

Safe and suitable person means a 

person whose prior record, including 

but not limited to criminal record and/ 

or NDR record, provides no information 

indicating that their character and 

habits of life would support the belief 

that permitting such a person to serve 

under the MMC and/or endorsement 

sought would clearly be a threat to the 

safety and security of life or property, 

detrimental to good discipline, or 

adverse to the interests of the United 

States. See §§ 10.211 and 10.213 for the 

regulations associated with this 

definition. 

Seagoing service means service 

onboard a ship/vessel relevant to the 

issue of a credential or other 

qualification. 

Seagoing vessel means a ship that 

operates beyond the boundary line 

specified in part 7 of this chapter. 

Second Engineer Officer means an 

engineer officer next in rank to the Chief 

Engineer Officer and upon whom the 

responsibility for the mechanical 

propulsion and the operation and 

maintenance of the mechanical and 

electrical installations of the ship will 

fall in the event of the incapacity of the 

Chief Engineer Officer. 

Self-propelled has the same meaning 

as the terms ‘‘propelled by machinery’’ 

and ‘‘mechanically propelled.’’ This 

term includes vessels fitted with both 

sails and mechanical propulsion. 

Senior company official means the 

president, vice president, vice president 

for personnel, personnel director, or 

similarly titled or responsible 

individual, or another employee 

designated in writing by one of these 

individuals for the purpose of certifying 

employment. 

Service (as used when computing the 

required service for endorsements) 

means the time period, in days, a person 

is assigned to work. On MODUs, this 

excludes time spent ashore as part of 

crew rotation. 

Ship means a vessel using any mode 

of propulsion, including sail and 

auxiliary sail. 

Simulated transfer means a transfer 

practiced in a course meeting the 

requirements of § 13.121 of this 

subchapter that uses simulation to meet 

part of the service on transfers required 

for tank vessel endorsements by 

§§ 13.203 or 13.303 of this subchapter. 

Staff officer means a person who 

holds an MMC with an officer 

endorsement listed in § 10.109(a)(36) 

through (43). 

Standard of competence means the 

level of proficiency to be achieved for 

the proper performance of duties 

onboard vessels according to national 

and international criteria. 

Steward’s department means the 

department that includes entertainment 

personnel and all service personnel, 

including wait staff, housekeeping staff, 

and galley workers, as defined in the 

vessel security plan approved by the 

Secretary under 46 U.S.C. 70103(c). 

These personnel may also be referred to 

as members of the hotel department on 

a large passenger vessel. 

STCW means the International 

Convention on Standards of Training, 

Certification and Watchkeeping for 

Seafarers, 1978, as amended 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 10.103). 

STCW Code means the Seafarers’ 

Training, Certification and 

Watchkeeping Code (incorporated by 

reference, see § 10.103). 

STCW endorsement means an 

annotation on an MMC that allows a 

mariner to serve in those capacities 

under § 10.109(d). The STCW 

endorsement serves as evidence that a 


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mariner has met the requirements of the 

STCW Convention. 

Support level means the level of 

responsibility associated with 

performing assigned tasks, duties, or 

responsibilities onboard a seagoing ship 

under the direction of an individual 

serving in the operational or 

management level. 

Tank barge means a non-selfpropelled tank vessel. 

Tank vessel means a vessel that is 

constructed or adapted to carry, or that 

carries, oil or hazardous material in bulk 

as cargo or cargo residue, and that— 

(1) Is a vessel of the United States; 

(2) Operates on the navigable waters 

of the United States; or 

(3) Transfers oil or hazardous material 

in a port or place subject to the 

jurisdiction of the United States. 

Tank Barge-PIC means a person 

holding a valid ‘‘Tank Barge-PIC’’ 

endorsement on their MMC. See part 13, 

subpart C, of this subchapter. 

Tank Vessel-Assistant means a person 

holding a valid ‘‘Tank Vessel-Assistant’’ 

endorsement on their MMC. See part 13, 

subpart D, of this subchapter. 

Tank Vessel-Engineer means a person 

holding a valid ‘‘Tank Vessel-Engineer’’ 

endorsement on their MMC. See part 13, 

subpart E, of this subchapter. 

Tank Vessel-PIC means a person 

holding a valid ‘‘Tank Vessel-PIC’’ 

endorsement on their MMC. See part 13, 

subpart B, of this subchapter. 

Tankship means any self-propelled 

tank vessel constructed or adapted 

primarily to carry oil or hazardous 

material in bulk as cargo or as cargo 

residue. 

Training program means a 

combination of training, practical 

assessment, and service which provides 

an individual with all or part of the 

necessary knowledge, understanding, 

and proficiency required for a specific 

qualification. 

Transfer means any movement of fuel, 

dangerous liquid, or liquefied gas as 

cargo in bulk or as cargo residue to or 

from a vessel by means of pumping, 

gravitation, or displacement. 

Transportation Worker Identification 

Credential or TWIC means an 

identification credential issued by the 

Transportation Security Administration 

under 49 CFR part 1572. 

Underway means that a vessel is not 

at anchor, made fast to the shore, or 

aground. When referring to a mobile 

offshore drilling unit (MODU), 

underway means that the MODU is not 

in an on-location or laid-up status and 

includes that period of time when the 

MODU is deploying or recovering its 

mooring system. 

Undocumented vessel means a vessel 

not required to have a certificate of 

documentation issued under the laws of 

the United States. 

Unlimited means an annotation on an 

MMC authorizing service on vessels of 

any tonnage or any propulsion power. 

Vessel personnel with designated 

security duties means a person, 

excluding the designated security officer 

(e.g., Company Security Officer (CSO), 

as defined in 33 CFR chapter I, 

subchapter H, and Vessel Security 

Officer (VSO)), having specific security 

duties and responsibilities in 

accordance with the ship security plan. 

Vessel Security Officer (VSO) means a 

person onboard the vessel accountable 

to the Master and designated by the 

Company as responsible for security of 

the vessel, including implementation 

and maintenance of the Vessel’s 

Security Plan, and for liaison with the 

Facility Security Officer and the vessel’s 

Company Security Officer. 

Western Rivers means— 

(1) The Mississippi River; 

(2) The Mississippi River’s tributaries, 

South Pass, and Southwest Pass, to the 

navigational demarcation lines dividing 

the high seas from harbors, rivers, and 

other inland waters of the United States; 

(3) The Port Allen-Morgan City 

Alternate Route; 

(4) That part of the Atchafalaya River 

above its junction with the Port AllenMorgan City Alternate Route including 

the Old River and the Red River; and 

(5) Those waters specified in 33 CFR 

89.25. 

Year means 360 days for the purpose 

of complying with the service 

requirements of this subchapter. 

■ 6. Revise § 10.109 to read as follows: 

§ 10.109 Classification of endorsements. 

(a) National officer endorsements. The 

following national officer endorsements 

are established in part 11 of this 

subchapter. The endorsements indicate 

that an individual holding a valid MMC 

with this endorsement is qualified to 

serve in that capacity and the 

endorsement has been issued under the 

requirements contained in part 11 of 

this subchapter: 

(1) Master. 

(2) Chief Mate. 

(3) Second Mate. 

(4) Third Mate. 

(5) Mate. 

(6) Master of Towing Vessels. 

(7) Master of Towing Vessels-Limited. 

(8) Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels. 

(9) Apprentice Mate of Towing 

Vessels. 

(10) Apprentice Mate of Towing 

Vessels-Limited. 

(11) Assistance Towing. 

(12) Offshore Installation Manager 

(OIM). 

(13) Barge Supervisor (BS). 

(14) Ballast Control Operator (BCO). 

(15) Operator of Uninspected 

Passenger Vessels (OUPV). 

(16) Master of Uninspected Fishing 

Industry Vessels. 

(17) Mate of Uninspected Fishing 

Industry Vessels. 

(18) Master-OSV. 

(19) Chief Mate-OSV. 

(20) Mate-OSV. 

(21) Chief Engineer. 

(22) Chief Engineer-Limited. 

(23) First Assistant Engineer. 

(24) Second Assistant Engineer. 

(25) Third Assistant Engineer. 

(26) Assistant Engineer-Limited. 

(27) Designated Duty Engineer (DDE). 

(28) Chief Engineer-OSV. 

(29) Assistant Engineer-OSV. 

(30) Chief Engineer-MODU. 

(31) Assistant Engineer-MODU. 

(32) Chief Engineer Uninspected 

Fishing Industry Vessels. 

(33) Assistant Engineer Uninspected 

Fishing Industry Vessels. 

(34) Radio Officer. 

(35) First-Class Pilot. 

(36) Chief Purser. 

(37) Purser. 

(38) Senior Assistant Purser. 

(39) Junior Assistant Purser. 

(40) Medical Doctor. 

(41) Professional Nurse. 

(42) Marine Physician Assistant. 

(43) Medical Technician. 

(44) High-Speed Craft Type Rating 

(HSC). 

(45) Radar Observer. 

(b) National rating endorsements. The 

following national rating endorsements 

are established in part 12 of this 

subchapter. The endorsements indicate 

that an individual holding a valid MMC 

with this endorsement is qualified to 

serve in that capacity and the 

endorsement has been issued under the 

requirements contained in part 12 of 

this subchapter: 

(1) Able Seafarer: 

(i) Unlimited; 

(ii) Limited; 

(iii) Special; 

(iv) Offshore Supply Vessel (OSV); 

(v) Sail; and 

(vi) Fishing Industry. 

(2) Ordinary Seafarer. 

(3) Qualified Member of the Engine 

Department (QMED), including the 

following specialty endorsements: 

(i) Oiler; 

(ii) Boiler Technician; 

(iii) Junior Engineer; 

(iv) Pump Technician/Machinist; and 

(v) Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer. 

(4) Lifeboat Operator. 

(5) Lifeboat Operator-Limited. 

(6) Wiper. 

(7) Steward’s Department. 


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(8) Steward’s Department Food 

Handler (F.H.) 

(9) Cadet (Deck or Engine). 

(10) Student Observer. 

(11) Apprentice Engineer. 

(12) Apprentice Mate. 

(c) Tank Vessel Endorsements. The 

following ratings are established in part 

13 of this subchapter. The national 

endorsements indicate that an 

individual holding a valid MMC with 

this endorsement is qualified to serve in 

that capacity and the endorsement has 

been issued under the requirements 

contained in part 13 of this subchapter: 

(1) Tank Vessel-PIC. 

(2) Tank Barge-PIC. 

(3) Restricted Tank Vessel-PIC. 

(4) Restricted Tank Barge-PIC. 

(5) Tank Vessel-Assistant. 

(6) Tank Vessel-Engineer. 

(d) STCW endorsements. The 

following STCW endorsements are 

issued according to the STCW 

Convention, the STCW Code, and parts 

11, 12, and 13 of this subchapter. The 

endorsements indicate that an 

individual holding a valid MMC with 

this endorsement is qualified to serve in 

that capacity and the endorsement has 

been issued under the requirements 

contained in parts 11, 12 or 13 of this 

subchapter as well as the STCW 

Convention and STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 10.103): 

(1) Master. 

(2) Chief Mate. 

(3) Officer in Charge of a Navigational 

Watch (OICNW). 

(4) Chief Engineer Officer. 

(5) Second Engineer Officer. 

(6) Officer In Charge of an Engineering 

Watch in a manned engineroom or 

Designated Duty Engineer in a 

periodically unmanned engineroom 

(OICEW). 

(7) Electro-technical Officer (ETO). 

(8) Rating Forming Part of a 

Navigational Watch (RFPNW). 

(9) Able Seafarer-Deck. 

(10) Rating Forming Part of an 

Engineering Watch in a manned 

engineroom or designated to perform 

duties in a periodically unmanned 

engineroom (RFPEW). 

(11) Able Seafarer-Engine. 

(12) Electro-technical Rating (ETR). 

(13) Basic Training (BT). 

(14) Advanced Firefighting. 

(15) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue 

Boats (PSC). 

(16) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue 

Boats-Limited (PSC-Limited). 

(17) Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats. 

(18) Person in Charge of Medical Care. 

(19) Medical First-aid Provider. 

(20) GMDSS At-sea Maintainer. 

(21) GMDSS Operator. 

(22) Advanced Oil Tanker Cargo 

Operation. 

(23) Advanced Chemical Tanker 

Cargo Operation. 

(24) Advanced Liquefied Gas Tanker 

Cargo Operation. 

(25) Basic Oil and Chemical Tanker 

Cargo Operation. 

(26) Basic Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo 

Operation. 

(27) Vessel Security Officer (VSO). 

(28) Vessel Personnel with Designated 

Security Duties. 

(29) Security Awareness. 

(30) High-Speed Craft Type Rating 

(HSC). 

■ 7. Amend § 10.201 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 10.201 General characteristics of the 

Merchant Mariner Credential. 

(a) A Merchant Mariner Credential 

(MMC) is a credential combining the 

elements of the Merchant Mariner’s 

Document (MMD), Merchant Mariner’s 

License (License), and Certificate of 

Registry (COR) enumerated in 46 U.S.C. 

subtitle II part E, as well as the STCW 

endorsement issued pursuant to the 

STCW Convention and STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 10.103). MMDs, licenses, STCW 

endorsements, and CORs are no longer 

issued as separate documents, and all 

qualifications formerly entered on those 

separate documents appear in the form 

of an endorsement(s) on an MMC. 

* * * * * 

■ 8. Amend § 10.205 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (g) to 

read as follows: 

§ 10.205 Validity of a Merchant Mariner 

Credential. 

* * * * * 

(g) If a mariner chooses to renew their 

license, MMD, COR, or STCW 

endorsement and receive their first 

MMC, the Coast Guard may also renew 

all other credentials for which the 

mariner is qualified. 

* * * * * 

■ 9. Amend § 10.209 by revising 

paragraphs (a), (d)(2) and (6), (g), and (i) 

to read as follows: 

§ 10.209 General application procedures. 

(a) The applicant for an MMC, 

whether for an original, renewal, 

duplicate, raise of grade, or a new 

endorsement on a previously issued 

MMC, must establish that they satisfy 

all the requirements for the MMC and 

endorsement(s) sought before the Coast 

Guard will issue the MMC. This section 

contains the general requirements for all 

applicants. Additional requirements for 

duplicates, renewals, new 

endorsements, and raises of grade 

appear later in this part. 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

(2) The applicant’s continuous 

discharge book, certificate of 

identification, MMD, MMC, License, 

STCW endorsement, Certificate of 

Registry (COR), or, if it has not expired, 

a photocopy of the credential, including 

the back and all attachments; 

* * * * * 

(6) For an endorsement as a Medical 

Doctor or Professional Nurse as required 

in § 11.807 of this subchapter, evidence 

that the applicant holds a currently 

valid, appropriate license as physician, 

surgeon, or registered nurse, issued 

under the authority of a state or territory 

of the United States, the Commonwealth 

of Puerto Rico, or the District of 

Columbia. Any MMC issued will retain 

any limitation associated with the 

medical license; 

* * * * * 

(g) When a new MMC is issued, the 

mariner must return any previously 

issued and unexpired MMC, License, 

MMD, COR, or STCW endorsement to 

the Coast Guard, unless the new MMC 

is being issued to replace a lost or stolen 

credential. 

* * * * * 

(i) A mariner may obtain a ceremonial 

license when applying for their 

credential or Document of Continuity. 

■ 10. Amend § 10.221 by revising 

paragraph (a)(1) to read as follows: 

§ 10.221 Citizenship. 

(a)(1) MMCs with officer 

Endorsements. Only individuals with 

valid U.S. citizenship may apply for 

officer endorsements, except 

individuals applying for endorsements 

as Operator of Uninspected Passenger 

Vessels (OUPV) authorizing service on 

undocumented vessels in accordance 

with § 11.201(d) of this subchapter. 

* * * * * 

■ 11. Amend § 10.223 by revising 

paragraphs (c)(3)(iii) and (c)(5) to read 

as follows: 

§ 10.223 Modification or removal of 

limitations or scope. 

* * * * * 

(c) * * * 

(3) * * * 

(iii) The mandatory requirements for 

tank vessel endorsements are contained 

in part 13 of this subchapter. 

* * * * * 

(5) Any uncanceled MMD, MMC, 

License, STCW endorsement, or COR 


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held by the applicant. If one or more of 

these credentials are still valid at the 

time of application, a photocopy, front 

and back of all pages, and all 

attachments, will satisfy this 

requirement. If the applicant submits a 

photocopy, upon the issuance of the 

new MMC, the applicant must surrender 

the old, original credential to the Coast 

Guard. If requested in writing at the 

time of submission, the old MMD, 

MMC, License, COR, or STCW 

endorsement may be returned to the 

applicant after cancellation. 

* * * * * 

■ 12. Amend § 10.225 by revising 

paragraphs (b)(3)(iii) and (c) to read as 

follows: 

§ 10.225 Requirements for original 

Merchant Mariner Credentials. 

* * * * * 

(b) * * * 

(3) * * * 

(iii) The mandatory requirements for 

tank vessel endorsements are contained 

in part 13 of this subchapter. 

* * * * * 

(c) Oath. Every person who receives 

an original MMC must first take an oath, 

before an official authorized to give 

such an oath, that they will faithfully 

and honestly, according to their best 

skill and judgment, without 

concealment or reservation, perform all 

the duties required by law and obey all 

lawful orders of superior officers. An 

oath may be administered by any Coast 

Guard-designated individual or any 

person legally permitted to administer 

oaths in the jurisdiction where the 

person taking the oath resides. An oath 

administered at a location other than the 

Coast Guard must be verified in writing 

by the administering official and 

submitted to the same Regional 

Examination Center (REC) where the 

applicant applied for their MMC. This 

oath remains binding for any 

subsequently issued MMC and 

endorsements added to the MMC, 

unless specifically renounced in 

writing. 

■ 13. Amend § 10.227 by revising 

paragraphs (d)(4), (e), (g)(2)(ii), and (i) to 

read as follows: 

§ 10.227 Requirements for renewal. 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

(4) Any uncanceled MMD, MMC, 

License, STCW endorsement, Certificate 

of Registry (COR), or Document of 

Continuity held by the applicant. If one 

or more of these credentials are still 

valid at the time of application, a 

photocopy—front, back, and all 

attachments—will satisfy this 

requirement. 

(e) Renewal requirements. Except as 

provided in paragraph (e)(8) of this 

section and § 13.120 of this subchapter, 

the applicant must meet the following 

professional requirements for renewal: 

(1) The applicant must either— 

(i) Present evidence of at least 1 year 

of sea service during the past 5 years; 

(ii) Pass a comprehensive, open-book 

exercise covering the general subject 

matter contained in appropriate sections 

of subpart B of this part; 

(iii) Complete an approved refresher 

training course; 

(iv) Provide evidence of employment 

as a Qualified Instructor or in a position 

closely related to the operation, 

construction, or repair of vessels (either 

deck or engineer as appropriate) for at 

least 3 years during the past 5 years. An 

applicant for a deck license or officer 

endorsement with this type of 

employment must also demonstrate 

knowledge on an applicable Rules of the 

Road open-book exercise; or 

(v) Provide evidence of being a 

Qualified Instructor who has taught a 

Coast Guard-approved or -accepted 

course relevant to the endorsement or 

credential being applied for, at least 

twice within the past 5 years, therefore 

meeting the standards needed to receive 

a course completion certificate for that 

course. 

(2) The qualification requirements for 

renewal of Radar Observer endorsement 

as contained in § 11.480 of this 

subchapter. 

(3) Additional qualification 

requirements for renewal of an officer 

endorsement as First-Class Pilot as 

contained in § 11.713 of this subchapter. 

(4) An applicant for renewal of a 

Radio Officer endorsement must, in 

addition to meeting the requirements of 

this section, present a copy of a 

currently valid License as first- or 

second-class radiotelegraph operator 

issued by the Federal Communications 

Commission. 

(5) An applicant for renewal of an 

endorsement as Medical Doctor or 

Professional Nurse must, in addition to 

meeting the requirements of this 

section, present evidence that they hold 

a currently valid, appropriate license as 

physician, surgeon, or registered nurse 

issued under the authority of a State or 

territory of the United States, the 

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the 

District of Columbia. Any such renewal 

will retain the limitations placed upon 

the medical License by the issuing body. 

There are no professional requirements 

for renewal of an endorsement as 

Marine Physician Assistant or Medical 

Technician. 

(6) An applicant for renewal of an 

endorsement as Master or Mate (Pilot) of 

Towing Vessels, in addition to the other 

requirements in this paragraph, must 

also submit satisfactory evidence of— 

(i) Having completed a practical 

demonstration of maneuvering and 

handling a towing vessel to the 

satisfaction of a Designated Examiner; or 

(ii) Ongoing participation in training 

and drills during the validity of the 

License or MMC being renewed. 

(7) An applicant seeking to renew a 

tank vessel endorsement must meet the 

additional requirements listed in 

§ 13.120 of this subchapter. 

(8) There are no professional 

requirements for renewal for the 

following endorsements: 

(i) Staff officers (all types). 

(ii) Ordinary Seafarer. 

(iii) Wiper. 

(iv) Steward’s Department. 

(v) Steward’s Department Food 

Handler (F.H.). 

(vi) Cadet. 

(vii) Student Observer. 

(viii) Apprentice Engineer. 

(ix) Apprentice Mate (issued under 

part 12 of this subchapter). 

(x) Person in Charge of Medical Care. 

(xi) Medical First-aid Provider. 

(xii) GMDSS At-sea Maintainer. 

(xiii) GMDSS Operator. 

* * * * * 

(g) * * * 

(2) * * * 

(ii) An application including a signed 

statement from the applicant attesting to 

an awareness of the limited purpose of 

the Document of Continuity, their 

inability to serve, and the requirements 

to obtain an MMC. 

* * * * * 

(i) Re-issuance of expired credentials. 

(1) If an applicant applies for reissuance of an endorsement as deck 

officer, engineer officer, or qualified 

rating more than 12 months after its 

expiration, instead of the requirements 

of paragraph (e) of this section, the 

applicant must demonstrate continued 

professional knowledge by completing a 

course approved for this purpose, or by 

passing the complete examination for 

original issue of the endorsement. The 

examination may be oral-assisted if the 

expired credential was awarded based 

on the results of an oral exam. The fees 

set forth in § 10.219 apply to these 

examinations. In the case of an expired 

Radio Officer endorsement, the 

endorsement may be issued upon 

presentation of a valid first- or secondclass radiotelegraph operator license 

issued by the Federal Communications 

Commission. 

(2) An endorsement for Chief Purser, 

Purser, Senior Assistant Purser, Junior 

Assistant Purser, Medical Technician, 


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Marine Physician Assistant, Medical 

Doctor, or Professional Nurse that has 

been expired for more than 12 months 

must be renewed in the same way as a 

current endorsement of that type. There 

are no additional requirements for reissuing endorsements for Chief Purser, 

Purser, Senior Assistant Purser, Junior 

Assistant Purser, Medical Technician, 

Marine Physician Assistant, Medical 

Doctor, or Professional Nurse that have 

been expired for more than 12 months. 

(3) Applicants applying for reissuance of an endorsement as Master or 

Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels more 

than 12 months after expiration of the 

previous endorsement must complete 

the practical demonstration of 

maneuvering and handling a towing 

vessel required under (e)(6)(i) of this 

section. 

(4) Applicants applying for reissuance of an endorsement as any tank 

vessel rating more than 12 months after 

expiration of the previous endorsement 

must meet the requirements in § 13.117 

of this subchapter. 

■ 14. Amend § 10.231 by revising 

paragraphs (c)(3)(iii), (c)(6)(ii), and 

(d)(2) to read as follows: 

§ 10.231 Requirements for raises of grade 

or new endorsements. 

* * * * * 

(c) * * * 

(3) * * * 

(iii) The mandatory requirements for 

tank vessel endorsements are contained 

in part 13 of this subchapter. 

* * * * * 

(6) * * * 

(ii) The first endorsement as National 

Able Seafarer, Lifeboat Operator, 

Lifeboat Operator-Limited, Qualified 

Member of the Engine Department 

(QMED), or a tank vessel endorsement. 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

(2) An applicant remains eligible for 

a raise of grade while on probation as 

a result of action under part 5 of this 

chapter. A raise of grade issued to a 

person on probation will be subject to 

the same probationary conditions 

imposed against their other credentials. 

The offense for which they were placed 

on probation will be considered on the 

merits of the case in determining fitness 

to hold the endorsement applied for. No 

applicant will be examined for a raise of 

grade during any period when a 

suspension without probation or a 

revocation imposed under part 5 of this 

chapter is effective against their 

credential or while an appeal from these 

actions is pending. 

* * * * * 

■ 15. Amend § 10.232 by revising 

paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2)(iv) and (vii), 

(a)(6), (d)(1) and (6), and (g) 

introductory text to read as follows: 

§ 10.232 Sea service. 

(a) * * * 

(1) Sea service may be documented in 

various forms such as certificates of 

discharge, pilotage service and billing 

forms, and service letters or other 

official documents from marine 

companies signed by the owner, 

operator, Master, or Chief Engineer of 

the vessel. The Coast Guard must be 

satisfied as to the authenticity and 

acceptability of all evidence of 

experience or training presented. 

(2) * * * 

(iv) The amount and nature (e.g., 

Chief mate, Assistant Engineer, etc.) of 

the applicant’s experience. 

* * * * * 

(vii) For those seeking to renew a 

Radar Observer endorsement, whether 

the vessel is equipped with radar and if 

the mariner served in a position that 

routinely uses radar for navigation and 

collision avoidance purposes. 

* * * * * 

(6) An applicant who has been acting 

as a Pilot may submit a letter from a 

pilot’s association attesting to the 

applicant’s sea service. For those Pilots 

seeking to renew a Radar Observer 

endorsement, the association’s letter 

should indicate that the vessels piloted 

were equipped with radar, and that 

radar was used by the Pilot for 

navigation and collision avoidance 

purposes. Pilots not part of an 

association may submit other relevant 

records indicating service, such as 

billing forms. For a raise-of-grade, Pilots 

must comply with the requirements of 

paragraph (a)(2) of this section. 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

(1) Sea service as a member of the 

Armed Forces of the United States will 

be accepted as required experience for 

an original, raise of grade, renewal, or 

increase in scope of all endorsements. In 

most cases, military sea service will 

have been performed upon ocean 

waters; however, inland service, as may 

be the case on smaller vessels, will be 

credited in the same manner as 

conventional evaluations. The applicant 

must submit an official transcript of sea 

service or history of assignments as 

verification of the service claimed when 

the application is submitted. A DD–214 

is not acceptable evidence of sea 

service. The applicant must also provide 

the Coast Guard with other necessary 

information as to tonnage, routes, 

propulsion power, percentage of time 

underway, and assigned duties upon the 

vessels on which he or she served. Such 

service will be evaluated by the Coast 

Guard for a determination of its 

equivalence to sea service acquired on 

merchant vessels and the appropriate 

grade, class, and limit of endorsement 

for which the applicant is eligible. 

Normally, 60 percent of the total time 

onboard is considered equivalent 

underway service; however, the periods 

of operation of each vessel may be 

evaluated separately. In order to be 

eligible for a Master or Chief Engineer 

unlimited endorsement, the applicant 

must have acquired military service in 

the capacity of commanding officer or 

engineer officer, respectively. 

* * * * * 

(6) Service gained in a civilian 

capacity as commanding officer, Master, 

Mate, engineer, or Pilot, etc., of any 

vessel owned and operated by the 

United States, in any service in which 

a License or officer endorsement as 

Master, Mate, engineer, or Pilot was not 

required at the time of such service, will 

be evaluated by the Coast Guard for a 

determination of equivalence. 

* * * * * 

(g) Closely related service. The Coast 

Guard may accept evidence of 

employment in a position closely 

related to the operation, construction, or 

repair of vessels (either deck or engineer 

as appropriate) as meeting the sea 

service requirements for renewal under 

§ 10.227(e)(1)(iv). Service as port 

engineer, port captain, shipyard 

superintendent, Qualified Instructor, or 

similar related service may be creditable 

for service for raise of grade of an 

engineer or deck officer endorsement; 

however, it may not be used for 

obtaining an original management-level 

endorsement. The service is creditable 

as follows: 

* * * * * 

■ 16. Amend § 10.233 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(b) to read as follows: 

§ 10.233 Obligations of the holder of a 

Merchant Mariner Credential. 

(a) The holder of a credential may not 

voluntarily part with it or place it 

beyond their personal control by 

pledging or depositing it with any other 

person, except as required by regulation 

or as necessary to safeguard the 

credential. If the holder violates this 

section, the Coast Guard may pursue 

suspension or revocation of the License, 

MMD, COR, or MMC under the 

provisions of part 5 of this chapter. 

(b) Whenever a mariner loses a 

credential, they must immediately 

report the loss to the Coast Guard. The 


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report must be made in writing, giving 

the facts incident to its loss. 

* * * * * 

■ 17. Amend § 10.235 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (c), (d), 

and (g) through (i) to read as follows: 

§ 10.235 Suspension or revocation of 

Merchant Mariner Credentials. 

* * * * * 

(c) An applicant who has had a TWIC, 

credential, or endorsement revoked, and 

who is applying for a subsequent MMC 

or endorsement, must state in their 

application the date of revocation, the 

serial number of the document revoked, 

and the type of document or 

endorsement revoked. 

(d) A person whose credential or 

endorsement has been revoked or 

suspended without probation may not 

be issued a replacement credential or 

endorsement without approval of the 

Commandant. If a mariner has multiple 

endorsements and one or more, but not 

all, of those endorsements are 

suspended or revoked, they will be 

issued, without payment of a fee, a 

replacement MMC reflecting those 

endorsements for which the mariner 

remains qualified. 

* * * * * 

(g) An applicant for renewal or return 

of a credential with endorsement as 

Master or Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels 

whose most recent credential has been 

suspended or revoked by an 

administrative law judge for 

incompetence must complete the 

practical demonstration required under 

§ 10.227(e)(6)(i). 

(h) If the Coast Guard is advised by 

the Transportation Security 

Administration (TSA) that a mariner has 

either been denied a TWIC or their 

TWIC has been revoked, the Coast 

Guard may initiate suspension and 

revocation action against the mariner’s 

MMC, License, MMD, and COR under 

46 U.S.C. 7702 and 7703. During the 

subsequent suspension and revocation 

proceeding, the TSA decision to deny 

issuance of, or to revoke, a mariner’s 

TWIC will not be subject to review, and 

the mariner’s failure to hold a TWIC 

will be treated by the Coast Guard as 

proof that the mariner is not eligible for 

an MMC, License, MMD or COR. 

(i) A mariner who has either been 

denied issuance of a TWIC or whose 

TWIC has been revoked for a reason, 

other than administrative reasons (e.g., 

being lost or stolen, not functioning, or 

having a misspelling) will be deemed 

ineligible for an MMC, License, MMD or 

COR. 

■ 18. Revise § 10.239 to read as follows: 

§ 10.239 Quick reference table for MMC 

requirements. 

Table 1 to § 10.239 provides a guide 

to the requirements for officer 

endorsements. Provisions in the 

reference section are controlling. 

Note 1 to § 10.239: For tank vessel 

endorsements, see table 1 to § 13.129. 

Note 2 to § 10.239: All references within 

table 1 to this section are within this 

subchapter. 


khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with RULES2
93064 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 1 TO § 10.239—QUICK

REFERENCE

TABLE FOR MMC REQUIREMENTS

Endorsement 

category Minimum age Citizenship Medical and physical exam Experience Recommendations and character check Firefighting Professional exam Demonstration of professional ability Recency of service First aid and CPR 

Master, 

Mates.

§ 11.201(e) ...............Note: exceptions. .....

U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) 

§ 11.201(d).

§ 10.302(a) ............... part 11—subpart D .. N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

§ 11.201(h) ............... § 11.201(j); § 11.903; 

§ 11.910.

Note: § 11.903(b) .....

N/A ........................... original 

§ 11.201(c)(2).

renewal § 10.227(e)

§ 11.201(i) Note: exceptions. 

Operator of 

Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV).

§ 11.201(e) ...............Note: exceptions 

here and in § 11.201(l).

§ 10.221(a)(1) ...........§ 11.201(d). ..............

§ 10.302(a) ............... § 11.467(c); (d); (e); 

(f); (g).

N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

N/A ........................... §§ 11.201(j); 11.903; 

§ 11.910.

N/A ........................... original 

§ 11.201(c)(2).

renewal § 10.227(e)

§ 11.201(i): Note exceptions. 

STCW deck 

officer endorsements.

§ 11.201(e) ...............Note: exceptions. .....

U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) ..§ 11.201(d). ..............

§ 10.302(a) ............... part 11—subpart C .. N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

§ 11.303 ....................Renewal: § 11.303(b) 

and (c).

N/A ........................... Master § 11.305; 

.311; .315; .317.

Chief Mate § 11.307; 

.313.

OICNW § 11.309; 

11.319; 11.321.

original § 11.201 

(c)(2).

renewal § 10.227(e)

§ 11.201(i). 

Officer on a 

passenger ship when on an international voyage.

N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 11.1105(a)(1); (2) .. § 11.1105(c) ............. N/A. 

Engineers 

(original).

§ 11.201(e) ...............Note: exceptions. .....

U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) 

§ 11.201(d).

10.302(a) .................. part 11—subpart E ... N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

§ 11.201(h) ............... § 11.201(j); 11.903; 

§ 11.950.

Note: § 11.903(b) .....

N/A ........................... original 

§ 11.201(c)(2).

renewal § 10.227(e)

§ 11.201(i). 

STCW Engineering Officer endorsements. § 11.201(e) ............... Note: exceptions. ..... U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) § 11.201(d). § 10.302(a) ............... part 11—subpart C .. N/A: Note exceptions in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorse- ments. § 11.303 .................... Renewal: § 11.303(b) and (c). N/A ........................... Chief § 11.325; § 11.331. 2nd engineer officer; § 11.327; § 11.333. OICEW/DDE 

§ 11.329.

original § 11.201 

(c)(2).

renewal § 10.227(e)

§ 11.201(i). 

National Designated 

Duty Engineer (DDE).

§ 11.201(e) ...............Note: exceptions. .....

U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) ..§ 11.201(d). ..............

§ 10.302(a) ............... 11.524(b) .................. N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

§ 11.201(h)(1)(iv) ...... § 11.903 .................... N/A ........................... original 

§ 11.201(c)(2).

renewal § 10.227(e)

§ 11.201(i). 

Electro-technical Officer. § 11.201(e) ............... Note: exceptions. ..... U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) .. § 11.201(d). .............. § 10.302(a) ............... § 11.335(a)(1) ........... note exception in § 11.335(b) & 

§ 11.33 5(c).

N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

§ 11.335(a)(3)(ii) ....... N/A ........................... § 11.335(a)(2), (3) ....

note exception in 

§ 11.335(b) & (c).

.................................. § 11.335(a)(3)(i). 

Pilot ............. § 11.201(e) ...............

Note: exceptions. .....

U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) 

§ 11.201(d).

§ 10.302(a); § 11.709 § 11.703; § 11.705 .... N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

N/A ........................... § 11.707; § 11.903; 

§ 11.910.

§ 11.705 .................... § 11.705(e), § 11.713 § 11.201(i). 

Towing Vessels. § 11.201(e) ............... Note: exceptions. ..... U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) § 11.201(d). § 10.302(a) ............... part 11—subpart D .. N/A: Note exceptions in § 11.201(g) for 

original national or STCW endorsements.

§ 11.201(h)(1)(ii) .......§ 11.201(h)(2)(ii) .......Note: exceptions ......

§ 11.201(j); § 11.903; 

§ 11.910.

§ 11.464; § 11.465 .... original 

§ 11.201(c)(2).

renewal § 10.227(e)

§ 11.201(i). 

Offshore 

Supply Vessels (OSV).

§ 11.201(e) ...............Note: exceptions. .....

U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) 

§ 11.201(d).

§ 10.302(a) ............... Master § 11.493 .......

Chief Mate § 11.495Mate § 11.497 ..........C/E § 11.553 ............Engineer § 11.555 ....

N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

§ 11.201(h) ............... § 11.201(j); ...............

Master § 11.493 .......Chief Mate § 11.495Mate § 11.497 ..........C/E § 11.553; 

§ 11.903.

Eng § 11.555; 

§ 11.903.

Master § 11.493 .......Chief Mate § 11.495Mate § 11.497 ..........C/E § 11.553 ............Engineer ...................§ 11.555 ....................

original 

§ 11.201(c)(2).

renewal § 10.227(e). 

§ 11.201(i). 

MODU licenses. § 11.201(e) ............... Note: exceptions. ..... U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) .. § 11.201(d). .............. § 10.302(a) ............... OIM: § 11.470 ........... B.S.: § 11.472 ...........

BCO: § 11.474 ..........ChEng: § 11.542 ......Asst. Eng: § 11.544 ..

N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

§ 11.201(h): ..............note exceptions ........

§ 11.201(j); § 11.903; 

§ 11.920.

N/A ........................... original 

§ 11.201(c)(2).

renewal § 10.227(e). 

§ 11.201(i). 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 93065 

Uninspected 

Fishing Industry Vessels.

§ 11.201(e) ...............Note: exceptions ......

U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) ..§ 11.201(d) ...............

§ 10.302(a) ............... Deck: § 11.462(c); 

(d);.

Engine: § 11.530(c); 

(d); (e).

N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

§ 11.201(h) ...............Note: exceptions ......

§ 11.201(j); § 11.903; 

§ 11.910.

N/A ........................... original 

§ 11.201(c)(2).

renewal § 10.227(e). 

§ 11.201(i). 

Radio Officer § 11.201(e) ...............

Note: exceptions ......

U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) ..§ 11.201(d) ...............

§ 10.302(a) ............... N/A ........................... N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 11.603 .................... N/A ........................... § 11.201(i). 

GMDSS Operator. N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... 11.604 ...................... N/A ........................... N/A. Officer raises 

of grade.

§ 11.201(e) ...............Note: exceptions ......

U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) ..§ 11.201(d) ...............

§ 10.302(a) ............... § 10.231(c); part 11, 

subparts D and E.

N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 10.231(d); § 11.903; 

§ 11.910; § 11.920; § 11.950.

part 11, subparts D 

and E.

3 months in past 3 

years, § 11.201 (c)(2).

N/A. 

Officer renewals. § 11.201(e) ............... Note: exceptions ...... U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) .. § 11.201(d) ............... § 10.302(a) ............... § 10.227(d) and (e) .. Note: exceptions ...... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... Towing officers, § 10.227(d) and (e). 1 year in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative. ......

N/A. 

Staff officer .. § 11.201(e) ...............

Note: exceptions ......

U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) ..§ 11.201(d). ..............

§ 10.302(a) ............... § 11.807 .................... N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 11.807 .................... N/A ........................... § 11.201(i). 

Staff officer 

renewals.

§ 11.201(e) ...............Note: exceptions ......

U.S., § 10.221(a)(1) ..§ 11.201(d). ..............

§ 10.302(a) ............... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A. 

Able Seafarer. § 12.401(c)(1) ........... U.S. or alien admit- ted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(2).

§ 10.302(a), 

§ 12.401(c)(2).

§ 12.403 .................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.401(c)(5) ........... § 12.401(c)(6) 

§ 12.405.

Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......

N/A. 

Able Seafarer-Deck. § 12.603(a)(1) ........... U.S. or alien admit- ted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(2).

§ 10.302(a) ............... § 12.603(a)(3) ........... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.603(a)(2) 

§ 12.603(a)(4) § 12.603(a)(5).

Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......

§ 12.602(a). 

Ratings 

Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (RFPNW).

§ 12.605(a)(1) ........... U.S. or alien admitted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(2).

§ 10.302(a) ............... § 12.605(a)(2) ........... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.605(a)(3) ........... Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......

§ 12.602(a). 

Qualified 

Members of Engine Department (QMED).

§ 12.501(c)(1) ........... U.S. or alien admitted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(2).

§ 10.302(a) ............... § 12.503 .................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.505 .................... N/A ........................... Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......

N/A. 

Able Seafarer-Engine. § 12.607(a)(1) ........... U.S. or alien admit- ted for permanent residence, 

§ 10.221(a)(2).

§ 10.302(a) ............... § 12.607(a)(3) ........... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.607(a)(2); (4) 

§ 12.607(b); (c).

Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......

§ 12.602(a). 

Ratings 

Forming Part of an Engineering Watch (RFPEW).

§ 12.609(a)(1) ........... U.S. or alien admitted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(2).

§ 10.302(a) ............... § 12.609(a)(2) ........... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.609(a)(3) ........... Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......

§ 12.602(a). 

Electro-technical Rating. § 12.611(a)(1) ........... U.S. or alien admit- ted for permanent residence, 

§ 10.221(a)(2).

§ 10.302(a) ............... § 12.611(a)(2) ........... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.611(a)(3); 

§ 12.611(b).

Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......

§ 12.602(a). 

Entry level 

ratings.

N/A ........................... U.S. or alien admitted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(2).

§ 12.803; § 12.809 ....

N/A; note exception 

in § 12.811(a)(2).

Note: Food Handler 

(F.H.) requirements in table § 10.302(a).

(xiii) § 10.302(a) (xiv) 

N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A. 

Lifeboat Operator. N/A ........................... U.S. or alien admit- ted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(2).

§ 10.302(a) ............... § 12.407(b)(1) ........... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.407(b)(2); (4) .... § 12.407(b)(2); (3) .... Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......

N/A. 

Lifeboat Operator-Limited. N/A ........................... U.S. or alien admit- ted for permanent residence, 

§ 10.221(a)(2).

§ 10.302(a) ............... § 12.409(b)(1) ........... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.409(b)(2); (4) .... § 12.409(b)(2); (3) .... Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......

N/A. 


khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with RULES2
93066 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 1 TO § 10.239—QUICK

REFERENCE

TABLE FOR MMC REQUIREMENTS—Continued 

Endorsement 

category Minimum age Citizenship Medical and physical exam Experience Recommendations and character check Firefighting Professional exam Demonstration of professional ability Recency of service First aid and CPR 

Proficiency in 

Fast Rescue Boats.

§ 12.617(a)(1) ........... U.S. or alien admitted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(2).

N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.617(a)(2); (3); 

(4).

Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......Renewal 

§ 12.617(b)(2).

§ 12.602(a). 

Proficiency in 

Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue Boats.

§ 12.613(a)(1) ........... U.S. or alien admitted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(2).

N/A ........................... § 12.613(a)(2) ........... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.613(a)(3) ........... Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......Renewal: 

§ 12.613(b)(2).

§ 12.602(a). 

Proficiency in 

Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats-Limited.

§ 12.615(a)(1) ........... U.S. or alien admitted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(2).

N/A ........................... § 12.615(a)(2) ........... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.615(a)(3) ........... Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative. ......Renewal: 

§ 12.615(b)(2).

§ 12.602(a). 

Assistance 

Towing endorsement.

N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 11.482 .................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 11.482 .................... § 11.482 .................... original 

§ 11.201(c)(2).

N/A. 

Radar Observer endorsement. N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 11.480(d); (h) ......... N/A ........................... N/A. Vessel Security Officer 

(VSO).

§ 11.337(a) ............... U.S. or alien admitted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(1) § 10.221(a)(2).

§ 10.302(a) ............... § 11.337(a) ............... N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 11.337(a) ............... original 

§ 11.201(c)(2).

renewal § 10.227(e). 

§ 11.201(i). 

High Speed 

Craft.

N/A ........................... U.S. § 10.221(a)(1) ... N/A ........................... § 11.821(b)(1) 

§ 11.821(c).

N/A: Note exceptions 

in § 11.201(g) for original national or STCW endorsements.

N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 11.821(b)(2) ........... Renewal: § 11.821(e) N/A. 

GMDSS atSea Maintainer. § 12.623(a) ............... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.623(b) ............... N/A ........................... N/A. Medical Firstaid Provider. N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.619(b) ............... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.619(a)(1); (2) .... N/A ........................... § 12.619(a)(1). Person in 

Charge of Medical Care.

N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.621(b) ............... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.621(a)(1); (2) .... N/A ........................... § 12.621(a)(1). 

Vessel Personnel with 

Designated Security Duties.

§ 12.625(a)(1) ........... U.S. or alien admitted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(2).

§ 12.803 ....................

§ 12.625(a)(2) ........... § 12.625(a)(1) ........... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.625(a)(1) ........... Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......

N/A. 

Security 

Awareness.

§ 12.627(a)(1) ........... U.S. or alien admitted for permanent 

residence, § 10.221(a)(2).

§ 12.803 ....................

§ 12.627(a)(2) ........... § 12.627(a)(1) ........... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.627(a)(1) ........... Renewal only, 1 year 

in past 5, § 10.227(e) and (f).

Note: alternative .......

N/A. 

Ratings serving on passenger 

ships on international voyages.

N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... N/A ........................... § 12.905(a); (b) ......... Renewal § 12.905(d) N/A. 


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■ 19. Revise § 10.302 paragraph (b) and 

table 1 to § 10.302(a) to read as follows: 

§ 10.302 Medical and physical 

requirements. 

* * * * * 

(b) Any required test, exam, or 

demonstration must have been 

performed, witnessed, or reviewed by a 

Licensed Medical Doctor, Licensed 

Physician Assistant, Licensed Nurse 

Practitioner, or a Designated Medical 

Examiner. All licensed medical 

practitioners must hold a valid license 

issued in the United States. 

TABLE 1 TO § 10.302(a)—MEDICAL AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MARINER ENDORSEMENTS

1 2 3 4 5 

Credential Vision test Hearing test General 

medical exam 

Demonstration 

of physical 

ability 

(1) Deck officer, including Pilot ........................................................................ § 10.305(a) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(2) Engineering officer ..................................................................................... § 10.305(b) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(3) Radio Officer .............................................................................................. § 10.305(b) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(4) OIM, BS, or BCO ....................................................................................... § 10.305(b) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(5) Able Seafarer ............................................................................................. § 10.305(a) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(6) QMED ......................................................................................................... § 10.305(b) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(7) Able Seafarer-Deck .................................................................................... § 10.305(a) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(8) RFPNW ...................................................................................................... § 10.305(a) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(9) Able Seafarer-Engine ................................................................................. § 10.305(b) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(10) RFPEW .................................................................................................... § 10.305(b) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(11) ETR .......................................................................................................... § 10.305(b) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(12) Tank vessel endorsement ........................................................................ § 10.305(b) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(13) Lifeboat Operator and PSC ..................................................................... § 10.305(b) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(14) Lifeboat Operator-Limited and PSC-Limited ............................................ § 10.305(b) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(15) Fast Rescue Boat .................................................................................... § 10.305(b) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

(16) Food Handler serving on vessels to which STCW does not apply ......... ........................ ........................ § 10.304(b) ........................

(17) Food Handler serving on vessels to which STCW applies ..................... ........................ ........................ § 10.304(b) § 10.304(c) 

(18) Ratings, including entry level, serving on vessels to which STCW applies, other than those listed above ............................................................. ........................ ........................ ........................ § 10.304(c) 

(19) Ratings, including entry level, serving on vessels to which STCW does 

not apply, other than those listed above ..................................................... ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................

(20) VSO .......................................................................................................... § 10.305(a) § 10.306 § 10.304(a) § 10.304(c) 

§ 10.304 [Amended] 

■ 20. Amend § 10.304 in paragraph (b) 

by removing the word ‘‘handlers’’ and, 

in its place, adding the word 

‘‘Handlers.’’ 

■ 21. Amend § 10.305 by revising the 

heading to paragraph (b) and paragraphs 

(c) through (e) to read as follows: 

§ 10.305 Vision requirements. 

* * * * * 

(b) Engineering, Radio Officer, tank 

vessel endorsement, and MODU 

standard. 

* * * * * 

(c) Vision waiver. Any applicant 

whose uncorrected vision does not meet 

the 20/200 standard and is correctable 

to listed standards above may be granted 

a medical waiver in accordance with 

§ 10.303. If a vision waiver is granted, a 

limitation will be placed on the medical 

certificate indicating the mariner may 

not serve under the authority of the 

endorsement unless corrective lenses 

are worn and spare lenses are carried 

onboard a vessel. Waivers are not 

normally granted to an applicant whose 

corrected vision in the better eye is not 

at least 20/40 for deck officers or 20/50 

for engineer officers. 

(d) Vision operational limitation. If 

corrective lenses are required in order to 

meet the vision standards above, a 

mariner may not serve under the 

authority of the endorsement unless 

corrective lenses are worn and spare 

lenses are carried onboard a vessel. This 

operational limitation will be placed on 

their medical certificate. 

(e) Loss of vision. A mariner having 

lost vision in one eye must wait 6 

months from the date of the vision loss 

before submitting any application, and 

must provide a statement of 

demonstrated ability on their medical 

examination. 

■ 22. Revise § 10.403 to read as follows: 

§ 10.403 General Standards. 

(a) Each school with an approved 

course must— 

(1) Have a well-maintained facility 

that accommodates the students in a 

safe and comfortable environment 

conducive to learning; 

(2) Have the necessary equipment, 

including simulators where appropriate, 

sufficient for the number of students to 

be accommodated, and support the 

objectives of the course; 

(3) Administer training entirely in the 

English language unless specifically 

approved to be presented in another 

language; 

(4) Administer written examinations 

to each student appropriate for the 

course material and the knowledge 

requirements of the position or 

endorsement for which the student is 

being trained. For a course approved to 

substitute for a Coast Guardadministered examination, the courses 

must be of such a degree of difficulty 

that a student who successfully 

completes them would most likely pass, 

on the first attempt, an examination 

prepared by the Coast Guard; 

(5) Require each student to 

successfully demonstrate practical skills 

appropriate for the course material and 

equal to the level of endorsement for 

which the course is approved; and 

(6) Keep physical or electronic copies 

of the following records for at least 5 

years after the end of each student’s 

completion or disenrollment from a 

course or program: 

(i) A copy of each student’s 

examination scores; 

(ii) A copy of each examination or, in 

the case of a practical test, a report of 

such test; 

(iii) A record of each student’s 

classroom attendance, which includes 

their full name, Coast Guard-issued 


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Mariner Reference Number, or date of 

birth and place of birth if they do not 

have a Mariner Reference Number; 

(iv) A copy of each student’s course 

completion certificate or program 

completion certificate, as appropriate; 

(v) A summary of changes or 

modification to the last course 

submittal; 

(vi) A list of all locations at which the 

training course was presented and the 

number of times it was presented at 

each location; 

(vii) The name(s) of the instructor(s) 

who taught the course, which does not 

include lab assistants or other nonteaching assistants; 

(viii) The number of students who 

began the training; 

(ix) The number of students who 

successfully completed the training; 

(x) The number of students who were 

required to retest; 

(xi) The number of students who were 

required to retake the entire course and 

(xii) The number of students who 

were required to retake a portion of the 

course. 

(7) By November 25, 2026, for each 

student who successfully completes an 

approved course or program, in a 

manner specified by the Coast Guard, 

the school must electronically submit to 

the Coast Guard, within 5 business days 

of completion, the information listed in 

paragraphs (7)(i) through (v). By 

submitting records electronically to the 

Coast Guard, the submitter attests that 

they are accurate to the best of their 

knowledge and no false entries or 

statements were made under penalty of 

18 U.S.C. 1001. 

(i) The name of the school and Coast 

Guard-issued course provider code; 

(ii) The title of the approved course or 

program, the Coast Guard-issued course 

code, and the dates the course was held; 

(iii) The name of the Coast Guardapproved instructor who conducted the 

course; 

(iv) The name of the student as it 

appears on their MMC or valid 

government-issued identification, along 

with their Coast Guard-issued Mariner 

Reference Number or date of birth and 

place of birth if they do not have a 

Mariner Reference Number; and 

(v) The unique course certificate 

identification code associated with the 

course or program completion certificate 

issued to the student for the course. 

(8) Not significantly change its 

approved curriculum without approval 

from the NMC as specified in 

§ 10.402(e); 

(9) Conduct an internal audit midway 

through the term of the course’s 

approval and maintain the results of the 

audit for a period of not less than 5 

years. The audit will evaluate whether— 

(i) Records are being maintained 

according to these regulations; 

(ii) The course is being presented in 

accordance with the approval letter; and 

(iii) Surveys from students indicate 

that the course is meeting their needs; 

and 

(10) At any time, allow the Coast 

Guard to— 

(i) Inspect its facilities, equipment, 

and records, including scholastic 

records; 

(ii) Conduct interviews and surveys of 

students to aid in course evaluation and 

improvement; 

(iii) Assign personnel to observe or 

participate in the course of instruction; 

and 

(iv) Supervise or administer the 

required examinations or practical 

demonstrations, including the 

substitution of an applicable Coast 

Guard examination in a course 

approved to substitute for a Coast 

Guard-administered examination. 

(b) [Reserved] 

■ 23. Amend § 10.404 by revising 

paragraphs (b)(1)(iv) through (vii) and 

paragraph (c) to read as follows: 

§ 10.404 Substitution of training for 

required service, use of training-record 

books (TRBs), and use of towing officer 

assessment records (TOARs). 

* * * * * 

(b) * * * 

(1) * * * 

(iv) A place for a Qualified Instructor 

to indicate by their initials that the 

applicant has received training in the 

proper performance of the task or skill. 

(v) A place for a Qualified Assessor 

(QA) to indicate by their initials that the 

applicant has successfully completed a 

practical demonstration and has proved 

competent in the task or skill under the 

criteria, when assessment of 

competence is to be documented in the 

record books. 

(vi) The printed name of each 

Qualified Instructor, including any 

MMC endorsements held, and the 

instructor’s signature. 

(vii) The printed name of each 

Qualified Assessor, when any 

assessment of competence is recorded, 

including any MMC endorsement, 

License, or document held by the 

assessor, and the assessor’s signature 

confirming that their initials certify that 

they have witnessed the practical 

demonstration of a particular task or 

skill by the applicant. 

* * * * * 

(c) Use of towing officer assessment 

records (TOARs). Each applicant for an 

endorsement as Master or Mate (Pilot) of 

Towing Vessels, and each Master or 

Mate of self-propelled vessels of 200 

GRT or more, seeking an endorsement 

for towing vessels, must complete a 

TOAR approved by the Coast Guard that 

contains at least the following: 

(1) Identification of the applicant, 

including their full name, and reference 

number; 

(2) Objectives of the training and 

assessment; 

(3) Tasks to perform or skills to 

demonstrate; 

(4) Criteria to use in determining that 

the tasks or skills have been performed 

properly; 

(5) A means for a Designated 

Examiner (DE) to attest that the 

applicant has successfully completed a 

practical demonstration and has proved 

proficient in the task or skill under the 

criteria; and 

(6) Identification of each DE by their 

full name and reference number, job 

title, ship name and official number, 

and serial number of the MMC, License, 

or document held, and printed name 

and signature confirming that their 

initials certify that they have witnessed 

the practical demonstration of a 

particular task or skill by the applicant. 

■ 24. Amend § 10.405 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) 

introductory text, (b) introductory text, 

and (d) to read as follows: 

§ 10.405 Qualification as Qualified 

Assessor and Designated Examiner. 

(a) To become a Qualified Assessor 

(QA), an applicant must have 

documentary evidence to establish— 

* * * * * 

(b) To become a Designated Examiner 

(DE) for towing officer assessment 

records (TOARs), an applicant must 

have documentary evidence to 

establish— 

* * * * * 

(d) In order to renew their 

qualifications, each QA and DE must 

have either experience, training, or 

evidence of instruction in effective 

assessment within the past 5 years. 

PART 11—REQUIREMENTS FOR 

OFFICER ENDORSEMENTS 

■ 25. The authority citation for part 11 

is revised to read as follows: 

Authority: 14 U.S.C. 503; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 

46 U.S.C. 2101, 2103, and 2110; 46 U.S.C. 

chapter 71; 46 U.S.C. 7502, 7505, 7701, 8903, 

8904, and 70105; Executive Order 10173; 

DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 

01.4. Section 11.107 is also issued under the 

authority of 44 U.S.C. 3507. 

PART 11—[Amended] 

■ 26. In part 11, remove the term in the 

left column wherever it appears and add 

in its place the term in the right column: 


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Remove Add 

fireman ...................... Boiler Technician. 

hospital corpsman ..... Medical Technician. 

seaman ..................... seafarer. 

■ 27. Amend § 11.101 by revising 

paragraphs (a) and (b) to read as follows: 

§ 11.101 Purpose of regulations. 

(a) The purpose of this part is to 

provide— 

(1) A means of determining the 

qualifications an applicant must possess 

to be eligible for an officer endorsement 

as a staff officer, deck officer, engineer 

officer, Pilot, or Radio Officer on 

merchant vessels, or for an endorsement 

to operate uninspected passenger 

vessels; and 

(2) A means of determining that an 

applicant is competent to serve as a 

Master, Chief Mate, Officer in Charge of 

a Navigational Watch, Chief Engineer 

Officer, Second Engineer Officer (First 

Assistant Engineer), Officer in Charge of 

an Engineering Watch, Designated Duty 

Engineer, or Global Maritime Distress 

and Safety System (GMDSS) Radio 

Operator, in accordance with the 

provisions of the International 

Convention on Standards of Training, 

Certification and Watchkeeping for 

Seafarers, 1978, as amended (the STCW 

Convention or STCW), and other laws, 

and to receive the appropriate 

endorsement as required by STCW. 

(b) With few exceptions, these 

regulations do not specify or restrict 

officer endorsements to particular types 

of service such as tankships, freight 

vessels, or passenger vessels. However, 

each officer credentialed under this part 

must become familiar with the relevant 

characteristics of a vessel prior to 

assuming their duties as required in the 

provisions of § 15.405 of this 

subchapter. 

* * * * * 

■ 28. Amend § 11.102 by revising 

paragraph (a) and the introductory text 

of paragraph (b) to read as follows: 

§ 11.102 Incorporation by reference. 

(a) Certain material is incorporated by 

reference into this part with the 

approval of the Director of the Federal 

Register under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 

CFR part 51. All approved incorporation 

by reference material (IBR) is available 

for inspection at the Coast Guard and 

the National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). Contact Coast 

Guard at: Office of Merchant Mariner 

Credentialing (CG–MMC), U.S. Coast 

Guard, Stop 7509, 2703 Martin Luther 

King Jr. Avenue SE, Washington, DC 

20593–7509; phone: 202–372–1492; 

website: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/ 

merchant_mariner_credential/. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at NARA, visit 

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@

nara.gov. The material may be obtained 

from: 

(b) International Maritime 

Organization (IMO), 4 Albert 

Embankment, London SE1 7SR, 

England; phone: +44 (0)20 7735 7611; 

website: www.imo.org. 

* * * * * 

■ 29. Amend § 11.201 by revising 

paragraphs (a), (e), (g), (h)(2) through (4), 

(i)(1) introductory text, (j)(3), and (k) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.201 General requirements for national 

and STCW officer endorsements. 

(a) General. In addition to the 

requirements of part 10 of this 

subchapter, the applicant for an officer 

endorsement, whether original, renewal, 

duplicate, or raise of grade, must 

establish to the satisfaction of the Coast 

Guard that they possess all the 

qualifications necessary (including but 

not limited to age, experience, character, 

physical health, citizenship, approved 

training, professional competence, and a 

test for dangerous drugs) before the 

Coast Guard will issue the applicant a 

Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC). 

An applicant for any STCW 

endorsement must hold the appropriate 

national endorsement unless otherwise 

specified. 

* * * * * 

(e) Age. Except as specified in this 

paragraph, no officer endorsement may 

be issued to a person who has not 

attained the age of 21 years. The 

required evidence of age may be 

established using any of the items 

submitted to establish citizenship set 

out in 49 CFR 1572.17. 

(1) An endorsement may be granted to 

an applicant who has reached the age of 

19 years as— 

(i) Master of near-coastal, Great Lakes 

and inland, or river vessels of 25–200 

GRT; 

(ii) Third Mate; 

(iii) Third Assistant Engineer; 

(iv) Mate of vessels of between 200 

GRT and 1,600 GRT; 

(v) Ballast Control Operator (BCO); 

(vi) Assistant Engineer-MODU; 

(vii) Assistant Engineer of Fishing 

Industry Vessels; 

(viii) Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels; 

(ix) Radio Officer; 

(x) Assistant Engineer-Limited; or 

(xi) Designated Duty Engineer of 

vessels of less than 4,000 HP/3,000 kW. 

(2) An endorsement may be granted to 

an applicant who has reached the age of 

18 years as— 

(i) Limited Master of near-coastal 

vessels of less than 100 GRT; 

(ii) Limited Master of Great Lakes and 

inland vessels of less than 100 GRT; 

(iii) Mate of Great Lakes and inland 

vessels of 25–200 GRT; 

(iv) Mate of near-coastal vessels of 25– 

200 GRT; 

(v) Operator of Uninspected Passenger 

Vessels (OUPV); 

(vi) Designated Duty Engineer (DDE) 

of vessels of less than 1,000 HP/750 kW; 

(vii) Apprentice Mate of Towing 

Vessels; 

(viii) Officer in Charge of a 

Navigational Watch (OICNW); 

(ix) Officer in Charge of an 

Engineering Watch (OICEW); or 

(x) Electro-technical Officer (ETO). 

* * * * * 

(g) Character check. (1) An individual 

may apply for an original officer 

endorsement, or officer or STCW 

endorsement of a different type, while 

on probation as a result of 

administrative action under part 5 of 

this chapter. The offense for which the 

applicant was placed on probation will 

be considered in determining their 

fitness to hold the endorsement applied 

for. An officer or STCW endorsement 

issued to an applicant on probation will 

be subject to the same probationary 

conditions as were imposed against the 

applicant’s other credential. An 

applicant may not take an examination 

for an officer or STCW endorsement 

during any period of time when a 

suspension without probation or a 

revocation is effective against the 

applicant’s currently held License, 

Merchant Mariner Document (MMD), or 

MMC, or while an appeal from these 

actions is pending. 

(2) If information about the 

applicant’s habits of life and character is 

brought to the attention of the Coast 

Guard after an original License, 

Certificate of Registry, or officer 

endorsement has been issued, and if 

such information reasonably supports 

the conclusion that the applicant cannot 

be entrusted with the duties and 

responsibilities of the License, 

Certificate of Registry, or officer 

endorsement issued, or indicates that 

the application for the License, 

Certificate of Registry, or officer 

endorsement was false or incomplete, 

the Coast Guard may notify the holder 

in writing that the License, Certificate of 

Registry, or officer endorsement is 

considered null and void, direct the 

holder to return the credential to the 

Coast Guard, and advise the holder that, 

upon return of the credential, the appeal 

procedures of § 10.237 of this 

subchapter apply. 


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(h) * * * 

(2) The following categories must 

meet the requirements for Basic and 

Advanced Firefighting in Regulations 

VI/1 and VI/3 of the STCW Convention 

and Tables A–VI/1–2 and A–VI/3 of the 

STCW Code (both incorporated by 

reference, see § 11.102): 

(i) National officer endorsements as 

Master or Mate on seagoing vessels of 

200 GRT or more; 

(ii) All national officer endorsements 

for Master or Mate (Pilot) of Towing 

Vessels, except Apprentice Mate of 

Towing Vessels, on oceans; 

(iii) All national officer endorsements 

for MODUs; 

(iv) All national officer endorsements 

for engineers; 

(v) All national officer endorsements 

for OSVs; and 

(vi) All STCW officer endorsements 

except GMDSS Radio Operator. 

(3) The following categories must 

meet the requirements for basic 

firefighting in Regulation VI/1 of the 

STCW Convention and Table A–VI/1–2 

of the STCW Code: 

(i) Officer endorsement as Master on 

vessels of less than 500 GT in ocean 

service; and 

(ii) All officer endorsements for 

Master or Mate (Pilot) of Towing 

Vessels, except Apprentice Mate of 

Towing Vessels, in all services except 

oceans. 

(4) Applicants for a raise of grade of 

an officer endorsement who have not 

previously met the requirements of 

paragraph (h) of this section must do so. 

(i) * * * 

(1) Evidence of continued competency 

in STCW Basic Training in accordance 

with § 11.302 or a certificate indicating 

completion not more than 1 year from 

the date of application of— 

* * * * * 

(j) * * * 

(3) An examination is not required for 

a staff officer or Radio Officer 

endorsement. 

(k) Radar Observer. Applicants for an 

endorsement as Radar Observer must 

present a certificate of completion from 

a Radar Observer course as required by 

§ 11.480. 

* * * * * 

■ 30. Amend § 11.211 by revising 

paragraphs (c)(1), (e), and (f) to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.211 Creditable service and 

equivalents for national and STCW officer 

endorsements. 

* * * * * 

(c) * * * 

(1) MODU service is creditable for 

raise of grade of an officer endorsement. 

Evidence of 1 year of service on MODUs 

as Mate or equivalent while holding an 

officer endorsement or license as Third 

Mate, or as Engineering Officer of the 

Watch or equivalent while holding an 

officer endorsement or license as Third 

Assistant Engineer, is acceptable for a 

raise of grade to Second Mate or Second 

Assistant Engineer, respectively. 

However, any subsequent raises of grade 

of unlimited, non-restricted officer 

licenses or endorsements must include 

a minimum of 6 months of service on 

conventional vessels. 

* * * * * 

(e) Service on towing vessels. Service 

as Master or Mate (Pilot) of Towing 

Vessels, when the aggregate tonnage of 

the tug and barges is 1,600 GRT/3,000 

GT or more, is creditable, using the 

aggregate tonnage, on a two-for-one 

basis (2 days experience equals 1 day of 

creditable service) for up to 50 percent 

of the total service on vessels of 1,600 

GRT/3,000 GT or more required for an 

unlimited officer endorsement. The 

remaining required service on vessels of 

more than 1,600 GRT/3,000 GT must be 

obtained on conventional vessels. This 

service must be documented as 

specified in § 10.232(a) of this 

subchapter. 

(f) Cadet experience. Individuals 

obtaining sea service as part of an 

approved training curriculum pursuant 

to either § 11.407(a)(2) or § 11.516(a)(3) 

must do so in the capacity of CadetDeck or Cadet-Engine, as appropriate, 

notwithstanding any other rating 

endorsements the individual may hold 

or any other capacity in which the 

individual may have served. 

* * * * * 

■ 31. Amend § 11.301 by revising 

paragraph (a)(1)(i), paragraph (d) 

introductory text, and paragraphs (g)(1) 

and (2) to read as follows: 

§ 11.301 Requirements for STCW officer 

endorsements. 

(a) * * * 

(1) * * * 

(i) In-service experience: 

Documentation of successful 

completion of assessments, approved or 

accepted by the Coast Guard, and signed 

by a Qualified Assessor (QA)—deck or 

engineering—as appropriate. 

* * * * * 

(d) Management-level endorsement. 

Applicants holding national officer 

endorsements as Master, Chief Mate, 

Chief Engineer, or First Assistant 

Engineer, and who seek to add an STCW 

endorsement at the management level, 

must provide evidence of meeting the 

STCW requirements found in this 

subpart, including— 

* * * * * 

(g) * * * 

(1) Masters, Mates, or engineers 

endorsed for service on small passenger 

vessels that are subject to subchapter T 

or K of this chapter and that operate 

beyond the boundary line. 

(2) Masters, Mates, or engineers 

endorsed for service on seagoing vessels 

of less than 200 GRT, other than 

passenger vessels subject to subchapter 

H of this chapter. 

* * * * * 

§ 11.302 [Amended] 

■ 32. Amend § 11.302 by: 

■ a. In the section heading, by removing 

the word ‘‘training’’ and adding in its 

place the word ‘‘Training’’; and 

■ b. In paragraph (a) introductory text, 

by removing the words ‘‘basic training’’, 

and adding in their place the words 

‘‘Basic Training’’. 

■ 33. Amend § 11.304 by revising 

paragraphs (a)(2), (3), and (5) to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.304 STCW deck officer endorsements. 

(a) * * * 

(2) Chief Mate on vessels of 3,000 GT 

or more (management level). 

(3) Officer in Charge of a Navigational 

Watch (OICNW) of vessels of 500 GT or 

more (operational level). 

* * * * * 

(5) Chief Mate of vessels of 500 GT or 

more and less than 3,000 GT 

(management level). 

* * * * * 

■ 34. Amend § 11.305 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) 

introductory text and (a)(1), paragraph 

(b) introductory text, and paragraphs (d) 

and (e) to read as follows: 

§ 11.305 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Master of vessels of 

3,000 GT or more (management level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Master, an applicant 

must— 

(1) Provide evidence of 36 months of 

service as OICNW on vessels operating 

in oceans, near-coastal waters, and/or 

Great Lakes. This period may be 

reduced to not less than 24 months if 

the applicant served as Chief Mate for 

not less than 12 months. Service on 

inland waters that are navigable waters 

of the United States may be substituted 

for up to 50 percent of the total required 

service. Experience gained in the engine 

department on vessels may be creditable 

for up to 3 months of the service 

requirements; 

* * * * * 


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(b) For a renewal of an STCW 

endorsement as Master of vessels of 

3,000 GT or more to be valid on or after 

January 1, 2017, each candidate must 

provide evidence of successful 

completion of approved training in the 

following: 

* * * * * 

(d) Seafarers holding an STCW 

endorsement as Master of vessels of 500 

GT or more and less than 3,000 GT, in 

accordance with § 11.311, are eligible to 

apply for the endorsement as Master of 

vessels of 3,000 GT or more upon 

completion of 6 months of sea service, 

under the authority of the endorsement, 

and must complete any items in 

paragraphs (a)(2) and (a)(3) of this 

section not previously satisfied. 

(e) Seafarers with one of the following 

national officer endorsements are 

eligible to apply for this endorsement 

upon completion of the requirements in 

table 1 to this paragraph: 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.305(e)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS MASTER OF VESSELS OF 3,000 GT OR MORE

Entry path from national 

endorsements 

Sea service under authority of 

the 

endorsement 1

Competence—STCW 

Table A–II/2 2

Training 

required by this section 3

Master ocean or near-coastal, unlimited tonnage .... None ....................................... Yes ......................................... Yes. 

Master OSV .............................................................. None ....................................... Yes ......................................... Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(2) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

■ 35. Amend § 11.307 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) 

introductory text, (b) introductory text, 

and (d), and table 1 to § 11.307(e) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.307 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Chief Mate of 

vessels of 3,000 GT or more (management 

level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Chief Mate, an 

applicant must— 

* * * * * 

(b) For a renewal of an STCW 

endorsement as Chief Mate of vessels of 

3,000 GT or more to be valid on or after 

January 1, 2017, each candidate must 

provide evidence of successful 

completion of approved training in the 

following: 

* * * * * 

(d) Seafarers holding an STCW 

endorsement as Chief Mate of vessels of 

500 GT or more and less than 3,000 GT, 

in accordance with § 11.313, are eligible 

to apply for the endorsement as Chief 

Mate of vessels of 3,000 GT or more 

upon completion of 6 months of sea 

service, under the authority of the 

endorsement, and must complete any 

items in paragraphs (a)(2) and (3) of this 

section not previously satisfied. 

(e) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.307(e)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS CHIEF MATE OF VESSELS OF 3,000 GT OR MORE

Entry path from national endorsements 

Sea service under 

authority of the 

endorsement 1

Competence—STCW 

Table A–II/2 2

Training 

required by 

this 

section 3

Chief Mate ocean or near-coastal, unlimited tonnage ........................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Master ocean or near-coastal, less than 500 GRT ............................... 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Chief Mate OSV ..................................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Master of Towing Vessels ocean or near-coastal ................................. 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(2) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

■ 36. Amend § 11.309 by revising the 

section heading, paragraph (a), and table 

1 to § 11.309(e) to read as follows: 

§ 11.309 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Officer in Charge of 

a Navigational Watch of vessels of 500 GT 

or more (operational level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Officer in Charge of a 

Navigational Watch (OICNW), an 

applicant must— 

(1) Provide evidence of seagoing 

service as follows: 

(i) Thirty-six months of seagoing 

service in the deck department on 

vessels operating in oceans, near-coastal 

waters, and/or Great Lakes. Service on 

inland waters, bays, or sounds that are 

navigable waters of the United States 

may be substituted for up to 50 percent 

of the total required service; or 

(ii) Twelve months of seagoing service 

as part of an approved training program, 

which includes onboard training that 

meets the requirements of Section A–II/ 

1 of the STCW Code (incorporated by 

reference, see § 11.102); 

(2) Provide evidence of having 

performed, during the required seagoing 

service, bridge watchkeeping duties 

under the supervision of an officer 

holding the STCW endorsement as 

Master, Chief Mate, Second Mate, or 

OICNW, for a period of not less than 6 

months; 

(3) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standard of competence specified in 

Section A–II/1 of the STCW Code; and 

(4) Provide evidence of having 

satisfactorily completed approved 

training in the following subject areas: 

(i) Medical First-aid Provider. 

(ii) Radar Observer. 

(iii) Search and rescue. 

(iv) Basic and Advanced Firefighting 

in accordance with § 11.303. 

(v) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue 

Boats (PSC) or Proficiency in Survival 

Craft and Rescue Boats other than 

Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats (PSCLimited). 

(vi) Visual signaling. 


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93072 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

(vii) Bridge resource management 

(BRM). 

(viii) Terrestrial and celestial 

navigation, and electronic navigation 

systems. 

(ix) Watchkeeping, including 

International Regulations for Preventing 

Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) and IMO 

standard marine communication 

phrases (SMCP). 

(x) Cargo handling and stowage. 

(xi) Ship handling. 

(xii) Stability and ship construction. 

(xiii) Meteorology. 

(xiv) ARPA, if serving on a vessel 

with this equipment. 

(xv) GMDSS, if serving on a vessel 

with this equipment. 

(xvi) ECDIS, if serving on a vessel 

with this equipment. 

* * * * * 

(e) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.309(e)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS OICNW OF VESSELS OF 500 GT OR MORE

Entry path from national endorsements Sea service under authority 

of the endorsement 1

Competence— 

STCW Table A–II/1 2

Training 

required by 

this 

section 3

Mate ocean or near-coastal, unlimited tonnage ..................................... None ................................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Master ocean or near-coastal, less than 500 GRT ................................ 6 months ............................. Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Mate ocean or near-coastal, less than 1,600 GRT ................................ None ................................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Mate ocean or near-coastal, less than 500 GRT ................................... 12 months ........................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Mate OSV ............................................................................................... 12 months1 ......................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Mate of Towing Vessels ocean or near-coastal ..................................... 6 months ............................. Yes ...................................... Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(4) of this section not previously satisfied. 

■ 37. Amend § 11.311 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) 

introductory text, (a)(1), and (b) 

introductory text, and table 1 to 

§ 11.311(d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.311 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Master of vessels of 

500 GT or more and less than 3,000 GT 

(management level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Master, an applicant 

must— 

(1) Provide evidence of 36 months of 

service as OICNW on vessels operating 

in oceans, near-coastal waters, and/or 

Great Lakes. However, this period may 

be reduced to not less than 24 months 

if the applicant served as Chief Mate for 

not less than 12 months. Service on 

inland waters, bays, or sounds that are 

navigable waters of the United States 

may be substituted for up to 50 percent 

of the total required service. Experience 

gained in the engine department on 

vessels may be creditable for up to 3 

months of the service requirements; 

* * * * * 

(b) For a renewal of an STCW 

endorsement as Master of vessels of 500 

GT or more and less than 3,000 GT to 

be valid on or after January 1, 2017, 

each candidate must provide evidence 

of successful completion of approved 

training in the following: 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.311(d)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS MASTER OF VESSELS OF 500 GT OR MORE AND LESS THAN 3,000 

GT 

Entry path from national endorsements Sea service under authority 

of the endorsement 1

Competence—STCW Table 

A–II/2 2

Training 

required by 

this 

section 3

Master oceans or near-coastal, less than 1,600 GRT .......................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Master OSV ........................................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Master oceans or near-coastal, less than 500 GRT ............................. 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Master of Towing Vessels oceans or near-coastal ............................... 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(2) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

■ 38. Amend § 11.313 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) 

introductory text and (b) introductory 

text, and table 1 to § 11.313(d) to read 

as follows: 

§ 11.313 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Chief Mate of 

vessels of 500 GT or more and less than 

3,000 GT (management level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Chief Mate, an 

applicant must— 

* * * * * 

(b) For a renewal of an STCW 

endorsement as Chief Mate of vessels of 

500 GT or more and less than 3,000 GT 

to be valid on or after January 1, 2017, 

each candidate must provide evidence 

of successful completion of approved 

training in the following: 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 


khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with RULES2
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 93073 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.313(d)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS CHIEF MATE OF VESSELS OF 500 GT OR MORE AND LESS THAN

3,000 GT 

Entry path from national endorsements Sea service under authority 

of the endorsement 1

Competence—STCW Table 

A–II/2 2

Training 

required by 

this 

section 3

Chief Mate OSV ..................................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Master oceans or near-coastal, less than 500 GRT ............................. 6 months ............................ Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Master of Towing Vessels oceans or near-coastal ............................... 6 months ............................ Yes ........................................ Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(2) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

■ 39. Amend § 11.315 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) 

introductory text, (a)(1), and (b) 

introductory text, and table 1 to 

§ 11.315(d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.315 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Master of vessels of 

less than 500 GT (management level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Master, an applicant 

must— 

(1) Provide evidence of 36 months of 

seagoing service as OICNW on vessels 

operating in oceans, near-coastal waters, 

and/or Great Lakes; however, this 

period may be reduced to not less than 

24 months if not less than 12 months of 

such seagoing service has been served as 

Chief Mate. Service on inland waters, 

bays, or sounds that are navigable 

waters of the United States may be 

substituted for up to 50 percent of the 

total required service. Experience 

gained in the engine department may be 

creditable for up to 3 months of the 

service requirements; 

* * * * * 

(b) For a renewal of an STCW 

endorsement as Master of vessels of less 

than 500 GT to be valid on or after 

January 1, 2017, each candidate must 

provide evidence of successful 

completion of approved training in the 

following: 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.315(d)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS MASTER OF VESSELS OF LESS THAN 500 GT 

Entry path from national endorsements Sea service under authority 

of the endorsement 1

Competence—STCW Table 

A–II/2 2

Training 

required by 

this 

section 3

Master oceans or near-coastal, less than 500 GRT ............................. None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Master of Towing Vessels oceans or near-coastal ............................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Master oceans or near-coastal, less than 200 GRT ............................. 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(2) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

■ 40. Amend § 11.317 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) and (b) 

introductory text, and table 1 to 

§ 11.317(d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.317 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Master of vessels of 

less than 500 GT limited to near-coastal 

waters (management level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Master, an applicant 

must— 

(1) Provide evidence of 12 months of 

service as OICNW, on vessels operating 

in oceans, near-coastal waters, and/or 

Great Lakes. Service on inland waters, 

bays, or sounds that are navigable 

waters of the United States may be 

substituted for up to 50 percent of the 

total required service. Experience 

gained in the engine department on 

vessels may be creditable for up to 1 

month of the service requirements; 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standard of competence specified in 

Section A–II/3 of the STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 11.102); and 

(3) Provide evidence of having 

satisfactorily completed approved 

training in the following subject areas: 

(i) Medical First-aid Provider. 

(ii) Basic and Advanced Firefighting 

in accordance with § 11.303. 

(iii) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue 

Boats (PSC) or Proficiency in Survival 

Craft and Rescue Boats other than 

Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats (PSCLimited). 

(vi) Radar Observer, if serving on a 

vessel with this equipment. 

(iv) Leadership and managerial skills. 

(v) ECDIS, if serving on a vessel with 

this equipment. 

(vi) Radar Observer, if serving on a 

vessel with this equipment. 

(vii) ARPA, if serving on a vessel with 

this equipment. 

(b) For a renewal of an STCW 

endorsement as Master of vessels of less 

than 500 GT limited to near-coastal 

waters to be valid on or after January 1, 

2017, each candidate must provide 

evidence of successful completion of 

approved training in the following: 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 


khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with RULES2
93074 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.317(d)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS MASTER OF VESSELS OF LESS THAN 500 GT LIMITED TO NEARCOASTAL WATERS

Entry path from national endorsements 

Sea service under authority 

of the 

endorsement 1

Competence—STCW 

Table A–II/3 2

Training 

required by 

this 

section 3

Mate oceans or near-coastal, less than 500 GRT ................................ None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Mate of Towing Vessels oceans or near-coastal .................................. None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Master oceans or near-coastal, less than 200 GRT ............................. 6 months ............................ Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Mate oceans or near-coastal, less than 200 GRT ................................ 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(2) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

■ 41. Amend § 11.319 by revising the 

section heading, paragraph (a), and table 

1 to § 11.317(d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.319 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Officer in Charge of 

a Navigational Watch of vessels of less than 

500 GT (operational level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Officer in Charge of a 

Navigational Watch (OICNW), an 

applicant must— 

(1) Provide evidence of seagoing 

service as follows: 

(i) Provide evidence of 36 months of 

service in the deck department on 

vessels operating in oceans, near-coastal 

waters, and/or Great Lakes. Service on 

inland waters, bays, or sounds that are 

navigable waters of the United States 

may be substituted for up to 50 percent 

of the required service. Experience 

gained in the engine department may be 

creditable for up to 3 months of the 

service requirements; or 

(ii) Provide evidence of not less than 

12 months of seagoing service as part of 

an approved training program that 

includes onboard training that meets the 

requirements of Section A–II/1 of the 

STCW Code (incorporated by reference, 

see § 11.102). 

(2) Provide evidence of having 

performed during the required seagoing 

service, bridge watchkeeping duties, 

under the supervision of an officer 

holding the STCW endorsement as 

Master, Chief Mate, or OICNW, for a 

period of not less than 6 months. The 

Coast Guard will accept service on 

vessels as Boatswain, Able Seafarer, or 

quartermaster while holding the 

appropriate deck watchkeeping rating 

endorsement, which may be accepted 

on a two-for-one basis to a maximum 

allowable substitution of 3 months (6 

months of experience equals 3 months 

of creditable service); 

(3) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standard of competence specified in 

Section A–II/1 of the STCW Code; and 

(4) Provide evidence of having 

satisfactorily completed approved 

training in the following subject areas: 

(i) Medical First-aid Provider. 

(ii) Radar Observer, if serving on a 

vessel with this equipment. 

(iii) Watchkeeping, including 

COLREGS and IMO standard marine 

communication phrases (SMCP). 

(iv) Basic and Advanced Firefighting 

in accordance with § 11.303. 

(v) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue 

Boats (PSC) or Proficiency in Survival 

Craft and Rescue Boats other than 

Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats (PSCLimited). 

(vi) Visual signaling. 

(vii) Bridge resource management; 

(viii) ARPA, if serving on a vessel 

with this equipment. 

(ix) GMDSS, if serving on a vessel 

with this equipment. 

(x) ECDIS, if serving on a vessel with 

this equipment. 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.319(d)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS OFFICER IN CHARGE OF A NAVIGATIONAL WATCH (OICNW) OF

VESSELS OF LESS THAN 500 GT 

Entry path from national endorsements 

Sea service under authority 

of the 

endorsement 1

Competence—STCW 

Table A–II/1 2

Training 

required by 

this 

section 3

Mate oceans or near-coastal, less than 500 GRT ................................ None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Mate of Towing Vessels oceans or near-coastal .................................. None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Master oceans or near-coastal, less than 200 GRT ............................. 6 months ............................ Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Mate oceans or near-coastal, less than 200 GRT ................................ 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(4) of this section not previously satisfied. 

■ 42. Amend § 11.321 by revising the 

section heading, paragraph (a), and table 

1 to § 11.321(d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.321 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Officer in Charge of 

a Navigational Watch of vessels of less than 

500 GT limited to near-coastal waters 

(operational level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Officer in Charge of a 

Navigational Watch (OICNW), an 

applicant must— 

(1) Provide evidence of seagoing 

service as follows: 

(i) Twenty-four months of seagoing 

service in the deck department on 

vessels operating in oceans, near-coastal 

waters, and/or Great Lakes. Service on 

inland waters, bays, or sounds that are 

navigable waters of the United States 

may be substituted for up to 50 percent 


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of the total required service. Experience 

gained in the engine department may be 

creditable for up to 3 months of the 

service requirements; or 

(ii) Successful completion of an 

approved training program that includes 

seagoing service as required by the 

Coast Guard; or 

(iii) Successful completion of 

approved training for this section and 

obtain 12 months of seagoing service; 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standard of competence specified in 

Section A–II/3 of the STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 11.102); and 

(3) Provide evidence of having 

satisfactorily completed approved 

training in the following subject areas: 

(i) Medical First-aid Provider. 

(ii) Basic and Advanced Firefighting 

in accordance with § 11.303. 

(iii) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue 

Boats (PSC) or Proficiency in Survival 

Craft and Rescue Boats other than 

Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats (PSCLimited). 

(iv) Bridge resource management; 

(v) ECDIS, if serving on a vessel with 

this equipment. 

(vi) Radar Observer, if serving on a 

vessel with this equipment. 

(vii) ARPA, if serving on a vessel with 

this equipment. 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.321(d)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS OICNW OF VESSELS OF LESS THAN 500 GT LIMITED TO NEARCOASTAL WATERS

Entry path from national endorsements 

Sea service under authority 

of the 

endorsement 1

Competence—STCW 

Table A–II/3 2

Training 

required by 

this 

section 3

Mate oceans or near-coastal less than 500 GRT ................................. None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Mate of Towing Vessels oceans or near-coastal .................................. None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Master oceans or near-coastal, less than 200 GRT ............................. None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Mate oceans or near-coastal, less than 200 GRT ................................ 6 months ............................ Yes ........................................ Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(2) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

■ 43. Amend § 11.323 by revising 

paragraphs (a) and (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.323 STCW engineer officer 

endorsements. 

(a) Specific requirements for all 

STCW engineer officer endorsements 

are detailed in the applicable sections in 

this part. 

(1) Chief Engineer Officer on vessels 

powered by main propulsion machinery 

of 3,000 kW/4,000 HP propulsion power 

or more (management level). 

(2) Second Engineer Officer on vessels 

powered by main propulsion machinery 

of 3,000 kW/4,000 HP propulsion power 

or more (management level). 

(3) Officer in Charge of an Engineering 

Watch (OICEW) in a manned 

engineroom, or as a Designated Duty 

Engineer in a periodically unmanned 

engineroom, on vessels powered by 

main propulsion machinery of 750 kW/ 

1,000 HP propulsion power or more 

(operational level). 

(4) Chief Engineer Officer on vessels 

powered by main propulsion machinery 

of between 750 kW/1,000 HP and 3,000 

kW/4,000 HP propulsion power 

(management level). 

(5) Second Engineer Officer on vessels 

powered by main propulsion machinery 

of 750 kW/1,000 HP to 3,000 kW/4,000 

HP propulsion power (management 

level). 

(6) Electro-technical Officer on vessels 

powered by main propulsion machinery 

of 750 kW/1,000 HP or more 

(operational level). 

* * * * * 

(d) An officer endorsement issued in 

the grade of Chief Engineer-Limited or 

Assistant Engineer-Limited allows the 

holder to serve within any propulsion 

power limitations on vessels of 

unlimited tonnage on inland waters, on 

vessels of less than 3,000 GT in Great 

Lakes service, and on the vessels 

specified in § 15.105(f) and (g) of this 

subchapter. 

■ 44. Amend § 11.325 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) and (b) 

introductory text, and table 1 to 

§ 11.325(d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.325 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Chief Engineer 

Officer on vessels powered by main 

propulsion machinery of 3,000 kW/4,000 HP 

propulsion power or more (management 

level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Chief Engineer Officer, 

an applicant must— 

(1) Provide evidence of not less than 

36 months of service as OICEW on ships 

powered by main propulsion machinery 

of 750 kW/1,000 HP propulsion power 

or more. This period may be reduced to 

not less than 24 months if the applicant 

has served for not less than 12 months 

as Second Engineer Officer on ships 

powered by propulsion machinery of 

3,000 kW/4,000 HP or more; 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standard of competence specified in 

Section A–III/2 of the STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 11.102); and 

(3) Provide evidence of having 

satisfactorily completed approved 

training in the following areas: 

(i) Engineroom Resource Management 

(ERM) if not completed at the 

operational level. 

(ii) Leadership and managerial skills. 

(iii) Management of electrical and 

electronic control equipment. 

(b) For a renewal of an STCW 

endorsement as Chief Engineer Officer 

on vessels powered by main propulsion 

machinery of 3,000 kW/4,000 HP 

propulsion power or more to be valid on 

or after January 1, 2017, each candidate 

must provide evidence of successful 

completion of approved training in the 

following: 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 


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93076 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.325(d)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS CHIEF ENGINEER OFFICER ON VESSELS POWERED BY MAIN

PROPULSION MACHINERY OF 3,000 kW/4,000 HP PROPULSION POWER OR MORE

Entry path from national endorsements Sea service 1 Competence— 

STCW Table A–III/2 2

Training 

required by 

this 

section 3

Chief Engineer ........................................................................................ None ................................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Chief Engineer-Limited ........................................................................... 12 months ........................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Chief Engineer-MODU ............................................................................ 12 months/24 months4 ....... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Chief Engineer-OSV ............................................................................... None ................................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Designated Duty Engineer, any horsepower 5 ........................................ 24 months as DDE ............. Yes ...................................... Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(2) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

4 Depending on the type of sea service used to obtain Chief Engineer-MODU (refer to § 11.542) 

5STCW certificate should be limited to vessels less than 500 GRT. 

■ 45. Amend § 11.327 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) and (b) 

introductory text, and table 1 to 

§ 11.327(d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.327 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Second Engineer 

Officer on vessels powered by main 

propulsion machinery of 3,000kW/4,000 HP 

propulsion power or more (management 

level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Second Engineer 

Officer, an applicant must— 

(1) Provide evidence of not less than 

12 months of service as OICEW on 

vessels powered by main propulsion 

machinery of 750kW/1,000 HP or more; 

or 12 months of sea service as a Chief 

Engineer on vessels powered by 

propulsion machinery of vessels 

between 750kW/1,000 HP and 3,000 

kW/4,000 HP; 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standard of competence specified in 

Section A–III/2 of the STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 11.102); and 

(3) Provide evidence of having 

satisfactorily completed approved 

training in the following areas: 

(i) Engineroom Resource Management 

(ERM) if not completed at the 

operational level. 

(ii) Leadership and managerial skills. 

(iii) Management of electrical and 

electronic control equipment. 

(b) For a renewal of an STCW 

endorsement as Second Engineer Officer 

on vessels powered by main propulsion 

machinery of 3,000 kW/4,000 HP 

propulsion power or more to be valid on 

or after January 1, 2017, each candidate 

must provide evidence of successful 

completion of approved training in the 

following: 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.327(d)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS SECOND ENGINEER OFFICER ON VESSELS POWERED BY MAIN

PROPULSION MACHINERY OF 3,000 kW/4,000 HP PROPULSION POWER OR MORE

Entry path from national endorsements Sea service 1 Competence—STCW Table 

A–III/2 2

Training 

required 

by this 

section 3

First Assistant Engineer ......................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Second Assistant Engineer .................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Third Assistant Engineer ........................................................................ 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Assistant Engineer-Limited .................................................................... 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Chief Engineer-MODU ........................................................................... 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Chief Engineer-OSV ............................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Designated Duty Engineer-Unlimited 4 ................................................... 12 months as DDE ............ Yes ........................................ Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(2) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

4STCW certificate should be limited to vessels less than 500 GRT. 

■ 46. Amend § 11.329 by revising the 

section heading, paragraph (a), and table 

1 to § 11.329(e) to read as follows: 

§ 11.329 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Officer in Charge of 

an Engineering Watch in a manned 

engineroom or Designated Duty Engineer in 

a periodically unmanned engineroom on 

vessels powered by main propulsion 

machinery of 750 kW/1,000 HP propulsion 

power or more (operational level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Officer in Charge of an 

Engineering Watch (OICEW), an 

applicant must— 

(1) Provide evidence of seagoing 

service as follows: 

(i) Thirty-six months of seagoing 

service in the engine department; or 

(ii) Successful completion of an 

approved training program, which 

includes a combination of workshop 

skill training and seagoing service of not 

less than 12 months, and that meets the 

requirements of Section A–III/1 of the 

STCW Code (incorporated by reference, 

see § 11.102); 

(2) Provide evidence of having 

performed during the required seagoing 

service, engineroom watchkeeping 

duties, under the supervision of an 

officer holding the STCW endorsement 

as Chief Engineer Officer or as a 

qualified engineer officer, for a period of 

not less than 6 months; 

(3) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standard of competence specified in 

Section A–III/1 of the STCW Code; and 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 93077 

(4) Provide evidence of having 

satisfactorily completed approved 

training in the following subject areas: 

(i) Medical First-aid Provider. 

(ii) Basic and Advanced Firefighting 

in accordance with § 11.303. 

(iii) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue 

Boats. 

(iv) Engineroom Resource 

Management (ERM). 

(v) Engineering terminology and 

shipboard operations. 

(vi) Auxiliary machinery. 

(vii) Gas turbine plants, as applicable. 

(viii) Steam plants, as applicable. 

(ix) Motor plants, as applicable. 

(x) Electrical machinery and basic 

electronics. 

(xi) Control systems. 

* * * * * 

(e) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.329(e)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS OICEW IN A MANNED ENGINEROOM OR DESIGNATED DUTY ENGINEER IN A PERIODICALLY UNMANNED ENGINEROOM ON VESSELS POWERED BY MAIN PROPULSION MACHINERY OF

750 kW/1,000 HP PROPULSION POWER OR MORE [OPERATIONAL LEVEL] 

Entry path from national endorsements Sea service * 

Competence— 

STCW Table A– 

III/1 ** 

Training 

required by 

this 

section *** 

Second Assistant Engineer any horsepower .......................................... None ................................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Third Assistant Engineer any horsepower .............................................. None ................................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Assistant Engineer-Limited ..................................................................... None ................................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Designated Duty Engineer-Unlimited, less than 500 GRT ..................... None ................................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Assistant Engineer-MODU ...................................................................... None ................................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Assistant Engineer-OSV ......................................................................... None ................................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Designated Duty Engineer, 3,000 kW/4,000 HP1 .................................. 12 months ........................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

Designated Duty Engineer, 750 kW/1,000 HP1 ..................................... 24 months ........................... Yes ...................................... Yes. 

* This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section. 

** Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

*** Complete any items in paragraph (a)(4) of this section not previously satisfied. 

1STCW certificate should be limited to vessels less than 500 GRT. 

■ 47. Amend § 11.331 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a), (b) 

introductory text, and (c), and table 1 to 

§ 11.331(e) to read as follows: 

§ 11.331 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Chief Engineer 

Officer on vessels powered by main 

propulsion machinery of 750 kW/1,000 HP 

or more and less than 3,000 kW/4,000 HP 

propulsion power (management level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Chief Engineer Officer, 

an applicant must— 

(1) Provide evidence of meeting the 

requirements for certification as OICEW, 

and have not less than 24 months of 

service on seagoing vessels powered by 

main propulsion machinery of not less 

than 750 kW/1,000 HP, of which not 

less than 12 months must be served 

while qualified to serve as Second 

Engineer Officer. Experience gained in 

the deck department may be creditable 

for up to 2 months of the total service 

requirements; 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standard of competence specified in 

Section A–III/3 of the STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 11.102); and 

(3) Provide evidence of having 

satisfactorily completed approved 

training in the following areas: 

(i) Engineroom Resource Management 

(ERM) if not completed at the 

operational level. 

(ii) Leadership and managerial skills. 

(iii) Management of electrical and 

electronic control equipment. 

(b) For a renewal of an STCW 

endorsement as Chief Engineer Officer 

on vessels powered by main propulsion 

machinery of 750 kW/1,000 HP or more 

and less than 3,000 kW/4,000 HP 

propulsion power to be valid on or after 

January 1, 2017, each candidate must 

provide evidence of successful 

completion of approved training in the 

following: 

* * * * * 

(c) An engineer officer qualified to 

serve as Second Engineer Officer on 

vessels powered by main propulsion 

machinery of 3,000 kW/4,000 HP or 

more, may serve as Chief Engineer 

Officer on vessels powered by main 

propulsion machinery of 750 kW/1,000 

HP or more and less than 3,000 kW/ 

4,000 HP provided the certificate is so 

endorsed. 

* * * * * 

(e) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.331(e)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS CHIEF ENGINEER OFFICER ON VESSELS POWERED BY MAIN

PROPULSION MACHINERY OF 750 kW/1,000 HP OR MORE AND LESS THAN 3,000 kW/4,000 HP PROPULSION POWER

Entry path from national endorsements Sea service 1 Competence—STCW Table 

A–III/3 2

Training 

required 

by this 

section 3

Chief Engineer ....................................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

First Assistant Engineer ......................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Chief Engineer-Limited ........................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Chief Engineer-OSV ............................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Chief Engineer-MODU ........................................................................... 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Designated Duty Engineer, 3,000 kW/4,000 HP4 ................................. 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Designated Duty Engineer, 750 kW/1,000 HP4 .................................... 24 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(2) of this section not previously satisfied. 


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3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

4STCW certificate should be limited to vessels less than 500 GRT. 

■ 48. Amend § 11.333 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) and (b) 

introductory text, and table 1 to 

§ 11.333(d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.333 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Second Engineer 

Officer on vessels powered by main 

propulsion machinery of 750kW/1,000 HP or 

more and less than 3,000 kW/4,000 HP 

propulsion power (management level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Second Engineer 

Officer, an applicant must— 

(1) Provide evidence of meeting the 

requirements for certification as OICEW, 

as well as serving for not less than 12 

months as Assistant Engineer Officer or 

engineer officer on vessels powered by 

main propulsion machinery of not less 

than 750 kW/1,000 HP. Experience 

gained in the deck department may be 

creditable for up to 1 month of the total 

service requirements; 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standard of competence specified in 

Section A–III/3 of the STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 11.102); and 

(3) Provide evidence of having 

satisfactorily completed approved 

training in the following areas: 

(i) Engineroom Resource Management 

(ERM) if not completed at the 

operational level. 

(ii) Leadership and managerial skills. 

(iii) Management of electrical and 

electronic control equipment. 

(b) For a renewal of an STCW 

endorsement as Second Engineer Officer 

on vessels powered by main propulsion 

machinery of 750 kW/1,000 HP or more 

and less than 3,000 kW/4,000 HP 

propulsion power to be valid on or after 

January 1, 2017, each candidate must 

provide evidence of successful 

completion of approved training in the 

following: 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.333(d)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS SECOND ENGINEER OFFICER ON VESSELS POWERED BY MAIN

PROPULSION MACHINERY OF 750 kW/1,000 HP OR MORE AND LESS THAN 3,000 kW/4,000 HP PROPULSION POWER

Entry path from national endorsements Sea service 1 Competence—STCW Table 

A–III/3 2

Training 

required 

by this 

section 3

First Assistant Engineer ......................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Second Assistant Engineer .................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Third Assistant Engineer ........................................................................ 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Assistant Engineer-Limited .................................................................... None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Assistant Engineer-OSV ........................................................................ None .................................. Yes ........................................ Yes. 

Assistant Engineer-MODU ..................................................................... 12 months .......................... Yes ........................................ Yes. 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order to meet the requirements of this section.

2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(2) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this section not previously satisfied. 

■ 49. Amend § 11.335 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(c) to read as follows: 

§ 11.335 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as an Electro-technical 

Officer on vessels powered by main 

propulsion machinery of 750 kW/1,000 HP 

or more (operational level). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as an Electro-technical 

Officer (ETO), an applicant must— 

(1) Provide evidence of 36 months 

combined workshop skills training and 

approved seagoing service of which not 

less than 30 months must be seagoing 

service in the engine department of 

vessels. Experience gained in the deck 

department may be creditable for up to 

3 months of the service requirements; or 

completion of an approved training 

program, that includes a combination of 

workshop skill training and seagoing 

service of not less than 12 months, and 

which meets the requirements of 

Section A–III/6 of the STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 11.102); 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standard of competence specified in 

Section A–III/6 of the STCW Code; 

(3) Provide evidence of having 

satisfactorily completed approved 

training in the following subject areas: 

(i) Medical First-aid Provider. 

(ii) Basic and Advanced Firefighting 

in accordance with § 11.303. 

(iii) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue 

Boats (PSC) or Proficiency in Survival 

Craft and Rescue Boats other than 

Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats (PSCLimited); and 

(4) Provide evidence of having 

satisfactorily completed approved 

professional training in the following 

subject areas: 

(i) Onboard computer networking and 

security. 

(ii) Radio electronics. 

(iii) Integrated navigation equipment. 

(iv) Ship propulsion and auxiliary 

machinery. 

(v) Instrumentation and control 

systems. 

(vi) High-voltage power systems. 

* * * * * 

(c) An applicant who holds an STCW 

endorsement as OICEW, Second 

Engineer Officer, or Chief Engineer 

Officer will be allowed to receive the 

ETO endorsement upon completion of 

the requirements in Section A–III/6 of 

the STCW Code. 

* * * * * 

■ 50. Amend § 11.337 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.337 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Vessel Security 

Officer. 

(a) The applicant for an endorsement 

as Vessel Security Officer (VSO) must 

present satisfactory documentary 

evidence in accordance with the 

requirements in 33 CFR 104.215. 

* * * * * 

■ 51. Amend § 11.401 by revising 

paragraphs (a), (b), and (d) to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.401 Ocean and near-coastal national 

officer endorsements. 

(a) Subject to the provisions of 

§§ 11.464(e) and 11.465(b), any License 


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or MMC endorsement for service as 

Master or Mate on ocean waters 

qualifies the mariner to serve in the 

same grade on any waters, except 

towing vessels upon western rivers 

subject to the limitations of the 

endorsement. 

(b) Subject to the provisions of 

§§ 11.464(e) and 11.465(b), any License 

or MMC endorsement issued for service 

as Master or Mate on near-coastal waters 

qualifies the mariner to serve in the 

same grade on Great Lakes and inland 

waters, except towing vessels upon 

western rivers subject to the limitations 

of the endorsement. 

* * * * * 

(d) A Master or Mate on vessels of 200 

GRT or more, and a Master or Mate on 

vessels under 200 GRT, may be 

endorsed for Sail or Auxiliary Sail as 

appropriate. The applicant must present 

the equivalent total service required for 

conventional officer endorsements, 

including at least 1 year of deck 

experience on that specific type of 

vessel. For example, for an officer 

endorsement as Master of vessels of less 

than 1,600 GRT endorsed for auxiliary 

sail, the applicant must meet the total 

experience requirements for the 

conventional officer endorsement, 

including time as Mate, and the proper 

tonnage experience, including at least 1 

year of deck service, on appropriately 

sized auxiliary sail vessels. For an 

endorsement to serve on vessels of less 

than 200 GRT, see the individual 

endorsement requirements. 

* * * * * 

■ 52. Amend § 11.402 by revising 

paragraphs (b) through (d) to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.402 Tonnage requirements for 

national ocean or near-coastal 

endorsements for vessels of 1,600 GRT or 

more. 

* * * * * 

(b) If an applicant for a national 

endorsement as Master or Mate of 

unlimited tonnage does not have the 

service on vessels of 1,600 GRT or more 

as required by paragraph (a)(2) of this 

section, a tonnage limitation will be 

placed on the MMC based on the 

applicant’s qualifying experience. The 

endorsement will be limited to the 

maximum tonnage on which at least 25 

percent of the required experience was 

obtained, or 150 percent of the 

maximum tonnage on which at least 50 

percent of the service was obtained, 

whichever is higher. However, the 

minimum tonnage limitation calculated 

according to this paragraph will be 

2,000 GRT. Limitations are in multiples 

of 1,000 GRT using the next higher 

figure when an intermediate tonnage is 

calculated. When the calculated 

limitation equals or exceeds 10,000 

GRT, the applicant is issued an 

unlimited tonnage endorsement. 

(c) Tonnage limitations imposed 

under paragraph (b) of this section may 

be raised or removed in one of the 

following manners: 

(1) When the applicant provides 

evidence of 6 months of service on 

vessels of 1,600 GRT or more in the 

highest grade endorsed, all tonnage 

limitations will be removed. 

(2) When the applicant provides 

evidence of 6 months of service on 

vessels of 1,600 GRT or more in any 

capacity as an officer other than the 

highest grade for which they are 

endorsed, all tonnage limitations for the 

grade in which the service is performed 

will be removed and the next higher 

grade endorsement will be raised to the 

tonnage of the vessel on which the 

majority of the service was performed. 

The total cumulative service before and 

after issuance of the limited License or 

MMC officer endorsement may be 

considered in removing all tonnage 

limitations. 

(3) When the applicant has 12 months 

of service as Able Seafarer on vessels of 

1,600 GRT or more while holding a 

License or endorsement as Third Mate, 

all tonnage limitations on the Third 

Mate’s License or MMC officer 

endorsement will be removed. 

(d) No applicant holding any national 

endorsement as Master or Mate of 

vessels of less than 1,600 GRT, less than 

500 GRT, or less than 25–200 GRT may 

use the provisions of paragraph (c) of 

this section to increase the tonnages of 

their License or endorsement. 

■ 53. Amend § 11.404 by revising the 

section heading, and paragraphs (a) and 

(b) introductory text to read as follows: 

§ 11.404 Service requirements for Master 

of ocean or near-coastal self-propelled 

vessels of unlimited tonnage. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Master of ocean or near-coastal selfpropelled vessels of unlimited tonnage 

is— 

(1) One year of service as Chief Mate 

on ocean self-propelled vessels; or 

(2) While holding a License or MMC 

endorsement as Chief Mate of ocean 

self-propelled vessels of unlimited 

tonnage, 12 months of service on deck 

as follows: 

(i) A minimum of 6 months of service 

as Chief Mate. 

(ii) Service as Second Mate, Third 

Mate, or Officer in Charge of a 

Navigational Watch (OICNW) accepted 

on a two-for-one basis (12 months as 

OICNW equals 6 months of creditable 

service). 

(b) An individual holding an 

endorsement or License as Master of 

Great Lakes and inland, self-propelled 

vessels of unlimited tonnage, or Master 

of inland, self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage, may obtain an 

endorsement as Master of oceans or 

near-coastal self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage by providing 

evidence of sea service of not less than 

24 months under the authority of the 

credential and by completing the 

prescribed examination in subpart I of 

this part. Service will be credited as 

follows: 

* * * * * 

■ 54. Amend § 11.405 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.405 Service requirements for Chief 

Mate of ocean or near-coastal self-propelled 

vessels of unlimited tonnage. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Chief Mate of ocean or near-coastal 

self-propelled vessels of unlimited 

tonnage is 1 year of service as Officer in 

Charge of a Navigational Watch 

(OICNW) on ocean self-propelled 

vessels while holding a License or MMC 

endorsement as Second Mate. 

* * * * * 

■ 55. Amend § 11.406 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(c) to read as follows: 

§ 11.406 Service requirements for Second 

Mate of ocean or near-coastal self-propelled 

vessels of unlimited tonnage. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Second Mate of ocean or near-coastal 

self-propelled vessels of unlimited 

tonnage is— 

(1) One year of service as Officer in 

Charge of a Navigational Watch 

(OICNW) on ocean self-propelled 

vessels while holding a License or 

endorsement as Third Mate; or 

(2) While holding a License or MMC 

endorsement as Third Mate of ocean 

self-propelled vessels of unlimited 

tonnage, 12 months of service on deck 

as follows: 

(i) A minimum of 6 months service as 

officer in charge of a deck watch on 

ocean self-propelled vessels. 

(ii) Service on ocean self-propelled 

vessels as Boatswain, Able Seafarer, or 

quartermaster while holding a certificate 

or MMC endorsement as Able Seafarer, 

which may be accepted on a two-for-one 

basis to a maximum allowable 

substitution of six months (12 months of 


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experience equals 6 months of 

creditable service). 

* * * * * 

(c) If an individual holds an 

endorsement or License as Master of 

Great Lakes and inland self-propelled 

vessels of unlimited tonnage or Master 

of inland self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage, they may obtain an 

endorsement as Second Mate of ocean 

or near-coastal self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage by completing the 

prescribed examination in subpart I of 

this part. 

* * * * * 

■ 56. Amend § 11.407 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) 

through (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.407 Service requirements for Third 

Mate of ocean or near-coastal self-propelled 

vessels of unlimited tonnage. 

(a) The minimum service or training 

required to qualify an applicant for an 

endorsement as Third Mate of ocean or 

near-coastal self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage is— 

(1) Three years of service in the deck 

department on ocean self-propelled 

vessels, with a minimum of 6 months of 

bridge watchkeeping duties under the 

supervision of the Master or a qualified 

officer. Experience gained in the engine 

department on vessels of appropriate 

tonnage may be creditable for up to 3 

months of the service requirements for 

this officer endorsement; 

(2) Graduation from— 

(i) The U.S. Merchant Marine 

Academy (deck curriculum); 

(ii) The U.S. Coast Guard Academy 

with qualification as an underway 

Officer in Charge of a Navigational 

Watch (OICNW), underway officer of 

the deck, or deck watch officer; 

(iii) The U.S. Naval Academy with 

qualification as an underway OICNW, 

underway officer of the deck or deck 

watch officer; or 

(iv) The deck class of a maritime 

academy approved by and conducted 

under rules prescribed by the Maritime 

Administrator and listed in part 310 of 

this title, including the ocean option 

program in the deck class of the Great 

Lakes Maritime Academy; or 

(3) Satisfactory completion of a 

comprehensive Apprentice Mate 

training program approved by the Coast 

Guard. 

(b) Graduation from the deck class of 

the Great Lakes Maritime Academy will 

qualify the graduate to be examined for 

an endorsement as Third Mate of selfpropelled vessels of unlimited tonnage 

with a route appropriate to the program 

completed. 

(c) While holding a license or MMC 

endorsement as Master of ocean or nearcoastal self-propelled vessels of less 

than 1,600 GRT, 1 year of service as 

Master on vessels of more than 200 GRT 

operating on ocean or near-coastal 

waters will qualify the applicant for an 

endorsement as Third Mate of ocean or 

near-coastal self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage. 

(d) An individual holding an 

endorsement or License as Mate of Great 

Lakes and inland, self-propelled vessels 

of unlimited tonnage, or Master of 

inland, self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage, may obtain an 

endorsement as Third Mate of oceans or 

near-coastal self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage by completing the 

prescribed examination in subpart I of 

this part. 

* * * * * 

■ 57. Amend § 11.410 by revising 

paragraphs (a) and (b) introductory text 

to read as follows: 

§ 11.410 Requirements for deck officer 

endorsements for vessels of less than 1,600 

GRT. 

(a) Endorsements as Master and Mate 

of vessels of less than 1,600 GRT are 

issued in the following tonnage 

categories: 

* * * * * 

(b) Experience gained in the engine 

department on vessels of appropriate 

tonnage may be creditable for up to 90 

days of the service requirements for any 

Master or Mate endorsement in this 

category. 

* * * * * 

■ 58. Amend § 11.412 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(b) to read as follows: 

§ 11.412 Service requirements for Master 

of ocean or near-coastal self-propelled 

vessels of less than 1,600 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Master of ocean or near-coastal selfpropelled vessels of less than 1,600 GRT 

is— 

(1) Four years total service on ocean 

or near-coastal waters. Service on Great 

Lakes and inland waters may substitute 

for up to 2 years of the required service. 

Two years of the required service must 

have been on vessels of more than 100 

GRT. Two years of the required service 

must have been as a Master or Mate of 

self-propelled vessels, or Master or Mate 

(Pilot) of Towing Vessels, or equivalent 

position while holding a License or 

MMC endorsement as Master or Mate of 

self-propelled vessels, or Master or Mate 

(Pilot) of Towing Vessels. One year of 

the service as Master or Mate of selfpropelled vessels, or Master or Mate 

(Pilot) of Towing Vessels, or equivalent 

position must have been on vessels of 

more than 100 GRT; or 

(2) One year of service on vessels of 

more than 100 GRT on ocean or nearcoastal waters as a Master or Mate of 

self-propelled vessels, or Master or Mate 

of Towing Vessels while holding a 

License or MMC endorsement as Mate 

of ocean self-propelled vessels of less 

than 1,600 GRT or as Master or Mate of 

Towing Vessels. 

(b) An applicant holding a License or 

MMC endorsement as Chief Mate of 

ocean or near-coastal self-propelled 

vessels of 1,600 GRT or more is eligible 

for this endorsement without further 

examination. An applicant holding a 

License or MMC endorsement as Second 

Mate of ocean or near-coastal selfpropelled vessels of 1,600 GRT or more 

is eligible for this endorsement upon 

completion of a limited examination. 

* * * * * 

■ 59. Amend § 11.414 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.414 Service requirements for Mate of 

ocean self-propelled vessels of less than 

1,600 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Mate of self-propelled vessels of less 

than 1,600 GRT is— 

(1) Three years of total service in the 

deck department of ocean or nearcoastal self-propelled, sail, or auxiliary 

sail vessels, as follows: 

(i) Service on Great Lakes and inland 

waters may substitute for up to 18 

months of the required service. 

(ii) One year of the required service 

must have been on vessels of more than 

100 GRT. 

(iii) One year of the required service 

must have been as a Master or Mate of 

self-propelled vessels, or Master or Mate 

(Pilot) of Towing Vessels, or equivalent 

position while holding a License or 

MMC endorsement as Master, Mate, or 

Master or Mate (Pilot) of Towing 

Vessels. Six months of the required 

service as Master or Mate of selfpropelled vessels, or Master or Mate 

(Pilot) of Towing Vessels, or equivalent 

position must have been on vessels of 

more than 100 GRT; or 

(2) Three years of total service in the 

deck department on ocean or nearcoastal self-propelled, sail, or auxiliary 

sail vessels of more than 100 GRT. Six 

months of the required service must 

have been while performing bridge 

watchkeeping duties under the 

supervision of the Master or a qualified 

officer. 

* * * * * 


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■ 60. Amend § 11.416 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.416 Service requirements for Mate of 

near-coastal self-propelled vessels of less 

than 1,600 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Mate of near-coastal self-propelled 

vessels of less than 1,600 GRT is 2 years 

of total service in the deck department 

of ocean or near-coastal self-propelled, 

sail, or auxiliary sail vessels. Service on 

Great Lakes and inland waters may 

substitute for up to 1 year of the 

required service. One year of the 

required service must have been on 

vessels of more than 100 GRT. Six 

months of the required service must 

have been while performing bridge 

watchkeeping duties under the 

supervision of the Master or a qualified 

officer. 

* * * * * 

■ 61. Amend § 11.418 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(b) to read as follows: 

§ 11.418 Service requirements for Master 

of ocean or near-coastal self-propelled 

vessels of less than 500 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Master of ocean or near-coastal selfpropelled vessels of less than 500 GRT 

is— 

(1) Three years total of service on 

ocean or near-coastal waters. Service on 

Great Lakes and inland waters may 

substitute for up to 18 months of the 

required service. Two years of the 

required service must have been as a 

Master, Mate, or equivalent position 

while holding a License or MMC 

endorsement as Master, Mate, or 

Operator of Uninspected Passenger 

Vessels. One year of the required service 

as Master, Mate, or equivalent position 

must have been on vessels of more than 

50 GRT; or 

(2) One year of service on vessels of 

more than 50 GRT on ocean or nearcoastal waters as a Master or Mate of 

self-propelled vessels, or Master or Mate 

of Towing Vessels while holding a 

License or MMC endorsement as Mate 

of ocean self-propelled vessels of less 

than 500 GRT. 

(b) The holder of a License or MMC 

endorsement as Master or Mate (Pilot) of 

Towing Vessels authorizing service on 

oceans or near-coastal routes is eligible 

for an endorsement as Master of ocean 

or near-coastal self-propelled vessels of 

less than 500 GRT after both 1 year of 

service as Master or Mate of Towing 

Vessels on oceans or near-coastal routes 

and completion of a limited 

examination. 

* * * * * 

■ 62. Amend § 11.420 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.420 Service requirements for Mate of 

ocean self-propelled vessels of less than 

500 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Mate of ocean self-propelled vessels 

of less than 500 GRT is 2 years of total 

service in the deck department of ocean 

or near-coastal self-propelled, sail, or 

auxiliary sail vessels. Service on Great 

Lakes and inland waters may substitute 

for up to 1 year of the required service. 

One year of the required service must 

have been as a Master, Mate, or 

equivalent position while holding a 

License or endorsement as Master, Mate, 

or Operator of Uninspected Passenger 

Vessels. Six months of the required 

service as Master, Mate, or equivalent 

position must have been on vessels of 

more than 50 GRT. 

* * * * * 

■ 63. Amend § 11.421 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.421 Service requirements for Mate of 

near-coastal self-propelled vessels of less 

than 500 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Mate of near-coastal self-propelled 

vessels of less than 500 GRT is 2 years 

of total service in the deck department 

of ocean or near-coastal self-propelled, 

sail, or auxiliary sail vessels. Service on 

Great Lakes and inland waters may 

substitute for up to 1 year of the 

required service. One year of the 

required service must have been on 

vessels of more than 50 GRT. Three 

months of the required service must 

have been while performing bridge 

watchkeeping duties under the 

supervision of the Master or a qualified 

officer on vessels of more than 50 GRT. 

* * * * * 

■ 64. Revise § 11.422 to read as follows: 

§ 11.422 Tonnage limitations and 

qualifying requirements for endorsements 

as Master or Mate of vessels of less than 

200 GRT. 

(a) Each national endorsement as 

Master or Mate of vessels of less than 

200 GRT is issued with a tonnage 

limitation based on the applicant’s 

qualifying experience. The tonnage 

limitation will be issued at the 25, 50, 

100, or 200 GRT level. The endorsement 

will be limited to the maximum GRT on 

which at least 25 percent of the required 

experience was obtained, or 150 percent 

of the maximum GRT on which at least 

50 percent of the service was obtained, 

whichever is higher. Limitations are as 

stated above, using the next higher 

figure when an intermediate tonnage is 

calculated. If more than 75 percent of 

the qualifying experience is obtained on 

vessels of 5 GRT or less, the MMC will 

automatically be limited to vessels of 

less than 25 GRT. 

(b) The tonnage limitation may be 

raised as follows: 

(1) For an endorsement as Mate, with 

at least 45 days of additional service on 

deck of a vessel in the highest tonnage 

increment authorized by the officer 

endorsement. 

(2) For an endorsement as Master, 

with at least 90 days of additional 

service on deck of a vessel in the highest 

tonnage increment authorized by the 

Master endorsement. 

(3) With additional service, which, 

when combined with all previously 

accumulated service, will qualify the 

applicant for a higher tonnage officer 

endorsement under the basic formula 

specified in paragraph (a) of this 

section. 

(4) With 6 months additional service 

in the deck department on vessels 

within the highest tonnage increment on 

the officer’s License or MMC 

endorsement. In this case, the tonnage 

limitation may be raised one increment. 

(c) When the service is obtained on 

vessels upon which no personnel need 

an officer endorsement or License, the 

Coast Guard must be satisfied that the 

nature of this required service (i.e., size 

of vessel, route, equipment, etc.) is a 

reasonable equivalent to the duties 

performed on vessels which are 

required to engage individuals with 

officer endorsements. 

(d) Service gained in the engineroom 

on vessels of 200 GRT or less may be 

creditable for up to 90 days of the deck 

service requirements for Mate. 

■ 65. Amend § 11.424 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(b) to read as follows: 

§ 11.424 Requirements for Master of ocean 

self-propelled vessels of less than 200 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an officer 

endorsement as Master of ocean selfpropelled vessels of less than 200 GRT 

is— 

(1) Three years of total service on 

ocean or near-coastal waters. Service on 

Great Lakes and inland waters may 

substitute for up to 18 months of the 

required service. Two years of the 

required service must have been as 

Master, Mate, or equivalent position 

while holding a License or MMC 


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endorsement as Master, as Mate, or as 

Operator of Uninspected Passenger 

Vessels (OUPV); or 

(2) Two years of total service as a 

Master or Mate of ocean or near-coastal 

towing vessels. Completion of an 

examination is also required. 

(b) In order to obtain an officer 

endorsement for sail or auxiliary sail 

vessels, the applicant must submit 

evidence of 12 months of service on sail 

or auxiliary sail vessels. The required 12 

months of service may have been 

obtained prior to issuance of the 

Master’s License or MMC endorsement. 

* * * * * 

■ 66. Amend § 11.425 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a), (b), 

and (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.425 Requirements for Mate of ocean 

self-propelled vessels of less than 200 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify for the endorsement as Mate of 

ocean self-propelled vessels of less than 

200 GRT is— 

(1) Twelve months of total service in 

the deck department of ocean or nearcoastal self-propelled, sail, or auxiliary 

sail vessels. Service on Great Lakes and 

inland waters may substitute for up to 

6 months of the required service; or 

(2) Three months of service in the 

deck department of self-propelled 

vessels operating on ocean, near-coastal, 

Great Lakes, or inland waters while 

holding a License or MMC endorsement 

as Master of inland self-propelled, sail, 

or auxiliary sail vessels of less than 200 

GRT. 

(b) The holder of a License or MMC 

endorsement as Operator of 

Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) 

with a near-coastal route endorsement 

may obtain this endorsement by 

successfully completing an examination 

on rules and regulations for small 

passenger vessels. 

* * * * * 

(d) A License or MMC endorsement as 

Master of near-coastal self-propelled 

vessels may be endorsed as Mate of sail 

or auxiliary sail vessels upon 

presentation of 3 months of service on 

sail or auxiliary sail vessels. 

* * * * * 

■ 67. Amend § 11.426 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.426 Requirements for Master of nearcoastal self-propelled vessels of less than 

200 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify for a Master of near-coastal selfpropelled vessels of less than 200 GRT 

is— 

(1) Two years total service on ocean 

or near-coastal waters. Service on Great 

Lakes and inland waters may substitute 

for up to 1 year of the required service. 

One year of the required service must 

have been as a Master, Mate, or 

equivalent position while holding a 

License or endorsement as Master, Mate, 

or Operator of Uninspected Passenger 

Vessels (OUPV); or 

(2) One year of total service as Master 

or Mate of Towing Vessels on ocean or 

near-coastal routes. Completion of an 

examination is also required. 

* * * * * 

■ 68. Amend § 11.427 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a), (b), 

and (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.427 Requirements for Mate of nearcoastal self-propelled vessels of less than 

200 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify for the endorsement as Mate of 

near-coastal self-propelled vessels of 

less than 200 GRT is— 

(1) Twelve months of total service in 

the deck department of ocean or nearcoastal self-propelled, sail, or auxiliary 

sail vessels. Service on Great Lakes and 

inland waters may substitute for up to 

6 months of the required service; or 

(2) Three months of service in the 

deck department of self-propelled 

vessels operating on ocean, near-coastal, 

Great Lakes, or inland waters while 

holding a License or MMC endorsement 

as Master of inland self-propelled, sail, 

or auxiliary sail vessels of less than 200 

GRT. 

(b) The holder of a License or MMC 

endorsement as Operator of 

Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) 

with a near-coastal route endorsement 

may obtain this endorsement by 

successfully completing an examination 

on rules and regulations for small 

passenger vessels. 

* * * * * 

(d) A License or MMC endorsement as 

Master of near-coastal self-propelled 

vessels may be endorsed as Mate of sail 

or auxiliary sail vessels upon 

presentation of 3 months of service on 

sail or auxiliary sail vessels. 

* * * * * 

■ 69. Amend § 11.428 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a), (b), 

and (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.428 Requirements for Master of nearcoastal self-propelled vessels of less than 

100 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify for the endorsement as Master of 

self-propelled, seagoing vessels of less 

than 100 GRT limited to domestic 

voyages upon near-coastal waters is 2 

years of service in the deck department 

of a self-propelled vessel on ocean or 

near-coastal waters. Service on Great 

Lakes and inland waters may substitute 

for up to 1 year of the required service. 

(b) To obtain an endorsement for sail 

or auxiliary sail vessels, the applicant 

must submit evidence of 12 months of 

service on sail or auxiliary-sail vessels. 

This required service may have been 

obtained before issuance of the License 

or MMC. 

* * * * * 

(d) All endorsements issued for 

Master or Mate of vessels of less than 

100 GRT are issued in tonnage 

increments based on the applicant’s 

qualifying experience in accordance 

with the provisions of § 11.422. 

■ 70. Amend § 11.429 by revising the 

section heading, paragraph (a) 

introductory text, and paragraph (c) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.429 Requirements for a Limited 

Master of near-coastal self-propelled 

vessels of less than 100 GRT. 

(a) An endorsement as Limited Master 

for service on near-coastal waters on 

vessels of less than 100 GRT may be 

issued to an applicant to be employed 

by organizations such as yacht clubs, 

marinas, formal camps, and educational 

institutions. An endorsement issued 

under this section is limited to the 

specific activity and the locality of the 

yacht club, marina, or camp. To obtain 

this restricted endorsement, an 

applicant must— 

* * * * * 

(c) To obtain an endorsement for sail 

or auxiliary sail vessels, the applicant 

must submit evidence of 4 months of 

service on sail or auxiliary sail vessels. 

The required 4 months of service may 

have been obtained prior to issuance of 

the License or MMC endorsement. 

* * * * * 

■ 71. Amend § 11.430 by revising 

paragraph (e) to read as follows: 

§ 11.430 Endorsements for the Great 

Lakes and inland waters. 

* * * * * 

(e) To obtain a Master or Mate 

endorsement with a tonnage limit of 200 

GRT or more, whether an original, raise 

of grade, or increase in the scope of 

authority, the applicant must meet the 

training requirements in § 11.201(h) and 

(i) and successfully complete Radar 

Observer training in § 11.480. 

* * * * * 

■ 72. Amend § 11.433 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 


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§ 11.433 Requirements for Master of Great 

Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Master of Great Lakes and inland selfpropelled vessels of unlimited tonnage 

is— 

(1) One year of service as a Mate or 

First-Class Pilot while acting in the 

capacity of First Mate of Great Lakes 

self-propelled vessels of 1,600 GRT or 

more while holding a License or MMC 

endorsement as Mate inland or FirstClass Pilot of Great Lakes and inland 

self-propelled vessels of unlimited 

tonnage; 

(2) Two years of service as Master of 

self-propelled vessels of 1,600 GRT or 

more on inland waters, excluding the 

Great Lakes; or 

(3) One year of service upon Great 

Lakes waters while holding a License or 

MMC endorsement as Mate or FirstClass Pilot of Great Lakes and inland 

self-propelled vessels of 1,600 GRT or 

more. A minimum of 6 months of this 

service must have been in the capacity 

of First Mate. Service as Second Mate is 

accepted for the remainder on a two-forone basis to a maximum of 6 months (2 

days of service equals 1 day of 

creditable service). 

* * * * * 

■ 73. Amend § 11.435 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.435 Requirements for Master of inland 

self-propelled vessels of unlimited tonnage. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Master of self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage on inland waters, 

excluding the Great Lakes is— 

(1) One year of service as First-Class 

Pilot (of other than canal and small 

lakes routes) or Mate of Great Lakes or 

inland self-propelled vessels of 1,600 

GRT or more while holding a License or 

MMC endorsement as Mate inland or 

First-Class Pilot of Great Lakes and 

inland self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage; or 

(2) Two years of service performing 

bridge watchkeeping duties under the 

supervision of the Master or a qualified 

officer while holding a Mate/First-Class 

Pilot License or MMC endorsement. 

* * * * * 

■ 74. Amend § 11.437 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.437 Requirements for Mate of Great 

Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Mate of Great Lakes and inland selfpropelled vessels of unlimited tonnage 

is— 

(1) Three years of service in the deck 

department of self-propelled vessels, at 

least 3 months of which must have been 

on vessels on inland waters and at least 

6 months of which must have been 

while performing bridge watchkeeping 

duties under the supervision of the 

Master or a qualified officer; 

(2) Graduation from the deck class of 

the Great Lakes Maritime Academy; or 

(3) While holding a License or MMC 

endorsement as Master of Great Lakes 

and inland self-propelled vessels of less 

than 1,600 GRT, 1 year of service as 

Master on vessels of 200 GRT or more. 

A tonnage limitation may be placed on 

this License in accordance with 

§ 11.431. 

* * * * * 

■ 75. Amend § 11.442 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.442 Requirements for Master of Great 

Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of 

less than 1,600 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Master of Great Lakes and inland selfpropelled vessels of less than 1,600 GRT 

is— 

(1) Three years of total service on 

vessels. Eighteen months of the required 

service must have been on vessels of 

100 GRT or more. One year of the 

required service must have been as a 

Master, Mate, or equivalent position on 

vessels of 100 GRT or more while 

holding a License or MMC endorsement 

as Master, Mate, or Master of Towing 

Vessels; or 

(2) Six months of service as operator 

on vessels of 100 GRT or more while 

holding a License or MMC endorsement 

as Master of Towing Vessels. 

* * * * * 

■ 76. Amend § 11.444 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.444 Requirements for Mate of Great 

Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of 

less than 1,600 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Mate of Great Lakes and inland selfpropelled vessels of less than 1,600 GRT 

is— 

(1) Two years of total service in the 

deck department of self-propelled 

vessels. One year of the required service 

must have been on vessels of 100 GRT 

or more. Six months of the required 

service must have been while 

performing bridge watchkeeping duties 

under the supervision of the Master or 

a qualified officer on vessels of 100 GRT 

or more; 

(2) One year of total service as Master 

of self-propelled, sail, or auxiliary sail 

vessels, or Operator of Uninspected 

Passenger Vessels (OUPV) of 50 GRT or 

more while holding a License or MMC 

endorsement as Master of self-propelled 

vessels of less than 200 GRT or OUPV; 

or 

(3) Six months of total service as Mate 

(Pilot) of Towing Vessels on vessels of 

100 GRT or more. 

* * * * * 

■ 77. Revise § 11.446 to read as follows: 

§ 11.446 Requirements for Master of Great 

Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of 

less than 500 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Master of Great Lakes and inland selfpropelled vessels of less than 500 GRT 

is— 

(1) Three years of total service on 

vessels. One year of the required service 

must have been as a Master, Mate, or 

equivalent position on vessels of 50 

GRT or more while holding a License or 

MMC endorsement as Master, Mate, or 

OUPV. 

(2) [Reserved] 

(b) An applicant holding a License or 

MMC endorsement as Master of ocean, 

near-coastal, or Great Lakes and inland 

towing vessels is eligible for this 

endorsement after 6 months of service 

as Master of Towing Vessels and 

completion of a limited examination. 

This requires 31⁄2 years of service. Two 

years of this service must have been 

served while holding a License or MMC 

endorsement as Master or Mate (Pilot) of 

Towing Vessels, or Mate. 

■ 78. Revise § 11.448 to read as follows: 

§ 11.448 Requirements for Mate of Great 

Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of 

less than 500 GRT. 

The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Mate of Great Lakes and inland selfpropelled vessels of less than 500 GRT 

is 2 years of total service in the deck 

department of self-propelled vessels. 

One year of the required service must 

have been on vessels of 50 GRT or more. 

Three months of the required service 

must have been while performing bridge 

watchkeeping duties under the 

supervision of the Master or a qualified 

officer on vessels of 50 GRT or more. 

■ 79. Revise § 11.450 to read as follows: 

§ 11.450 Tonnage limitations and 

qualifying requirements for endorsements 

as Master or Mate of Great Lakes and inland 

vessels of less than 200 GRT. 

(a) Except as noted in paragraph (d) of 

this section, all endorsements issued for 


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Master or Mate of vessels of less than 

200 GRT are issued in 50 GRT 

increments based on the applicant’s 

qualifying experience in accordance 

with the provisions of § 11.422. 

(b) Service gained in the engineroom 

on vessels of less than 200 GRT may be 

creditable for up to 25 percent of the 

deck service requirements for Mate. 

(c) When the service is obtained on 

vessels upon which personnel with 

Licenses or endorsements are not 

required, the Coast Guard must be 

satisfied that the nature of this required 

service (i.e., size of vessel, route, 

equipment, etc.) is a reasonable 

equivalent to the duties performed on 

vessels which are required to engage 

individuals with endorsements. 

(d) If more than 75 percent of the 

qualifying experience is obtained on 

vessels of 5 GRT or less, the License will 

automatically be limited to vessels of 

less than 25 GRT. 

■ 80. Revise § 11.452 to read as follows: 

§ 11.452 Requirements for Master of Great 

Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of 

less than 200 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

or License as Master of Great Lakes and 

inland self-propelled vessels of less than 

200 GRT is 1 year of service on vessels. 

Six months of the required service must 

have been as Master, Mate, or equivalent 

position while holding a License or 

endorsement as Master or Mate of selfpropelled vessels, or Master or Mate 

(Pilot) of Towing Vessels, or OUPV. To 

obtain authority to serve on the Great 

Lakes, 3 months of the required service 

must have been on Great Lakes waters; 

otherwise the endorsement will be 

limited to the inland waters of the 

United States (excluding the Great 

Lakes). 

(b) To obtain an endorsement for sail 

or auxiliary sail vessels, the applicant 

must have 6 months of service on sail 

or auxiliary sail vessels. This required 

service may have been obtained prior to 

issuance of the License or MMC 

endorsement as Master. 

■ 81. Amend § 11.454 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a), (c), 

and (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.454 Requirements for Mate of Great 

Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of 

less than 200 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Mate of Great Lakes and inland selfpropelled vessels of less than 200 GRT 

is 6 months of service in the deck 

department of self-propelled vessels. To 

obtain authority to serve on the Great 

Lakes, 3 months of the required service 

must have been on Great Lakes waters; 

otherwise the endorsement will be 

limited to the inland waters of the 

United States (excluding the Great 

Lakes). 

* * * * * 

(c) A mariner holding an endorsement 

as Master of self-propelled vessels may 

be endorsed as Mate of sail or auxiliary 

sail vessels upon presentation of 3 

months service on sail or auxiliary sail 

vessels. 

(d) The holder of a License or MMC 

endorsement as Operator of Inland 

Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) 

may obtain this endorsement by 

successfully completing an examination 

on rules and regulations for small 

passenger vessels. To obtain authority to 

serve on the Great Lakes, 3 months of 

the required service must have been on 

Great Lakes waters; otherwise the 

endorsement will be limited to the 

inland waters of the United States 

(excluding the Great Lakes). 

* * * * * 

■ 82. Amend § 11.455 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(c) to read as follows: 

§ 11.455 Requirements for Master of Great 

Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of 

less than 100 GRT. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Master of Great Lakes and inland selfpropelled vessels of less than 100 GRT 

is 1 year of total service in the deck 

department of self-propelled, sail, or 

auxiliary sail vessels. To obtain 

authority to serve on the Great Lakes, 3 

months of the required service must 

have been on Great Lakes waters; 

otherwise the endorsement will be 

limited to the inland waters of the 

United States (excluding the Great 

Lakes). 

* * * * * 

(c) All endorsements issued for 

Master or Mate of vessels of less than 

100 GRT are issued in tonnage 

increments based on the applicant’s 

qualifying experience in accordance 

with the provisions of § 11.422. 

■ 83. Amend § 11.456 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) 

introductory text to read as follows: 

§ 11.456 Requirements for Limited Master 

of Great Lakes and inland self-propelled 

vessels of less than 100 GRT. 

(a) An endorsement as Limited Master 

for vessels of less than 100 GRT upon 

Great Lakes and inland waters may be 

issued to an applicant to be employed 

by organizations such as formal camps, 

educational institutions, yacht clubs, 

and marinas with reduced service 

requirements. An endorsement issued 

under this paragraph is limited to the 

specific activity and the locality of the 

camp, yacht club, or marina. To obtain 

this restricted endorsement, an 

applicant must— 

* * * * * 

■ 84. Revise § 11.457, to read as follows: 

§ 11.457 Requirements for Master of inland 

self-propelled vessels of less than 100 GRT. 

(a) An applicant for an endorsement 

as Master of inland self-propelled 

vessels of less than 100 GRT must 

present 1 year of service on any waters. 

In order to raise the tonnage limitation 

to more than 100 GRT, the examination 

topics indicated in subpart I of this part 

must be completed in addition to 

satisfying the experience requirements 

of § 11.452(a). 

(b) To obtain an endorsement for sail 

or auxiliary sail vessels, the applicant 

must submit evidence of 6 months of 

service on sail or auxiliary sail vessels. 

The required 6 months of service may 

have been obtained prior to issuance of 

the License or MMC endorsement. 

(c) All endorsements issued for 

Master or Mate of vessels of less than 

100 GRT are issued in tonnage 

increments based on the applicant’s 

qualifying experience in accordance 

with the provisions of § 11.422. 

■ 85. Revise § 11.459, to read as follows: 

§ 11.459 Requirements for national 

endorsement as Master or Mate on rivers. 

(a) An applicant for an endorsement 

as Master of river self-propelled vessels 

of unlimited tonnage must meet the 

same service requirements as Master of 

inland self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage. 

(b) An applicant for an endorsement 

as Master or Mate of river self-propelled 

vessels, with a limitation of 25 to 1,600 

GRT, must meet the same service 

requirements as those required by this 

subpart for the corresponding tonnage 

Great Lakes and inland self-propelled 

endorsement. Service on the Great Lakes 

is not, however, required. 

■ 86. Amend § 11.462 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (b) 

through (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.462 Requirements for national 

endorsement as Master or Mate of 

Uninspected Fishing Industry Vessels. 

* * * * * 

(b) Endorsements as Master or Mate of 

Uninspected Fishing Industry Vessels 

are issued for either ocean or nearcoastal routes, depending on the 

examination completed. To qualify for 

an Uninspected Fishing Industry Vessel 

endorsement, the applicant must satisfy 


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the training and examination 

requirements of § 11.201(h)(1). 

(c) An applicant for an endorsement 

as Master of Uninspected Fishing 

Industry Vessels must have 4 years of 

total service on ocean or near-coastal 

routes. Service on Great Lakes or inland 

waters may substitute for up to 2 years 

of the required service. One year of the 

required service must have been as 

Master, Mate, or equivalent position 

while holding a License or MMC 

endorsement as Master or Mate of selfpropelled vessels, or Master or Mate 

(Pilot) of Towing Vessels, or OUPV. 

(1) To qualify for an endorsement for 

less than 500 GRT, at least 2 years of the 

required service, including the 1 year as 

Master, Mate, or equivalent, must have 

been on vessels of 50 GRT or more. 

(2) To qualify for an endorsement for 

less than 1,600 GRT, at least 2 years of 

the required service, including the 1 

year as Master, Mate, or equivalent, 

must have been on vessels of 100 GRT 

or more. 

(3) To qualify for an endorsement for 

more than 1,600 GRT, but not more than 

5,000 GRT, the vessel tonnage upon 

which the 4 years of required service 

was obtained will be used to compute 

the tonnage. The endorsement is limited 

to the maximum tonnage on which at 

least 25 percent of the required service 

was obtained or 150 percent of the 

maximum tonnage on which at least 50 

percent of the service was obtained, 

whichever is higher. Limitations are in 

multiples of 1,000 GRT, using the next 

higher figure when an intermediate 

tonnage is calculated. An endorsement 

as Master of Uninspected Fishing 

Industry Vessels authorizing service on 

vessels more than 1,600 GRT also 

requires 1 year as Master, Mate, or 

equivalent on vessels of 100 GRT or 

more. 

(4) The tonnage limitation for this 

endorsement may be raised using one of 

the following methods but cannot 

exceed 5,000 GRT. Limitations are in 

multiples of 1,000 GRT, using the next 

higher figure when an intermediate 

tonnage is calculated. 

(i) Three months of service as Master 

on a vessel results in a limitation in that 

capacity equal to the tonnage of that 

vessel rounded up to the next multiple 

of 1,000 GRT. 

(ii) Six months of service as Master on 

a vessel results in a limitation in that 

capacity equal to 150 percent of the 

tonnage of that vessel. 

(iii) Six months of service as Master 

on vessels more than 1,600 GRT results 

in raising the limitation to 5,000 GRT. 

(iv) Six months of service as Mate on 

vessels more than 1,600 GRT results in 

raising the limitation for Master to the 

tonnage on which at least 50 percent of 

the service was obtained. 

(v) Two years of service as a deckhand 

on a vessel while holding a License or 

MMC endorsement as Master results in 

a limitation on the MMC equal to 150 

percent of the tonnage of that vessel up 

to 5,000 GRT. 

(vi) One year of service as deckhand 

on a vessel while holding a License or 

MMC endorsement as Master results in 

a limitation on the MMC equal to the 

tonnage of that vessel. 

(d) An applicant for an endorsement 

as Mate of Uninspected Fishing Industry 

Vessels must have 3 years of total 

service on ocean or near-coastal routes. 

Service on Great Lakes or inland waters 

may substitute for up to 18 months of 

the required service. 

(1) To qualify for an endorsement of 

less than 500 GRT, at least 1 year of the 

required service must have been on 

vessels of 50 GRT or more. 

(2) To qualify for an endorsement of 

less than 1,600 GRT, at least 1 year of 

the required service must have been on 

vessels of 100 GRT or more. 

(3) To qualify for an endorsement of 

more than 1,600 GRT, but not more than 

5,000 GRT, the vessel tonnage upon 

which the 3 years of required service 

was obtained will be used to compute 

the tonnage. The endorsement is limited 

to the maximum tonnage on which at 

least 25 percent of the required service 

was obtained, or 150 percent of the 

maximum tonnage on which at least 50 

percent of the service was obtained, 

whichever is higher. Limitations are in 

multiples of 1,000 GRT, using the next 

higher figure when an intermediate 

tonnage is calculated. 

(4) The tonnage limitation on this 

endorsement may be raised using one of 

the following methods, but cannot 

exceed 5,000 GRT. Limitations are in 

multiples of 1,000 GRT, using the next 

higher figure when an intermediate 

tonnage is calculated. 

(i) Three months of service as Mate on 

a vessel results in a limitation in that 

capacity equal to the tonnage of that 

vessel rounded up to the next multiple 

of 1,000 GRT. 

(ii) Six months of service as Mate on 

a vessel results in a limitation in that 

capacity equal to 150 percent of the 

tonnage of that vessel. 

(iii) Six months of service as Mate on 

vessels more than 1,600 GRT results in 

raising the limitation to 5,000 GRT. 

(iv) One year of service as deckhand 

on vessels more than 1,600 GRT while 

holding a License or MMC endorsement 

as Mate, results in raising the limitation 

on the MMC to 5,000 GRT; 

(v) Two years of service as a deckhand 

on a vessel while holding a License or 

MMC endorsed as Mate results in a 

limitation on the MMC equal to 150 

percent of the tonnage of that vessel up 

to 5,000 GRT. 

(vi) One year of service as deckhand 

on a vessel while holding a License or 

MMC endorsement as Mate results in a 

limitation on the MMC equal to the 

tonnage of that vessel. 

* * * * * 

■ 87. Amend § 11.463 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) through 

(e), paragraph (g), and Figure 11.463(h) 

to read as follows: 

§ 11.463 General requirements for national 

endorsements as Master, Mate (Pilot), and 

Apprentice Mate of Towing Vessels. 

(a) The Coast Guard issues the 

following endorsements for towing 

vessels: 

(1) Master of Towing Vessels. 

(2) Master of Towing Vessels-Limited. 

(3) Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels. 

(4) Apprentice Mate of Towing 

Vessels. 

(5) Apprentice Mate of Towing 

Vessels-Limited. 

(b) An endorsement as Master of 

Towing Vessels means an endorsement 

to operate towing vessels not restricted 

to local areas designated by OCMIs. This 

also applies to a Mate (Pilot) of Towing 

Vessels. 

(c) For this section, ‘‘Limited’’ means 

an endorsement to operate a towing 

vessel of less than 200 GRT only within 

a local area on the Great Lakes, inland 

waters, or Western Rivers designated by 

the OCMI. 

(d) Mariners who met the training and 

service requirements for towing vessels 

before May 21, 2001, and have 

maintained a valid Coast Guard-issued 

credential may obtain a towing 

endorsement if they meet the following: 

(1) Demonstrate at least 90 days of 

towing service before May 21, 2001; 

(2) Provide evidence of successfully 

completing the Apprentice Mate exam, 

its predecessor exam, or a superior 

exam’ and 

(3) Meet the renewal requirements in 

§ 10.227(e)(6)(i) of this subchapter. 

(e) Mariners who operated towing 

vessels in the offshore oil and mineral 

industry prior to October 15, 2010, may 

obtain a towing endorsement until 

December 24, 2018 as follows: 

(1) Mariners who held an officer 

endorsement as Operator of 

Uninspected Towing Vessels (OUTV) or 

Mate or Master of Inspected Selfpropelled Vessels may qualify for a 

towing endorsement if they meet the 

following: 

(i) Provide evidence of at least 90 days 

of service on towing vessels in the 

offshore oil and mineral industry prior 

to October 15, 2010; 


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(ii) Provide evidence of successfully 

completing the Apprentice Mate of 

Towing Vessels examination, its 

predecessor exam, or a superior exam; 

and 

(iii) Meet the renewal requirements in 

§ 10.227(e)(6) of this subchapter. 

(2) Mariners who have not held any 

of the officer endorsements listed in 

paragraph (e)(1) of this section may 

qualify for an endorsement as Master of 

Towing Vessels if they meet the 

following: 

(i) Provide evidence of at least 48 

months of service on towing vessels in 

the offshore oil and mineral industry 

prior to October 15, 2010; and 

(ii) Successfully complete the 

appropriate Apprentice Mate of Towing 

Vessels exam. 

(3) Mariners who have not held any 

of the officer endorsements listed in 

paragraph (e)(1) of this section may 

qualify for an endorsement as Mate of 

Towing Vessels if they meet the 

following: 

(i) Provide evidence of at least 36 

months of service on towing vessels in 

the offshore oil and mineral industry 

prior to October 15, 2010; and 

(ii) Successfully complete the 

appropriate Apprentice Mate of Towing 

Vessels exam. 

* * * * * 

(g) Endorsements as Mate (Pilot) or 

Master of Towing Vessels may be issued 

with a restriction to specific types of 

towing vessels and/or towing operations 

such as vessels that do not routinely 

perform all of the tasks identified in the 

Towing Officer Assessment Record 

(TOAR). 

(h) * * * 

Figure 1 to § 11.463(h)—Structure of 

Towing Officer Endorsements 

■ 88. Revise § 11.464 to read as follows: § 11.464 Requirements for national 

endorsements as Master of Towing Vessels. 

(a) An applicant for an endorsement 

as Master of Towing Vessels with a 

route listed in column 1 of table 1 to 

this section, must complete the service 

requirements indicated in columns 2 

through 5. Applicants may serve on the 

subordinate routes listed in column 5 

without further endorsement. 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.464(a)—REQUIREMENTS FOR ENDORSEMENT AS MASTER OF TOWING VESSELS 1

1 2 3 4 5 

Route endorsed Total 

service 2

TOS3

on T/V 

as Mate 

(Pilot) 

TOS3 on 

particular 

route 

Sub-ordinate 

route authorized 

(1) OCEANS (O) .......................................................................................... 48 18 3 NC, GL–I. 

(2) NEAR–COASTAL (NC) .......................................................................... 48 18 3 GL–I. 

(3) GREAT LAKES–INLAND (GL–I) ........................................................... 48 18 3 None. 


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TABLE 1 TO § 11.464(a)—REQUIREMENTS FOR ENDORSEMENT AS MASTER OF TOWING VESSELS 1—Continued 

1 2 3 4 5 

Route endorsed Total 

service 2

TOS3

on T/V 

as Mate 

(Pilot) 

TOS3 on 

particular 

route 

Sub-ordinate 

route authorized 

(4) WESTERN RIVERS (WR) ..................................................................... 48 18 3 None. 

1The holder of an endorsement as Master of Towing Vessels may have an endorsement placed on the MMC as Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels for a route superior to the current route on which the holder has no operating experience after passing an examination for that additional 

route. After the holder completes 90 days of experience and completes a Towing Officer Assessment Record (TOAR) on that route, the Coast 

Guard will add it to the holder’s endorsement as Master of Towing Vessels and remove the endorsement for Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels. 2Service is in months. 

3TOS is time of service. 

(b) A person holding this 

endorsement may qualify for an STCW 

endorsement, according to §§ 11.307, 

11.311, 11.313, and 11.315. 

(c) To obtain an endorsement as 

Master of Towing Vessels-Limited, 

applicants must complete the 

requirements listed in columns 2 

through 5 of table 2 to paragraph (c) of 

this section. 

TABLE 2 TO § 11.464(c)—REQUIREMENTS FOR NATIONAL ENDORSEMENT AS MASTER OF TOWING VESSELS-LIMITED

1 2 3 4 5 

Route endorsed Total 

service 1

TOS2

on T/V as 

apprentice mate 

of towinglimited 

TOAR 

or an 

approved 

course 

TOS on 

particular 

route 

LIMITED LOCAL AREA (LLA) ................. 36 18 Yes 3. 

1Service is in months. 

2TOS is time of service. 

(d) Those holding a License or MMC 

endorsement as Mate (Pilot) of Towing 

Vessels, may have Master of Towing 

Vessels-Limited added to their MMC for 

a limited local area within the scope of 

their current route. 

(e) Before serving as Master of Towing 

Vessels on the Western Rivers, mariners 

must possess 90 days of observation and 

training and their MMC must include an 

endorsement for Western Rivers. 

(f) Each company must maintain 

evidence that every vessel it operates is 

under the direction and control of a 

mariner with the appropriate 

endorsement and experience, including 

30 days of observation and training on 

the intended route other than Western 

Rivers. 

(g) Those holding a License or MMC 

endorsement as a Master of selfpropelled vessels of more than 200 GRT, 

may operate towing vessels within any 

restrictions on their endorsement if 

they– 

(1) Have a minimum of 30 days of 

training and observation on towing 

vessels for the route being assessed, 

except as noted in paragraph (e) of this 

section; and 

(2) Either— 

(i) Hold a completed Towing Officer 

Assessment Record (TOAR) described in 

§ 10.404(c) of this subchapter that shows 

evidence of assessment of practical 

demonstration of skills; or 

(ii) Complete an approved training 

course. 

(h) A License or MMC does not need 

to include a towing endorsement if 

mariners hold a TOAR or complete an 

approved training course. 

■ 89. Amend § 11.465 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) and (b), 

and paragraphs (d) through (g) to read 

as follows: 

§ 11.465 Requirements for national 

endorsements as Mate (Pilot) of Towing 

Vessels. 

(a) To obtain an endorsement as Mate 

(Pilot) of Towing Vessels endorsed with 

a route listed in column 1 of table 1 to 

paragraph (a) of this section, applicants 

must complete the service in columns 2 

through 5. Mariners holding a License 

or MMC endorsement as Master of 

Towing Vessels-Limited wishing to raise 

of grade to Mate (Pilot) of Towing 

Vessels must complete the service in 

columns 5 and 6. An endorsement with 

a route endorsed in column 1 authorizes 

service on the subordinate routes listed 

in column 7 without further 

endorsement. Time of service 

requirements as an Apprentice Mate of 

Towing Vessels may be reduced by an 

amount equal to the time specified in 

the approval letter for a completed Coast 

Guard-approved training program. 


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TABLE 1 TO § 11.465(a)—REQUIREMENTS FOR NATIONAL ENDORSEMENT AS MATE (PILOT 1) OF TOWING VESSELS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

Route endorsed Total 

service 2

TOS3 on T/V 

as apprentice 

mate of towing 

vessels4

TOS on particular route TOAR 5 or an 

approved 

course 

30 days of 

observation and 

training 

while holding master 

of towing 

vesselslimited and 

pass an 

examination 

Subordinate 

route 

authorized 

(1) OCEANS (O) ............................................. 30 12 3 YES ............. YES ............. (1) OCEANS 

(O) 

(2) NEAR–COASTAL (NC) ............................. 30 12 3 YES ............. YES ............. (2) NEAR– 

COASTAL 

(NC) 

(3) GREAT LAKES–INLAND (GL–I) ............... 30 12 3 YES ............. YES ............. (3) GREAT 

LAKES– 

INLAND 

(GL–I) 

(4) WESTERN RIVERS (WR) ......................... 30 12 3 YES ............. NO (90 days 

service required).

(4) WESTERN RIVERS (WR) 

1For all inland routes, as well as Western Rivers, the endorsement as Pilot of Towing Vessels is equivalent to that as Mate of Towing Vessels. 

All qualifications and equivalencies are the same. 2Service is in months unless otherwise indicated. 

3TOS is time of service. 

4Time of service requirements as an Apprentice Mate of Towing Vessels may be reduced by an amount equal to the time specified in the approval letter for a completed Coast Guard-approved training program. 5TOAR is a Towing Officer Assessment Record. 

(b) Before serving as Mate (Pilot) of 

Towing Vessels on the Western Rivers, 

mariners must possess 90 days of 

observation and training and have their 

MMC include an endorsement for 

Western Rivers. 

* * * * * 

(d) Those holding a License or MMC 

endorsement as a Mate of inspected, 

self-propelled vessels of more than 200 

GRT or one as First-Class Pilot, may 

operate towing vessels within any 

restrictions on their credential if they– 

(1) Have a minimum of 30 days of 

training and observation on towing 

vessels for the route being assessed, 

except as noted in paragraph (b) of this 

section; and 

(2) Hold a completed Towing Officer 

Assessment Record (TOAR) described in 

§ 10.404(c) of this subchapter that shows 

evidence of assessment of practical 

demonstration of skills. 

(e) A License or MMC does not need 

to include a towing endorsement if you 

hold a TOAR or a course completion 

certificate. 

(f) Those holding any endorsement as 

a Master of self-propelled vessels of any 

tonnage that is less than 200 GRT, 

except for the Limited Master 

endorsements specified in §§ 11.429 and 

11.456, may obtain an endorsement as 

Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels by 

meeting the following requirements: 

(1) Providing proof of 36 months of 

service as a Master under the authority 

of an endorsement described in this 

paragraph; 

(2) Successfully completing the 

appropriate TOAR; 

(3) Successfully completing the 

appropriate Apprentice Mate exam; and 

(4) Having a minimum of 30 days of 

training and observation on towing 

vessels for the route being assessed, 

except as noted in paragraph (b) of this 

section. 

(g) An approved training course for 

Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels must 

include formal instruction and practical 

demonstration of proficiency either 

onboard a towing vessel or at a 

shoreside training facility before a 

designated examiner, and must cover 

the material (dependent upon route) 

required by table 2 to § 11.910 for 

Apprentice Mate of Towing Vessels on 

ocean and near-coastal routes; 

Apprentice Mate of Towing Vessels on 

Great Lakes and inland routes; or 

Apprentice Mate of Towing Vessels on 

Western Rivers routes. 

* * * * * 

■ 90. Revise § 11.466 to read as follows: 

§ 11.466 Requirements for national 

endorsements as Apprentice Mate of 

Towing Vessels. 

(a) As table 1 to § 11.466(a) shows, to 

obtain an endorsement as Apprentice 

Mate of Towing Vessels listed in 

column 1, endorsed with a route listed 

in column 2, mariners must complete 

the service requirements indicated in 

columns 3 through 6. 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.466(a)—REQUIREMENTS FOR NATIONAL ENDORSEMENT AS APPRENTICE MATE OF TOWING VESSELS

1 2 3 4 5 6 

Endorsement Route endorsed Total 

service 1

TOS2 on 

T/V 

TOS on 

particular 

route 

Pass 

examination 3

(1) APPRENTICE MATE OF TOWING VESSELS ............... OCEANS (O) ......................... 18 12 3 YES. 

NEAR–COASTAL (NC) ......... 18 12 3 YES. 


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TABLE 1 TO § 11.466(a)—REQUIREMENTS FOR NATIONAL ENDORSEMENT AS APPRENTICE MATE OF TOWING VESSELS— 

Continued 

1 2 3 4 5 6 

Endorsement Route endorsed Total 

service 1

TOS2 on 

T/V 

TOS on 

particular 

route 

Pass 

examination 3

GREAT LAKES ..................... 18 12 3 YES. 

INLAND (GL–I) ...................... 18 12 3 YES. 

WESTERN RIVERS (WR) .... 18 12 3 YES. 

(2) APPRENTICE MATE OF TOWING VESSELS -LIMITED NOT APPLICABLE ................ 18 12 3 YES. 

1Service is in months. 

2TOS is time of service. 

3The examination for Apprentice Mate is specified in subpart I of this part. 

(b) Those holding a License or 

endorsement as Apprentice Mate of 

Towing Vessels may obtain a restricted 

endorsement as Apprentice Mate of 

Towing Vessels-Limited. This 

endorsement will go on the mariner’s 

MMC after passing an examination for a 

route that is not included in the current 

endorsements and on which the 

mariners have no operating experience. 

Upon completion of 3 months of 

experience on that route, mariners may 

have the restriction removed. 

■ 91. Amend § 11.467 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.467 Requirements for a national 

endorsement as Operator of Uninspected 

Passenger Vessels of less than 100 GRT. 

(a) This section applies to an 

applicant for an endorsement as 

Operator of Uninspected Passenger 

Vessels (OUPV) of less than 100 GRT, 

equipped with propulsion machinery of 

any type, carrying six or fewer 

passengers. 

* * * * * 

■ 92. Revise § 11.470 to read as follows: 

§ 11.470 National officer endorsements as 

Offshore Installation Manager. 

(a) Officer endorsements as Offshore 

Installation Manager (OIM) include: 

(1) OIM Unrestricted. 

(2) OIM Surface Units on Location. 

(3) OIM Surface Units Underway. 

(4) OIM Bottom Bearing Units on 

Location. 

(5) OIM Bottom Bearing Units 

Underway. 

(b) To qualify for an endorsement as 

OIM Unrestricted, an applicant must— 

(1) Present evidence of one of the 

following: 

(i) Four years of employment assigned 

to MODUs, including at least 1 year of 

service as Driller, Assistant Driller, 

Toolpusher, Assistant Toolpusher, 

Barge Supervisor, Mechanical 

Supervisor, Electrician, Crane Operator, 

Ballast Control Operator, or equivalent 

supervisory position on MODUs, with a 

minimum of 14 days of that supervisory 

service on surface units; or 

(ii) A degree from a program in 

engineering or engineering technology 

which is accredited by the Accreditation 

Board for Engineering and Technology 

(ABET). The National Maritime Center 

will give consideration to accepting 

education credentials from programs 

having other than ABET accreditation. 

An applicant qualifying through a 

degree program must also have at least 

168 days of service as Driller, Assistant 

Driller, Toolpusher, Assistant 

Toolpusher, Barge Supervisor, 

Mechanical Supervisor, Electrician, 

Crane Operator, Ballast Control 

Operator, or equivalent supervisory 

position on MODUs, with a minimum of 

14 days of that supervisory service on 

surface units; 

(2) Present evidence of training course 

completion as follows: 

(i) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved stability course approved for 

OIM Unrestricted. 

(ii) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved survival suit and survival craft 

training course. 

(iii) A certificate from a firefighting 

training course as required by 

§ 11.201(h); and 

(3) Provide a recommendation signed 

by a senior company official which— 

(i) Provides a description of the 

applicant’s experience and 

qualifications; 

(ii) Certifies that the individual has 

successfully directed, while under the 

supervision of an experienced rig 

mover, two rig moves each of surface 

units and of bottom bearing units; and 

(iii) Certifies that one of the rig moves 

required under paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of 

this section was completed within 1 

year preceding date of application. 

(c) An applicant for an endorsement 

as OIM Unrestricted who holds an 

unlimited license or MMC endorsement 

as Master or Chief Mate must satisfy the 

requirements in paragraphs (b)(2) and 

(3) of this section and have at least 84 

days of service on surface units and at 

least 28 days of service on bottom 

bearing units. 

(d) To qualify for an endorsement as 

OIM Surface Units on Location, an 

applicant must— 

(1) Present evidence of one of the 

following: 

(i) Four years of employment assigned 

to MODUs, including at least 1 year of 

service as Driller, Assistant Driller, 

Toolpusher, Assistant Toolpusher, 

Barge Supervisor, Mechanical 

Supervisor, Electrician, Crane Operator, 

Ballast Control Operator, or equivalent 

supervisory position on MODUs, with a 

minimum of 14 days of that supervisory 

service on surface units. 

(ii) A degree from a program in 

engineering or engineering technology 

which is accredited by the Accreditation 

Board for Engineering and Technology 

(ABET). The National Maritime Center 

will give consideration to accepting 

education credentials from programs 

having other than ABET accreditation. 

An applicant qualifying through a 

degree program must also have at least 

168 days of service as Driller, Assistant 

Driller, Toolpusher, Assistant 

Toolpusher, Barge Supervisor, 

Mechanical Supervisor, Electrician, 

Crane Operator, Ballast Control 

Operator, or equivalent supervisory 

position of MODUs, with a minimum of 

14 days of that supervisory service on 

surface units; and 

(2) Present evidence of training course 

completion as follows: 

(i) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved stability course approved for a 

License or MMC endorsement as OIM 

Surface Units. 

(ii) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved survival suit and survival craft 

training course. 

(iii) A certificate from a firefighting 

training course as required by 

§ 11.201(h). 

(e) An applicant for an endorsement 

as OIM Surface Units on Location who 


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holds an unlimited License or MMC 

endorsement as Master or Chief Mate 

must satisfy the requirements of 

paragraph (d)(2) of this section and have 

at least 84 days of service on surface 

units. 

(f) To qualify for an endorsement as 

OIM Surface Units Underway, an 

applicant must— 

(1) Provide the following: 

(i) Evidence of the experience 

described in paragraph (d)(1) of this 

section and a recommendation signed 

by a senior company official which— 

(A) Provides a description of the 

applicant’s experience and 

qualifications; 

(B) Certifies that the individual has 

successfully directed, while under the 

supervision of an experienced rig 

mover, three rig moves of surface units; 

and 

(C) Certifies that one of the rig moves 

required under paragraph (f)(1)(i)(B) of 

this section was completed within 1 

year preceding date of application; or 

(ii) A recommendation signed by a 

senior company official which— 

(A) Provides a description of the 

applicant’s experience and company 

qualifications program completed; 

(B) Certifies that the applicant has 

witnessed ten rig moves either as an 

observer in training or as a rig mover 

under supervision; 

(C) Certifies that the individual has 

successfully directed, while under the 

supervision of an experienced rig 

mover, five rig moves of surface units; 

and 

(D) Certifies that one of the rig moves 

required under paragraph (f)(1)(ii)(C) of 

this section was completed within 1 

year preceding the date of application; 

and 

(2) Present evidence of training course 

completion as follows: 

(i) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved stability course approved for 

an OIM Surface Units Endorsement. 

(ii) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved survival suit and survival craft 

training course. 

(iii) A certificate from a firefighting 

training course as required by 

§ 11.201(h). 

(g) An applicant for endorsement as 

OIM Surface Units Underway who 

holds an unlimited License or MMC 

endorsement as Master or Chief Mate 

must satisfy the requirements in 

paragraph (f)(2) of this section and 

provide a company recommendation 

signed by a senior company official 

which— 

(1) Provides a description of the 

applicant’s experience and 

qualifications; 

(2) Certifies that the individual has 

successfully directed, while under the 

supervision of an experienced rig 

mover, three rig moves on surface units; 

and 

(3) Certifies that one of the rig moves 

required under paragraph (g)(2) of this 

section was completed within 1 year 

preceding the date of application. 

(h) To qualify for an endorsement as 

OIM Bottom Bearing Units on Location, 

an applicant must— 

(1) Present evidence of one of the 

following: 

(i) Four years of employment assigned 

to MODUs, including at least 1 year of 

service as Driller, Assistant Driller, 

Toolpusher, Assistant Toolpusher, 

Barge Supervisor, Mechanical 

Supervisor, Electrician, Crane Operator, 

Ballast Control Operator, or equivalent 

supervisory position on MODUs. 

(ii) A degree from a program in 

engineering or engineering technology 

that is accredited by ABET. The 

National Maritime Center will give 

consideration to accepting education 

credentials from programs having other 

than ABET accreditation. An applicant 

qualifying through a degree program 

must also have at least 168 days of 

service as Driller, Assistant Driller, 

Toolpusher, Assistant Toolpusher, 

Barge Supervisor, Mechanical 

Supervisor, Electrician, Crane Operator, 

Ballast Control Operator, or equivalent 

supervisory position on MODUs; and 

(2) Present evidence of training course 

completion as follows: 

(i) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved survival suit and survival craft 

training course. 

(ii) A certificate from a firefighting 

training course as required by 

§ 11.201(h). 

(i) An applicant for an endorsement as 

OIM Bottom Bearing Units on Location 

who holds an unlimited License or 

MMC endorsement as Master or Chief 

Mate must satisfy paragraph (h)(2) of 

this section and have at least 28 days of 

service on bottom bearing units. 

(j) To qualify for an endorsement as 

OIM Bottom Bearing Units Underway, 

an applicant must— 

(1) Provide the following: 

(i) Evidence of the experience 

described in paragraph (h)(1) of this 

section with a recommendation signed 

by a senior company official which— 

(A) Provides a description of the 

applicant’s experience and 

qualifications; 

(B) Certifies that the individual has 

successfully directed, while under the 

supervision of an experienced rig 

mover, three rig moves of bottom 

bearing units; and 

(C) Certifies that one of the rig moves 

required under paragraph (j)(1)(i)(B) of 

this section was completed within 1 

year preceding date of application; or 

(ii) A recommendation signed by a 

senior company official which— 

(A) Provides a description of the 

applicant’s experience and company 

qualifications program completed; 

(B) Certifies that the applicant has 

witnessed ten rig moves either as an 

Observer in training or as a rig mover 

under supervision; 

(C) Certifies that the individual has 

successfully directed, while under the 

supervision of an experienced rig 

mover, five rig moves of bottom bearing 

units; and 

(D) Certifies that one of the rig moves 

required under paragraph (j)(1)(ii)(C) of 

this section was completed within 1 

year preceding date of application; and 

(2) Present evidence of training course 

completion as follows: 

(i) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved stability course approved for a 

License or MMC endorsement as OIM 

Bottom Bearing Units. 

(ii) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved survival suit and survival craft 

training course. 

(iii) A certificate from a firefighting 

training course as required by 

§ 11.201(h). 

(k) An applicant for endorsement as 

OIM Bottom Bearing Units Underway 

who holds an unlimited License or 

MMC endorsement as Master or Chief 

Mate must satisfy the requirements in 

paragraph (j)(2) of this section and 

provide a company recommendation 

signed by a senior company official, 

which— 

(1) Provides a description of the 

applicant’s experience and 

qualifications; 

(2) Certifies that the individual has 

successfully directed, while under the 

supervision of an experienced rig 

mover, three rig moves of bottom 

bearing units; and 

(3) Certifies that one of the rig moves 

required under paragraph (k)(2) of this 

section was completed within 1 year 

preceding the date of application. 

■ 93. Revise § 11.472 to read as follows: 

§ 11.472 National officer endorsements as 

Barge Supervisor. 

(a) To qualify for an endorsement as 

Barge Supervisor (BS), an applicant 

must— 

(1) Present evidence of one of the 

following: 

(i) Three years of employment 

assigned to MODUs including at least 

168 days of service as Driller, Assistant 

Driller, Toolpusher, Assistant 

Toolpusher, Mechanic, Electrician, 

Crane Operator, Subsea Specialist, 

Ballast Control Operator (BCO), or 


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equivalent supervisory position on 

MODUs. At least 84 days of that service 

must have been as a BCO, or Barge 

Supervisor trainee. 

(ii) A degree from a program in 

engineering or engineering technology 

that is accredited by the Accreditation 

Board for Engineering and Technology 

(ABET). The National Maritime Center 

will give consideration to accepting 

education credentials from programs 

having other than ABET accreditation. 

An applicant qualifying through a 

degree program must also have at least 

168 days of service as Driller, Assistant 

Driller, Toolpusher, Assistant 

Toolpusher, Mechanic, Electrician, 

Crane Operator, Subsea Specialist, BCO, 

or equivalent supervisory position on 

MODUs. At least 84 days of that service 

must have been as a BCO, or Barge 

Supervisor trainee; and 

(2) Present evidence of one of the 

following: 

(i) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved stability course approved for 

Barge Supervisor; 

(ii) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved survival suit and survival craft 

training course; or 

(iii) A certificate from a firefighting 

training course as required by 

§ 11.201(h). 

(b) An applicant for an endorsement 

as Barge Supervisor who holds an 

unlimited license or MMC endorsement 

as Master or Mate must satisfy the 

requirements in paragraph (a)(2) of this 

section and have at least 84 days of 

service as BCO or Barge Supervisor 

trainee. 

■ 94. Revise § 11.474 to read as follows: 

§ 11.474 National officer endorsements as 

Ballast Control Operator. 

(a) To qualify for an endorsement as 

Ballast Control Operator (BCO), an 

applicant must— 

(1) Present evidence of one of the 

following: 

(i) One year of employment assigned 

to MODUs, including at least 28 days of 

service as a trainee under the 

supervision of an individual holding a 

License or MMC endorsement as BCO. 

(ii) A degree from a program in 

engineering or engineering technology 

that is accredited by the Accreditation 

Board for Engineering and Technology 

(ABET). The National Maritime Center 

will give consideration to accepting 

education credentials from programs 

having other than ABET accreditation. 

An applicant qualifying through a 

degree program must also have at least 

28 days of service as a trainee under the 

supervision of an individual holding a 

License or MMC endorsement as BCO; 

and 

(2) Present evidence of training course 

completion as follows: 

(i) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved stability course approved for 

Barge Supervisor or BCO. 

(ii) A certificate from a Coast Guardapproved survival suit and survival craft 

training course. 

(iii) A certificate from a firefighting 

training course as required by 

§ 11.201(h). 

(b) An applicant for an endorsement 

as BCO who holds an unlimited License 

or MMC endorsement as Master, Mate, 

Chief Engineer, or Assistant Engineer 

must satisfy the requirements in 

paragraph (a)(2) of this section and have 

at least 28 days of service as a trainee 

under the supervision of an individual 

holding an endorsement as BCO. 

■ 95. Revise § 11.480 to read as follows: 

§ 11.480 Radar Observer. 

(a) This section contains the 

requirements that an applicant must 

meet to qualify as a Radar Observer. 

(b) If an applicant meets the 

requirements of this section, one of the 

following Radar Observer endorsements 

will be added to their MMC: 

(1) Radar Observer-Unlimited. 

(2) Radar Observer-Inland Waters and 

Gulf Intracoastal Waterways (GIWW). 

(3) Radar Observer-Rivers. 

(c) Radar Observer-Unlimited is valid 

on all waters. Radar Observer-Inland 

Waters and GIWW is valid only for 

those waters other than the Great Lakes 

covered by the Inland Navigational 

Rules. Radar Observer-Rivers is valid 

only on any river, canal, or similar body 

of water designated by the OCMI, but 

not beyond the boundary line. 

(d) Except as provided by paragraphs 

(f) or (g) of this section, each applicant 

for a Radar Observer endorsement or for 

renewal of a Radar Observer 

endorsement must complete the 

appropriate course approved by the 

Coast Guard, receive the appropriate 

certificate of training, and present the 

certificate or a copy of the certificate to 

the Coast Guard in person, by mail, fax, 

or other electronic means. 

(e) A Radar Observer endorsement 

issued under this section is valid until 

the expiration of the mariner’s MMC. 

(f) A mariner may also renew their 

Radar Observer endorsement by 

providing evidence of meeting the 

requirements in § 10.227(e)(1)(v) of this 

subchapter. 

(g) The Coast Guard will accept onboard training and experience through 

acceptable documentary evidence of 1 

year of relevant sea service within the 

last 5 years in a position that routinely 

uses radar for navigation and collision 

avoidance purposes on vessels equipped 

with radar as meeting the refresher or 

re-certification requirements of 

paragraph (d) of this section. This also 

applies to mariners applying for raises 

of grade or new endorsements under 

§ 10.231 of this subchapter. 

(h) An applicant for renewal of an 

MMC who does not provide evidence of 

meeting the renewal requirements of 

paragraph (d), (f), or (g) of this section 

will not have a Radar Observer 

endorsement placed on their MMC. 

■ 96. Revise § 11.482 to read as follows: 

§ 11.482 Assistance Towing. 

(a) This section contains the 

requirements to qualify for an 

endorsement authorizing a mariner to 

engage in assistance towing. Except as 

noted in this paragraph, holders of 

MMC officer and OUPV endorsements 

must have an Assistance Towing 

endorsement to engage in assistance 

towing. Holders of endorsements as 

Master or Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels 

or Master or Mate endorsements 

authorizing service on inspected vessels 

of 200 GRT or more do not need the 

Assistance Towing endorsement. 

(b) An applicant for an Assistance 

Towing endorsement must pass a 

written examination or complete a Coast 

Guard-approved course demonstrating 

their knowledge of assistance towing 

safety, equipment, and procedures. 

(c) The holder of a License or MMC 

for Master, Mate, or operator endorsed 

for Assistance Towing is authorized to 

engage in assistance towing on any 

vessel within the scope of the License 

or MMC. 

(d) The period of validity of the 

endorsement is the same as the License 

or MMC on which it is included, and it 

may be renewed with the MMC. 

■ 97. Amend § 11.491 by revising 

paragraph (a) to read as follows: 

§ 11.491 National officer endorsements for 

service on offshore supply vessels. 

(a) Each officer endorsement for 

service on offshore supply vessels 

(OSVs) authorizes service on OSVs as 

defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(19) and as 

interpreted under 46 U.S.C. 14104(b), 

subject to any restrictions placed on the 

License or MMC. 

* * * * * 

■ 98. Amend § 11.493 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) 

through (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.493 Master-OSV. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Master-OSV of less than 1,600 GRT/ 

3,000 GT is 24 months of total service 

as Mate, Chief Mate, or Master of ocean 

or near-coastal and/or Great Lakes on 


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self-propelled vessels of more than 100 

GRT. Service on inland waters may 

substitute for up to 50 percent of the 

required service. At least one-half of the 

required experience must be served as 

Chief Mate. 

(b) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for Master-OSV of 

1,600 GRT/3,000 GT or more is 24 

months of total service as Mate, Chief 

Mate, or Master of ocean or near-coastal 

and/or Great Lakes on self-propelled 

vessels of more than 100 GRT. At least 

one-half of the required experience must 

be served as Chief Mate and be obtained 

on vessels of 1,600 GRT/3,000 GT or 

more. 

(c) If an applicant for Master-OSV of 

more than 1,600 GRT/3,000 GT does not 

have the service on vessels of 1,600 

GRT/3,000 GT or more as required by 

paragraph (b) of this section, a tonnage 

limitation will be placed on the officer 

endorsement based on the applicant’s 

qualifying experience. The endorsement 

will be limited to the maximum tonnage 

on which at least 25 percent of the 

required experience was obtained, or 

150 percent of the maximum tonnage on 

which at least 50 percent of the service 

was obtained, whichever is higher. 

However, the minimum tonnage 

limitation calculated according to this 

paragraph will be 2,000 GRT. 

Limitations are in multiples of 1,000 

GRT using the next higher figure when 

an intermediate tonnage is calculated. In 

no case will the limitation exceed 

10,000 GRT/GT for OSVs unless the 

applicant meets the full requirements 

for an unlimited tonnage endorsement. 

(d) A person holding an endorsement 

as Master-OSV may qualify for an STCW 

endorsement, according to §§ 11.305 

and 11.311. 

* * * * * 

■ 99. Amend § 11.495 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) 

through (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.495 Chief Mate-OSV. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Chief Mate-OSV of less than 1,600 

GRT/3,000 GT is 12 months of total 

service as Mate, Chief Mate, or Master 

of ocean or near-coastal and/or Great 

Lakes on self-propelled vessels of more 

than 100 GRT. Service on inland waters 

may substitute for up to 50 percent of 

the required service. 

(b) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for as Chief MateOSV of 1,600 GRT/3,000 GT or more is 

12 months of total service as Mate, Chief 

Mate, or Master of ocean or near-coastal 

and/or Great Lakes on self-propelled 

vessels of more than 100 GRT. At least 

one-half of the required experience must 

be obtained on vessels of 1,600 GRT/ 

3,000 GT or more. 

(c) If an applicant for as Chief MateOSV of 1,600 GRT/3,000 GT or more 

does not have the service on vessels of 

1,600 GRT/3,000 GT or more as required 

by paragraph (b) of this section, a 

tonnage limitation will be placed on the 

officer endorsement based on the 

applicant’s qualifying experience. The 

endorsement will be limited to the 

maximum tonnage on which at least 25 

percent of the required experience was 

obtained, or 150 percent of the 

maximum tonnage on which at least 50 

percent of the service was obtained, 

whichever is higher. However, the 

minimum tonnage limitation calculated 

according to this paragraph will be 

2,000 GRT. Limitations are in multiples 

of 1,000 GRT using the next higher 

figure when an intermediate tonnage is 

calculated. In no case will the limitation 

exceed 10,000 GRT/GT for OSVs unless 

the applicant meets the full 

requirements for an unlimited tonnage 

endorsement. 

(d) A person holding an endorsement 

as Chief Mate-OSV may qualify for an 

STCW endorsement, according to 

§§ 11.307 and 11.313. 

* * * * * 

■ 100. Amend § 11.497 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(b) to read as follows: 

§ 11.497 Mate-OSV. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Mate-OSV is— 

(1) Twenty-four months of total 

service in the deck department of ocean 

or near-coastal self-propelled, sail, or 

auxiliary sail vessels. Service on Great 

Lakes and inland waters may substitute 

for up to 1 year of the required service. 

One year of the required service must 

have been on vessels of more than 100 

GRT; or 

(2) One year of total service as part of 

an approved or accepted Mate-OSV 

training program. 

(b) A person holding an endorsement 

as Mate-OSV may qualify for an STCW 

endorsement, according to § 11.309. 

* * * * * 

■ 101. Revise § 11.501 to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.501 Grades and types of national 

engineer endorsements issued. 

(a) National engineer endorsements 

are issued in the grades of— 

(1) Chief Engineer; 

(2) First Assistant Engineer; 

(3) Second Assistant Engineer; 

(4) Third Assistant Engineer; 

(5) Chief Engineer-Limited; 

(6) Assistant Engineer-Limited; 

(7) Designated Duty Engineer (DDE); 

(8) Chief Engineer Uninspected 

Fishing Industry Vessels; 

(9) Assistant Engineer Uninspected 

Fishing Industry Vessels; 

(10) Chief Engineer-MODU; 

(11) Assistant Engineer-MODU; 

(12) Chief Engineer-OSV; and 

(13) Assistant Engineer-OSV. 

(b) Engineer endorsements issued in 

the grades of Chief Engineer-Limited 

and Assistant Engineer-Limited of 

steam, motor, and/or gas turbinepropelled vessels allow the holder to 

serve within any propulsion power 

limitations on vessels of unlimited 

tonnage on inland waters and of less 

than 1,600 GRT in ocean, near-coastal, 

or Great Lakes service in the following 

manner: 

(1) Chief Engineer-Limited may serve 

on oceans and near-coastal waters. 

(2) Assistant Engineer-Limited may 

serve on ocean and near-coastal waters. 

(c) Engineer Licenses or MMC 

endorsements issued in the grades of 

Designated Duty Engineer of steam, 

motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled 

vessels allow the holder to serve within 

stated propulsion power limitations on 

vessels of less than 500 GRT in the 

following manner: 

(1) Designated Duty EngineersLimited to vessels of less than 1,000 HP 

or 4,000 HP may serve only on nearcoastal or inland waters. 

(2) Designated Duty EngineersUnlimited may serve on any waters. 

(d) An engineer officer License or 

MMC endorsement authorizes service 

on steam, motor, or gas turbinepropelled vessels or may authorize all 

modes of propulsion. 

(e) A person holding an engineer 

License or MMC endorsement that is 

restricted to near-coastal waters may 

serve within the limitations of the 

License or MMC upon near-coastal, 

Great Lakes, and inland waters. 

■ 102. Amend § 11.502 by revising 

paragraph (b) to read as follows: 

§ 11.502 General requirements for national 

engineer endorsements. 

* * * * * 

(b) If an applicant desires to add a 

propulsion mode (steam, motor, or gas 

turbine) to their endorsement while 

holding a License or MMC officer 

endorsement in that grade, the following 

alternatives are acceptable: 

(1) Four months of service as an 

observer on vessels of the new 

propulsion mode. 

(2) Four months of service as an 

engineer officer at the operational level 

on vessels of the new propulsion mode. 


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(3) Six months of service as Oiler, 

Boiler Technician/Watertender, or 

Junior Engineer on vessels of the new 

propulsion mode. 

(4) Completion of a Coast Guardapproved training course for this 

endorsement. 

■ 103. Amend § 11.503 by revising 

paragraphs (a) and (c)(3) and (4) to read 

as follows: 

§ 11.503 Propulsion power limitations for 

national endorsements. 

(a) Engineer endorsements of all 

grades and types may be subject to 

propulsion power limitations. Other 

than as provided in § 11.524 for the 

Designated Duty Engineer (DDE), the 

propulsion power limitation placed on 

a License or MMC endorsement is based 

on the applicant’s qualifying experience 

considering the total shaft propulsion 

power of each vessel on which the 

applicant has served. 

* * * * * 

(c) * * * 

(3) Twelve months of service as Oiler 

or Junior Engineer while holding a 

License or MMC endorsement as Third 

Assistant Engineer or Assistant 

Engineer-Limited: Removal of all 

propulsion power limitations on Third 

Assistant Engineer or Assistant 

Engineer-Limited endorsement. 

(4) Six months of service as Oiler or 

Junior Engineer while holding a License 

or MMC endorsement as Second 

Assistant Engineer: removal of all 

propulsion power limitations on Third 

Assistant Engineer endorsement. 

* * * * * 

■ 104. Revise § 11.504 to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.504 Application of deck service for 

national limited engineer endorsements. 

Service gained in the deck department 

on vessels of appropriate tonnage may 

substitute for up to 25 percent or 6 

months, whichever is less, of the service 

requirement for an endorsement as 

Chief Engineer-Limited, Assistant 

Engineer-Limited, or DDE. 

■ 105. Amend § 11.510 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.510 Service requirements for national 

endorsement as Chief Engineer of steam, 

motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled 

vessels. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for endorsement as 

Chief Engineer of steam, motor, and/or 

gas turbine-propelled vessels is— 

(1) One year of service as First 

Assistant Engineer; or 

(2) One year of service while holding 

a License or MMC endorsement as First 

Assistant Engineer. A minimum of 6 

months of this service must have been 

as First Assistant Engineer, and the 

remainder must be as Assistant 

Engineer. Service as an Assistant 

Engineer other than First Assistant 

Engineer is accepted on a two-for-one 

basis to a maximum of 6 months (2 days 

of service as a Second or Third Assistant 

Engineer equals 1 day of creditable 

service). 

* * * * * 

■ 106. Amend § 11.512 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.512 Service requirements for national 

endorsement as First Assistant Engineer of 

steam, motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled 

vessels. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for endorsement as 

First Assistant Engineer of steam, motor, 

and/or gas turbine-propelled vessels 

is— 

(1) One year of service as an Assistant 

Engineer while holding a License or 

MMC with a Second Assistant Engineer 

endorsement; or 

(2) One year of service as a Chief 

Engineer-Limited and completing the 

appropriate examination described in 

subpart I of this part. 

* * * * * 

■ 107. Amend § 11.514 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.514 Service requirements for national 

endorsement as Second Assistant Engineer 

of steam, motor, and/or gas turbinepropelled vessels. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for endorsement as 

Second Assistant Engineer of steam, 

motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled 

vessels is— 

(1) One year of service as an Assistant 

Engineer, while holding a License or 

MMC endorsement as Third Assistant 

Engineer; or 

(2) One year of service while holding 

a License or MMC endorsement as Third 

Assistant Engineer, which includes— 

(i) A minimum of 6 months of service 

as Third Assistant Engineer; and 

(ii) Additional service as a Qualified 

Member of the Engine Department 

(QMED), calculated on a two-for-one 

basis. 

* * * * * 

■ 108. Amend § 11.516 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.516 Service requirements for national 

endorsement as Third Assistant Engineer of 

steam, motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled 

vessels. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for endorsement as 

Third Assistant Engineer of steam, 

motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled 

vessels is— 

(1) Three years of service in the 

engineroom of vessels, 2 years of which 

must have been as a Qualified Member 

of the Engine Department (QMED) or 

equivalent position; 

(2) Three years of service as an 

apprentice to the machinist trade 

engaged in the construction or repair of 

marine, locomotive, or stationary 

engines, together with 1 year of service 

in the engineroom as Oiler, Boiler 

Technician/Watertender, or Junior 

Engineer; 

(3) Graduation from— 

(i) The U.S. Merchant Marine 

Academy (engineering curriculum); 

(ii) The U.S. Coast Guard Academy 

and completion of an onboard engineer 

officer qualification program required 

by the service; 

(iii) The U.S. Naval Academy and 

completion of an onboard engineer 

officer qualification program required 

by the service; or 

(iv) The engineering class of a 

Maritime Academy approved by and 

conducted under the rules prescribed by 

the Maritime Administrator and listed 

in part 310 of this title; 

(4) Graduation from the marine 

engineering course of a school of 

technology accredited by the 

Accreditation Board for Engineering and 

Technology, together with 3 months of 

service in the engine department of 

steam, motor, or gas turbine-propelled 

vessels; 

(5) Graduation from the mechanical or 

electrical engineering course of a school 

of technology accredited by the ABET, 

together with 6 months of service in the 

engine department of steam, motor, or 

gas turbine-propelled vessels; 

(6) Satisfactory completion of a 

comprehensive Apprentice Engineer 

training program approved by the Coast 

Guard; or 

(7) One year of service as Assistant 

Engineer-Limited of self-propelled 

vessels and completion of the 

appropriate examination described in 

subpart I of this part. 

* * * * * 

■ 109. Amend § 11.518 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 


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§ 11.518 Service requirements for national 

endorsement as Chief Engineer-Limited of 

steam, motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled 

vessels. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for endorsement as 

Chief Engineer-Limited of steam, motor, 

and/or gas turbine-propelled vessels is 5 

years of total service in the engineroom 

of vessels. Two years of this service 

must have been as an engineer officer 

while holding an engineer officer 

endorsement. Thirty months of the 

service must have been as a Qualified 

Member of the Engine Department 

(QMED) or equivalent position. 

* * * * * 

■ 110. Amend § 11.522 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) to 

read as follows: 

§ 11.522 Service requirements for national 

endorsement as Assistant Engineer-Limited 

of steam, motor, and/or gas turbinepropelled vessels. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for endorsement as 

Assistant Engineer-Limited of steam, 

motor, and/or gas turbine-propelled 

vessels is 3 years of service in the 

engineroom of vessels. Eighteen months 

of this service must have been as a 

Qualified Member of the Engine 

Department (QMED) or equivalent 

position. 

* * * * * 

■ 111. Amend § 11.524 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(b) to read as follows: 

§ 11.524 Service requirements for national 

endorsement as Designated Duty Engineer 

of steam, motor, and/or gas turbinepropelled vessels. 

(a) Designated Duty Engineer (DDE) 

endorsements are issued in three levels 

of propulsion power limitations 

dependent upon the total service of the 

applicant and completion of an 

appropriate examination. These 

endorsements are limited to vessels of 

less than 500 GRT on certain waters as 

specified in § 11.501. 

(b) The service requirements for 

endorsements as DDE are— 

(1) For DDE of steam, motor, and/or 

gas turbine-propelled vessels of 

unlimited propulsion power, the 

applicant must have 3 years of service 

in the engineroom. Eighteen months of 

this service must have been as a 

Qualified Member of the Engine 

Department (QMED) or equivalent 

position; 

(2) For DDE of steam, motor, and/or 

gas turbine-propelled vessels of less 

than 4,000 HP/3,000 kW, the applicant 

must have 2 years of service in the 

engineroom. One year of this service 

must have been as a QMED or 

equivalent position; and 

(3) For DDE of steam, motor, and/or 

gas turbine-propelled vessels of less 

than 1,000 HP/750 kW, the applicant 

must have 1 year of service in the 

engineroom. Six months of this service 

must have been as a QMED or 

equivalent position. 

* * * * * 

■ 112. Amend § 11.530 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) 

through (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.530 Endorsements as Engineer of 

Uninspected Fishing Industry Vessels. 

(a) This section applies to 

endorsements for Chief and Assistant 

Engineer of all vessels, however 

propelled, which are documented to 

engage in the fishing industry, with the 

exception of— 

(1) Wooden ships of primitive build; 

(2) Unrigged vessels; and 

(3) Vessels of less than 200 GRT. 

(b) Endorsements as Chief Engineer 

and Assistant Engineer of Uninspected 

Fishing Industry Vessels are issued for 

ocean waters and with propulsion 

power limitations in accordance with 

the provisions of § 11.503. 

(c) For an endorsement as Chief 

Engineer, the applicant must have 

served 4 years in the engineroom of 

vessels. One year of this service must 

have been as an Assistant Engineer 

Officer or equivalent position. 

(d) For an endorsement as Assistant 

Engineer, an applicant must have served 

3 years in the engineroom of vessels. 

* * * * * 

■ 113. Revise § 11.540 to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.540 Endorsements as engineers of 

mobile offshore drilling units. 

Endorsements as Chief EngineerMobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) 

or Assistant Engineer-MODU authorize 

service on certain self-propelled or nonself-propelled units of unlimited 

propulsion power where authorized by 

the vessel’s certificate of inspection. 

■ 114. Amend § 11.542 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(b) to read as follows: 

§ 11.542 Endorsement as Chief EngineerMODU. 

(a) To qualify for an endorsement as 

Chief Engineer-MODU an applicant 

must— 

(1) Present evidence of one of the 

following: 

(i) Six years of employment assigned 

to MODUs, including 3 years of 

employment as Mechanic, Motorman, 

Subsea Engineer, Electrician, Barge 

Engineer, Toolpusher, Unit 

Superintendent, Crane Operator, or 

equivalent. Eighteen months of that 

employment must have been assigned to 

self-propelled or propulsion assisted 

units. 

(ii) Two years of employment 

assigned to MODUs as an Assistant 

Engineer-MODU. Twelve months of that 

employment must have been assigned to 

self-propelled or propulsion assisted 

units; and 

(2) Present evidence of completion of 

a firefighting training course as required 

by § 11.201(h). 

(b) If an applicant successfully 

completes an examination and 

possesses the total required sea service 

for an endorsement as Chief EngineerMODU, but does not possess the 

required sea service onboard selfpropelled or propulsion assisted units, 

the Coast Guard may issue the applicant 

an endorsement limited to non-selfpropelled units. The Coast Guard may 

remove the limitation upon presentation 

of satisfactory evidence of the required 

self-propelled sea service and 

completion of any additional required 

examination. 

* * * * * 

■ 115. Amend § 11.544 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(b) to read as follows: 

§ 11.544 Endorsement as Assistant 

Engineer-MODU. 

(a) To qualify for an endorsement as 

Assistant Engineer-MODU an applicant 

must— 

(1) Present evidence of one of the 

following: 

(i) Three years of employment 

assigned to MODUs, including 18 

months of employment as Mechanic, 

Motorman, Subsea Engineer, Electrician, 

Barge Engineer, Toolpusher, Unit 

Superintendent, Crane Operator, or 

equivalent. Nine months of that 

employment must have been assigned to 

self-propelled or propulsion assisted 

unit. 

(ii) Three years of employment in the 

machinist trade engaged in the 

construction or repair of diesel engines 

and 1 year of employment assigned to 

MODUs in the capacity of Mechanic, 

Motorman, Oiler, or equivalent. Nine 

months of that employment must have 

been assigned to self-propelled or 

propulsion assisted units. 

(iii) A degree from a program in 

marine, mechanical, or electrical 

engineering technology that is 

accredited by the Accreditation Board 

for Engineering and Technology (ABET). 

The National Maritime Center will give 

consideration to accepting education 

credentials from programs having other 

than ABET accreditation. An applicant 


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qualifying through a degree program 

must also have at least 6 months of 

employment in any of the capacities 

listed in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this 

section aboard self-propelled or 

propulsion-assisted units; and 

(2) Present evidence of completion of 

a firefighting training course as required 

by § 11.201(h). 

(b) If an applicant successfully 

completes an examination and 

possesses the total required sea service 

for an endorsement as an Assistant 

Engineer-MODU, but does not possess 

the required sea service onboard selfpropelled or propulsion assisted units, 

the Coast Guard may issue the applicant 

an endorsement limited to non-selfpropelled units. The Coast Guard may 

remove the limitation upon presentation 

of the satisfactory evidence of the 

required self-propelled sea service and 

completion of any additional required 

examination. 

* * * * * 

■ 116. Revise § 11.551 to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.551 Endorsements for service on 

offshore supply vessels. 

Each endorsement for service on 

offshore supply vessels (OSVs) as Chief 

Engineer-OSV or Engineer-OSV 

authorizes service on OSVs as defined 

in 46 U.S.C. 2101(19) and as interpreted 

under 46 U.S.C. 14104(b), subject to any 

restrictions placed on the MMC. 

■ 117. Amend § 11.553 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(c) to read as follows: 

§ 11.553 Chief Engineer-OSV. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Chief Engineer-OSV is 4 years of total 

service in the engineroom of vessels. 

One year of this service must have been 

as an engineer officer while holding an 

engineer officer endorsement. Two years 

of the service must have been as a 

Qualified Member of the Engine 

Department (QMED) or equivalent 

position. 

* * * * * 

(c) A person holding an endorsement 

as Chief Engineer-OSV may qualify for 

an STCW endorsement, according to 

§§ 11.325, 11.327, and 11.331. 

* * * * * 

■ 118. Amend § 11.555 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) 

through (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.555 Assistant Engineer-OSV. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Assistant Engineer-OSV of unlimited 

propulsion power is— 

(1) Three years of service in the 

engineroom. Eighteen months of this 

service must have been as a Qualified 

Member of the Engine Department 

(QMED) or equivalent position; or 

(2) One year of total service as part of 

an approved or accepted Assistant 

Engineer-OSV training program. 

(b) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Assistant Engineer-OSV of less than 

4,000 HP/3,000 kW, is 2 years of service 

in the engineroom. One year of this 

service must have been as a QMED or 

equivalent position. 

(c) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as Assistant Engineer-OSV of less than 

1,000 HP/750 kW is 1 year of service in 

the engineroom. Six months of this 

service must have been as a QMED or 

equivalent position. 

(d) A person holding an endorsement 

as Assistant Engineer-OSV may qualify 

for an STCW endorsement, according to 

§§ 11.329 and 11.333. 

* * * * * 

■ 119. Revise § 11.601 to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.601 Applicability. 

This subpart provides for 

endorsement as Radio Officer for 

employment on vessels, and for the 

issue of STCW endorsements for those 

qualified to serve as Radio Operator on 

vessels subject to the provisions on the 

Global Maritime Distress and Safety 

System (GMDSS) of Chapter IV of 

SOLAS (incorporated by reference, see 

§ 11.102). 

■ 120. Revise § 11.603 to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.603 Requirements for Radio Officer 

endorsements. 

Each applicant for an original 

endorsement or renewal of License must 

present a current Radiotelegraph 

Operator License (T) issued by the 

Federal Communications Commission. 

The applicant must enter on the 

endorsement application form the 

number, class, and date of issuance of 

their Federal Communications 

Commission License. 

■ 121. Revise § 11.604 section heading 

to read as follows: 

§ 11.604 Requirements for an STCW 

endorsement for Global Maritime Distress 

and Safety System (GMDSS) Radio 

Operator. 

* * * * * 

■ 122. Revise § 11.701 to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.701 Scope of Pilot endorsements. 

(a) An applicant for an endorsement 

as First-Class Pilot need not hold any 

other officer endorsement issued under 

this part. 

(b) The issuance of an endorsement as 

First-Class Pilot to an individual 

qualifies that individual to serve as Pilot 

over the routes specified on the 

endorsement, subject to any limitations 

imposed under paragraph (c) of this 

section. 

(c) The OCMI issuing an endorsement 

as First-Class Pilot imposes appropriate 

limitations commensurate with the 

experience of the applicant, with 

respect to class or type of vessel, 

tonnage, route, and waters. 

(d) A License or MMC endorsement 

issued for service as a Master, Mate, or 

Operator of Uninspected Towing 

Vessels authorizes service as a Pilot 

under the provisions of § 15.812 of this 

subchapter. Therefore, First-Class Pilot 

endorsements will not be issued with 

tonnage limitations of 1,600 GRT or less. 

■ 123. Revise § 11.703 to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.703 Service requirements. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify an applicant for an endorsement 

as First-Class Pilot is predicated upon 

the nature of the waters for which 

pilotage is desired. 

(1) General routes (routes not 

restricted to rivers, canals and small 

lakes). The applicant must have at least 

36 months of service in the deck 

department of self-propelled vessels 

navigating on oceans, coastwise, and 

Great Lakes, or bays, sounds, and lakes 

other than the Great Lakes, as follows: 

(i) Eighteen months of the 36 months 

of service must be performing bridge 

watchkeeping duties under the 

supervision of the Master or a qualified 

officer. 

(ii) At least 12 months of the 18 

months of service required in paragraph 

(a)(1)(i) of this section must be on 

vessels operating on the class of waters 

for which pilotage is desired. 

(2) River routes. The applicant must 

have at least 36 months of service in the 

deck department of any vessel including 

at least 12 months of service on vessels 

operating on the waters of rivers while 

the applicant is performing bridge 

watchkeeping duties under the 

supervision of the Master or a qualified 

officer. 

(3) Canal and small lakes routes. The 

applicant must have at least 24 months 

of service in the deck department of any 

vessel including at least 8 months of 

service on vessels operating on canals or 

small lakes. 


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(b) A graduate of the Great Lakes 

Maritime Academy in the deck class 

meets the service requirements of this 

section for an endorsement as FirstClass Pilot on the Great Lakes. 

(c) Completion of an approved or 

accepted Pilot training course may be 

substituted for a portion of the service 

requirements of this section in 

accordance with § 10.404 of this 

subchapter. Additionally, roundtrips 

made during this training may apply 

toward the route familiarization 

requirements of § 11.705. An individual 

using substituted service must have at 

least 9 months of shipboard service. 

(d) An individual holding a License or 

MMC endorsement as Master or Mate of 

inspected self-propelled vessels of more 

than 1,600 GRT meets the service 

requirements of this section for an 

endorsement as First-Class Pilot. 

■ 124. Amend § 11.705 by revising 

paragraphs (b) and (c) to read as follows: 

§ 11.705 Route familiarization 

requirements. 

* * * * * 

(b) An applicant holding no other 

deck officer endorsement seeking an 

endorsement as First-Class Pilot must 

furnish evidence of having completed a 

minimum number of roundtrips, while 

serving as quartermaster, wheelsman, 

Able Seafarer, Apprentice Pilot, or in an 

equivalent capacity, standing regular 

watches at the wheel or in the pilot 

house as part of routine duties, over the 

route sought. Evidence of having 

completed a minimum number of 

roundtrips while serving as an observer, 

properly certified by the Master and/or 

Pilot of the vessel, is also acceptable. 

The range of roundtrips for an 

endorsement is a minimum of 12 

roundtrips and a maximum of 20 

roundtrips. An applicant may have 

additional routes added to the FirstClass Pilot endorsement by meeting the 

requirements in paragraph (c) of this 

section. 

(c) An applicant who currently holds 

a deck officer License or MMC 

endorsement seeking an endorsement as 

First-Class Pilot for a particular route 

must furnish evidence of having 

completed the number of roundtrips 

over the route, specified by the OCMI, 

within the range limitations of this 

paragraph, for the particular grade of 

existing License or MMC endorsement 

held. The range of roundtrips for an 

endorsement is a minimum of eight 

roundtrips and a maximum of 15 

roundtrips. 

* * * * * 

■ 125. Revise § 11.707 to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.707 Examination requirements. 

(a) An applicant for an endorsement 

as First-Class Pilot, except as noted in 

paragraph (b) of this section, is required 

to pass the examination described in 

subpart I of this part. 

(b) An applicant for an extension of 

route, or an applicant holding a License 

or MMC endorsement as Master or Mate 

authorized to serve on vessels of more 

than 1,600 GRT seeking an endorsement 

as First-Class Pilot, is required to pass 

those portions of the examination 

described in subpart I of this part that 

concern the specific route for which 

endorsement is sought. 

■ 126. Amend § 11.709 by revising 

paragraph (b) introductory text and 

paragraphs (c) and (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.709 Annual physical examination 

requirements. 

* * * * * 

(b) Every person holding an MMC 

endorsement as First-Class Pilot, or a 

Master or Mate serving as a Pilot under 

§ 15.812 of this subchapter, must have a 

thorough physical examination each 

year. This annual physical examination 

must be completed by the first day of 

the month following the anniversary of 

the individual’s most recently 

completed Coast Guard-required 

physical examination. Each annual 

physical examination must meet the 

requirements specified in part 10, 

subpart C, of this subchapter and be 

recorded on the form CG–719K. 

* * * * * 

(c) An individual’s First-Class Pilot 

endorsement becomes invalid on the 

first day of the month following the 

anniversary of the individual’s most 

recently completed Coast Guardrequired physical examination, if the 

person does not meet the physical 

examination requirement as provided in 

paragraph (b) of this section. The 

individual may not operate under the 

authority of that endorsement until a 

physical examination has been 

satisfactorily completed. 

(d) A Master or Mate may not serve 

as a Pilot on a vessel 1,600 GRT or more 

under § 15.812 of this subchapter if the 

person does not meet the physical 

examination requirements provided in 

paragraph (b) of this section. 

■ 127. Amend § 11.711 by revising 

paragraphs (a), (b), and (d) to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.711 Tonnage requirements. 

(a) In order to obtain a First-Class 

Pilot endorsement authorizing service 

on vessels of unlimited tonnage over a 

particular route, the applicant must 

have sufficient experience on vessels of 

more than 1,600 GRT. 

(b) For purposes of this section, an 

applicant is considered to have 

sufficient experience if the applicant 

has 18 months of experience as Master, 

Mate, quartermaster, wheelsman, Able 

Seafarer, Apprentice Pilot, or in an 

equivalent capacity, standing regular 

watches at the wheel or in the 

pilothouse as part of routine duties, on 

vessels of 1,600 GRT or more, and twothirds of the minimum number of 

roundtrips required for the route have 

been on vessels of 1,600 GRT or more. 

* * * * * 

(d) For purposes of this section, for 

experience with respect to tonnage on 

towing vessels, the combined gross 

tonnage of the towing vessels and the 

vessels towed will be considered. 

However, the Coast Guard may require 

that all or a portion of the required 

number of roundtrips be obtained on 

self-propelled vessels of 1,600 GRT or 

more, when the Coast Guard determines 

that due to the nature of the waters and 

the overall experience of the applicant, 

self-propelled vessel experience is 

necessary to obtain a First-Class Pilot 

endorsement that is not restricted to tug 

and barge combinations. 

■ 128. Revise § 11.713 to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.713 Requirements for maintaining 

current knowledge of waters to be 

navigated. 

(a) If a First-Class Pilot has not served 

over a particular route within the past 

60 months, that person’s License or 

MMC endorsement is invalid for that 

route, and remains invalid until the 

individual has made one refamiliarization round trip over that 

route, except as provided in paragraph 

(b) of this section. Whether this 

requirement is satisfied or not has no 

effect on the renewal of other Licenses 

or MMC endorsements. Roundtrips 

made within the 90-day period 

preceding renewal will be valid for the 

duration of the renewed License or 

MMC endorsement. 

(b) For certain long or extended 

routes, the OCMI may, at their 

discretion, allow the re-familiarization 

requirement to be satisfied by reviewing 

appropriate navigation charts, coast 

pilots tide and current tables, local 

Notice to Mariners, and any other 

materials that would provide the Pilot 

with current knowledge of the route. 

Persons using this method of refamiliarization must certify, when 

applying for renewal of their License or 

MMC endorsement, the material they 

have reviewed and the dates on which 

this was accomplished. Review within 

the 90-day period preceding renewal is 


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valid for the duration of the renewed 

MMC endorsement. 

■ 129. Amend § 11.807 by revising 

paragraphs (a) and (d) to read as follows: 

§ 11.807 Experience requirements for 

registry. 

(a) The applicant for a certificate of 

registry as staff officer must submit 

evidence of experience as follows: 

(1) Chief Purser. Two years of service 

aboard vessels performing duties 

relating to work in the Purser’s office. 

(2) Purser. One year of service aboard 

vessels performing duties relating to 

work in the Purser’s office. 

(3) Senior Assistant Purser. Six 

months of service aboard vessels 

performing duties relating to work in 

the Purser’s office. 

(4) Junior Assistant Purser. Previous 

experience not required. 

(5) Medical Doctor. A valid License as 

physician or surgeon issued under the 

authority of a state or territory of the 

United States, the Commonwealth of 

Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia. 

(6) Professional Nurse. A valid 

License as a registered nurse issued 

under authority of a state or territory of 

the United States, the Commonwealth of 

Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia. 

(7) Marine Physician Assistant. 

Successful completion of an accredited 

course of instruction for a physician’s 

assistant or nurse practitioner program. 

(8) Medical Technician. A rating of at 

least hospital corpsman or health 

services technician, first class, in the 

U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, or an 

equivalent rating in the U.S. Army (not 

less than Staff Sergeant, Medical 

Department, U.S.A.), or in the U.S. Air 

Force (not less than Technical Sergeant, 

Medical Department, U.S.A.F.), and a 

period of satisfactory service of at least 

1 month in a military hospital.. 

* * * * * 

(d) In the event an applicant for an 

endorsement, other than Medical Doctor 

or Professional Nurse, presents evidence 

of other qualifications that, in the 

opinion of the Coast Guard, is 

equivalent to the experience 

requirements of this section and is 

consistent with the duties of a staff 

officer, the Coast Guard may issue the 

MMC. 

■ 130. Amend § 11.821 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) 

through (c) to read as follows: 

§ 11.821 High-Speed Craft Type-Rating. 

(a) This section is only applicable to 

those persons who will be serving or 

have served upon those vessels built 

and operated in accordance with the 

International Code of Safety for HighSpeed Craft (HSC Code). 

(b) To qualify for a High-Speed Craft 

Type-Rating endorsement (TRE) for 

operating vessels to which the HSC 

Code applies, an applicant must— 

(1) Hold a valid officer endorsement 

for vessels of commensurate grade, 

tonnage, route, and/or horsepower; and 

(2) Present evidence of successful 

completion of a Coast Guard-approved 

Type Rating training program. 

(c) A separate TRE will be issued for 

each type and class of high-speed craft. 

The original route will be as specified 

in the approved type rating program. 

Additional routes may be added to an 

existing TRE by completing at least 12 

roundtrips over each route under the 

supervision of a type-rated Master on 

the class of high speed craft the TRE 

will be valid for. Six of the trips must 

be made during the hours of darkness or 

a ‘‘daylight only’’ restriction will be 

imposed. 

* * * * * 

■ 131. Amend § 11.901 by revising 

paragraph (b)(1) to read as follows: 

§ 11.901 General provisions. 

* * * * * 

(b) * * * 

(1) Restricted routes for reduced 

service officer endorsements (Master or 

Mate of vessels of less than 200 GRT, 

OUPV, or Master or Mate (Pilot) of 

Towing Vessels). 

* * * * * 

■ 132. Amend § 11.903 by revising 

paragraphs (a) and (c) to read as follows: 

§ 11.903 Officer endorsements requiring 

examinations. 

(a) The following officer 

endorsements require examinations for 

issuance: 

(1) Chief Mate of ocean or near-coastal 

self-propelled vessels of unlimited 

tonnage (examined at the management 

level). 

(2) Third Mate of ocean or nearcoastal self-propelled vessels of 

unlimited tonnage (examined at the 

operational level). 

(3) Master of ocean or near-coastal 

self-propelled vessels of less than 1,600 

GRT. 

(4) Mate of ocean or near-coastal selfpropelled vessels of less than 1,600 

GRT. 

(5) Master of near-coastal vessels less 

than 200 GRT. 

(6) Mate of near-coastal vessels less 

than 200 GRT. 

(7) Master of near-coastal vessels less 

than 100 GRT. 

(8) Mate of near-coastal vessels less 

than 100 GRT. 

(9) Master of Great Lakes and inland 

vessels of unlimited tonnage. 

(10) Mate of Great Lakes and inland 

vessels of unlimited tonnage. 

(11) Master of inland vessels of 

unlimited tonnage. 

(12) Master of river vessels of 

unlimited tonnage. 

(13) Master of Great Lakes and inland/ 

river vessels less than 500 GRT or less 

than 1,600 GRT. 

(14) Mate of Great Lakes and inland/ 

river vessels less than 500 GRT or less 

than 1,600 GRT. 

(15) Master of Great Lakes and inland/ 

river vessels less than 200 GRT. 

(16) Mate of Great Lakes and inland/ 

river vessels less than 200 GRT. 

(17) Master of Great Lakes and inland. 

(18) First-Class Pilot. 

(19) Apprentice Mate of Towing 

Vessels. 

(20) Apprentice Mate of Towing 

Vessels-Limited. 

(21) Offshore Installation Manager. 

(22) Barge Supervisor. 

(23) Ballast Control Operator (BCO). 

(24) Operator of Uninspected 

Passenger Vessels (OUPV). 

(25) Master of Uninspected Fishing 

Industry Vessels. 

(26) Mate of Uninspected Fishing 

Industry Vessels. 

(27) Master-OSV. 

(28) Chief Mate-OSV. 

(29) Mate-OSV. 

(30) First Assistant Engineer limited 

or unlimited propulsion power. 

(31) Third Assistant Engineer limited 

or unlimited propulsion power. 

(32) Chief Engineer-Limited steam/ 

motor vessels. 

(33) Assistant Engineer-Limited 

steam/motor vessels. 

(34) Designated Duty Engineer steam/ 

motor vessels. 

(35) Chief Engineer Uninspected 

Fishing Industry Vessels. 

(36) Assistant Engineer Uninspected 

Fishing Industry Vessels. 

(37) Chief Engineer-MODU. 

(38) Assistant Engineer-MODU. 

(39) Chief Engineer-OSV. 

(40) Assistant Engineer-OSV. 

* * * * * 

(c) The following officer 

endorsements do not require 

examinations: 

(1) Master of oceans or near-coastal 

vessels of unlimited tonnage when 

upgrading from MMC officer 

endorsements, or a License as Chief 

Mate of oceans or near-coastal vessels of 

unlimited tonnage, provided the 

applicant has already been examined at 

the management level. 

(2) Master of oceans or near-coastal 

vessels of unlimited tonnage when 

adding an endorsement as Offshore 

Installation Manager (OIM). 


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(3) Master of oceans or near-coastal 

self-propelled vessels of less than 200 

GRT, when upgrading from Mate of 

near-coastal self-propelled vessels of 

less than 200 GRT. Master of oceans 

self-propelled vessels of less than 200 

GRT will, however, require an 

examination in celestial navigation. 

(4) Second Mate of oceans or nearcoastal vessels when upgrading from 

Third Mate of oceans or near-coastal 

vessels, provided the applicant has 

already been examined at the 

operational level. 

(5) Master of Great Lakes and inland 

vessels, or river vessels of less than 200 

GRT when upgrading from Mate of less 

than 200 GRT on the same route. 

(6) Chief Engineer-Unlimited, 

provided the applicant has already been 

examined at the management level. 

(7) Chief Engineer-Limited to service 

on steam, motor, or gas turbinepropelled vessels of less than 10,000 

HP/7,500 kW on near-coastal routes, 

provided the applicant has already been 

examined at the management level. 

(8) Chief Engineer-Limited to service 

on steam, motor, and/or gas turbinepropelled vessels of less than 4,000 HP/ 

3,000 kW on near-coastal routes, 

provided the applicant has already been 

examined at the management level. 

(9) Second Assistant Engineer when 

upgrading from Third Assistant 

Engineer, provided the applicant has 

already been examined at the 

operational level. 

■ 133. Amend § 11.910 by revising table 

1 to § 11.910 to read as follows: 

§ 11.910 Subjects for deck officer 

endorsements. 

* * * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.910—CODES FOR DECK OFFICER ENDORSEMENTS

Deck Officer Endorsements 

1. Master/Chief Mate, oceans/near-coastal, unlimited tonnage. 

2. Master, oceans/near-coastal, less than 500 GRT and less than 1,600 GRT. 

3. Second Mate/Third Mate, oceans/near-coastal, unlimited tonnage, and Mate less than 500 GRT and less than 1600 GRT, oceans/near-coastal. 

4. Master, oceans/near-coastal, and Mate, near-coastal, less than 200 GRT (includes Master, near-coastal, less than 100 GRT). 

5. Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels, near-coastal. 

6. Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels, Great Lakes/inland. 

7. Apprentice Mate of Towing Vessels, ocean (domestic trade) and near-coastal routes. 

8. Apprentice Mate of Towing Vessels, Great Lakes, and inland routes. 

9. Apprentice Mate of Towing Vessels, Western Rivers. 

10. Master, Great Lakes/inland, or Master, inland, unlimited tonnage. 

11. Mate, Great Lakes/inland, unlimited tonnage. 

12. Master, Great Lakes/inland, less than 500 GRT and less than 1,600 GRT. 

13. Mate, Great Lakes/inland, less than 500 GRT and less than 1,600 GRT. 

14. Master or Mate, Great Lakes/inland, less than 200 GRT (includes Master, Great Lakes/inland, less than 100 GRT). 

15. Master, rivers, unlimited tonnage. 

16. Master, rivers, less than 500 GRT and less than 1,600 GRT. 

17. Mate, rivers, less than 500 GRT and less than 1,600 GRT. 

18. Master or Mate, rivers, less than 200 GRT (includes Master, rivers, less than 100 GRT). 

19. Master of Uninspected Fishing Industry Vessels, oceans/near-coastal. 

20. Mate of Uninspected Fishing Industry Vessels, oceans/near-coastal. 

21. First-Class Pilot. 

22. Master-OSV. 

23. Chief Mate-OSV. 

24. Mate-OSV. 

* * * * * ■ 134. Amend § 11.950 by revising table 

1 to § 11.950 to read as follows: 

§ 11.950 Examination subjects for 

engineer officer endorsements. 

* * * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 11.950—CODES FOR ENGINEER OFFICER ENDORSEMENTS

1. First Assistant Engineer-Unlimited. 

2. Third Assistant Engineer-Unlimited. 

3. Chief Engineer-Limited. 

4. Assistant Engineer-Limited. 

5. Designated Duty Engineer-Unlimited. 

6. Designated Duty Engineer 4,000 HP. 

7. Designated Duty Engineer 1,000 HP. 

8. Chief Engineer-Uninspected Fishing Industry Vessels. 

9. Assistant Engineer-Uninspected Fishing Industry Vessels. 

10. Chief Engineer-MODU. 

11. Assistant Engineer-MODU. 

12. Chief Engineer-OSV Unlimited. 

13. Assistant Engineer-OSV Unlimited. 

14. Chief Engineer-OSV 4,000 HP. 

15. Assistant Engineer-OSV 4,000 HP. 

* * * * * ■ 135. Amend § 11.1001 by revising 

paragraph (b) to read as follows: 

§ 11.1001 Purpose of rules. 

* * * * * 


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(b) Specific regulations on the use of 

non-U.S. credentialed officers and 

mariners with officer endorsements 

(except those of Master) are found in 

§ 15.720 of this subchapter. 

■ 136. Amend § 11.1005 by revising 

paragraphs (b) and (d)(3) to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.1005 Employer application 

requirements. 

* * * * * 

(b) If a ‘‘Certificate attesting 

recognition’’ is issued to the applicant, 

the employer must maintain a detailed 

record of the seafarer’s total service on 

all authorized U.S.-flagged vessels, and 

must make that information available to 

the Coast Guard upon request. 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

(3) Valid identification document, 

such as a passport or Seafarer’s Identity 

Document (SID). 

* * * * * 

■ 137. Amend § 11.1105 by revising 

paragraph (a) introductory text and 

paragraphs (a)(1)(iii) and (iv) to read as 

follows: 

§ 11.1105 General requirements for officer 

endorsements. 

(a) To serve on a passenger vessel on 

international voyages, Masters, deck 

officers, Chief Engineers, and engineer 

officers, must— 

(1) * * * 

(iii) Masters, Chief Engineer Officers, 

Chief Mates, Second Engineer Officers, 

and any person designated on muster 

lists of having responsibility for the 

safety of passengers in emergency 

situations onboard passenger ships must 

have completed approved training in 

crisis management and human behavior 

as specified in section A–V/2 of the 

STCW Code. 

(iv) Masters, Chief Engineer Officers, 

Chief Mates, Second Engineer Officers, 

and every person assigned immediate 

responsibility for embarking and 

disembarking passengers, loading, 

discharging or securing cargo, or closing 

hull openings onboard Ro-Ro passenger 

ships must have completed approved 

training in passenger safety, cargo 

safety, and hull integrity as specified in 

section A–V/2 of the STCW Code; and 

* * * * * 

PART 12—REQUIREMENTS FOR 

RATING ENDORSEMENTS 

■ 138. The authority citation for part 12 

is revised to read as follows: 

Authority: 31 U.S.C. 9701; 46 U.S.C. 2101, 

2103, 2110, Chapter 73, 7503, 7505, 7701, 

and 70105; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, 

Revision No. 01.4. 

■ 139. Amend § 12.103 by revising 

paragraph (a) and the introductory text 

of paragraph (b) to read as follows: 

§ 12.103 Incorporation by reference. 

(a) Certain material is incorporated by 

reference into this part with the 

approval of the Director of the Federal 

Register under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 

CFR part 51. All approved incorporation 

by reference material (IBR) is available 

for inspection at the Coast Guard and 

the National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). Contact Coast 

Guard at: Office of Merchant Mariner 

Credentialing (CG–MMC), U.S. Coast 

Guard, Stop 7509, 2703 Martin Luther 

King Jr. Avenue SE, Washington, DC 

20593–7509; phone: 202–372–1492; 

website: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/ 

merchant_mariner_credential/. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at NARA, visit 

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@

nara.gov. The material may be obtained 

from: 

(b) International Maritime 

Organization (IMO), 4 Albert 

Embankment, London SE1 7SR, 

England; phone: +44 (0)20 7735 7611; 

website: www.imo.org. 

* * * * * 

§ 12.201 [Amended] 

■ 140. Amend § 12.201 paragraph (a)(2) 

by removing the text ‘‘food handler’s’’ 

and adding, in its place, the text ‘‘Food 

Handler’s’’. 

■ 141. Revise § 12.401 to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.401 General requirements for Able 

Seafarer endorsements. 

(a) General. An Able Seafarer is any 

person below officer and above 

Ordinary Seafarer who holds a 

Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) 

endorsed as Able Seafarer by the Coast 

Guard. 

(b) Categories. The following 

categories of Able Seafarer 

endorsements are established: 

(1) Able Seafarer-Unlimited. 

(2) Able Seafarer-Limited. 

(3) Able Seafarer-Special. 

(4) Able Seafarer-OSV. 

(5) Able Seafarer-Sail. 

(6) Able Seafarer-Fishing Industry. 

(c) Requirements for certification. To 

qualify for an endorsement as Able 

Seafarer, an applicant must— 

(1) Be at least 18 years of age; 

(2) Pass the prescribed physical and 

medical examination requirements 

specified in 46 CFR, part 10, subpart C; 

(3) Present evidence of having passed 

a chemical test for dangerous drugs or 

of qualifying for an exemption from 

testing as described in § 16.220 of this 

subchapter; 

(4) Meet the sea service or training 

requirements set forth in this part; 

(5) Pass an examination for Able 

Seafarer; 

(6) Qualify for an endorsement as 

Lifeboat Operator or Lifeboat OperatorLimited; and 

(7) Speak and understand the English 

language as would be required in 

performing the general duties of Able 

Seafarer and during an emergency 

aboard ship. 

(d) Additional requirements. (1) The 

holder of an MMC or MMD endorsed for 

the rating of Able Seafarer may serve in 

any rating in the deck department 

without obtaining an additional 

endorsement, provided— 

(i) That the holder possesses the 

appropriate Able Seafarer endorsement 

for the service of the vessel; and 

(ii) That the holder possesses the 

appropriate STCW endorsement when 

serving as an Able Seafarer-Deck or 

Ratings Forming Part of the Navigational 

Watch (RFPNW) on a seagoing ship. 

(2) Any MMC endorsed as Able 

Seafarer will also be endorsed as 

Lifeboat Operator or Lifeboat OperatorLimited, as appropriate. 

(3) The Able Seafarer endorsement 

will clearly describe the type of rating 

that it represents (see paragraph (a) of 

this section). 

■ 142. Revise § 12.403 to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.403 Service or training requirements 

for Able Seafarer endorsements. 

(a) The minimum service required to 

qualify for the various categories of 

endorsement as Able Seafarer is as 

follows: 

(1) Able Seafarer-Unlimited. Three 

years of service on deck on vessels 

operating on oceans or on the Great 

Lakes. 

(2) Able Seafarer-Limited. Eighteen 

months of service on deck on vessels of 

100 GRT or more which operate in a 

service not exclusively confined to the 

rivers and smaller inland lakes of the 

United States. 

(3) Able Seafarer-Special. Twelve 

months of service on deck on vessels 

operating on oceans or the navigable 

waters of the United States, including 

the Great Lakes. 

(4) Able Seafarer-OSV. Six months of 

service on deck on vessels operating on 

oceans or on the navigable waters of the 

United States, including the Great 

Lakes. 

(5) Able Seafarer-Sail. Six months of 

service on deck on sailing school 

vessels, oceanographic research vessels 

powered primarily by sail, or equivalent 


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sailing vessels operating on oceans or on 

the navigable waters of the United 

States, including the Great Lakes. 

(6) Able Seafarer-Fishing Industry. Six 

months of service on deck, not as a 

processor, onboard vessels operating on 

oceans or on the navigable waters of the 

United States, including the Great 

Lakes. 

(b) Approved training programs may 

be substituted for the required periods 

of service on deck as follows: 

(1) A graduate of a school ship may 

be qualified for a rating endorsement as 

Able Seafarer, without further service, 

upon satisfactory completion of the 

program of instruction. For this 

purpose, ‘‘school ship’’ is interpreted to 

mean an institution that offers a 

complete approved program of 

instruction, including a period of at-sea 

training, in the skills appropriate to the 

rating of Able Seafarer. 

(2) Training programs, other than 

those classified as a school ship, may be 

substituted for up to one-third of the 

required service on deck. The Coast 

Guard will determine the service/ 

training ratio for each program and may 

allow a maximum of 3 days of deck 

service credit for each day of 

instruction. 

■ 143. Amend § 12.405 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(b)(2) to read as follows: 

§ 12.405 Examination and demonstration 

of ability for Able Seafarer endorsements. 

(a) Before an applicant is issued an 

endorsement as an Able Seafarer, he or 

she must prove, to the satisfaction of the 

Coast Guard, by oral or other means of 

examination, or by actual demonstration 

in a Coast Guard-approved course, their 

knowledge of seamanship and the 

ability to carry out effectively all the 

duties that may be required of an Able 

Seafarer, including those of a Lifeboat 

Operator or Lifeboat Operator-Limited. 

(b) * * * 

(2) The applicant’s knowledge of 

commands in handling the wheel by 

obeying orders passed to them as 

helmsman, and knowledge of the use of 

the engine room telegraph. 

* * * * * 

■ 144. Revise § 12.407 to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.407 General requirements for Lifeboat 

Operator endorsements. 

(a) General. Every person fulfilling the 

manning requirements as Lifeboat 

Operator on any United States vessel 

must hold an endorsement as Lifeboat 

Operator. No endorsement as Lifeboat 

Operator is required of any person 

employed on any unrigged vessel, 

except on a seagoing barge and on a tank 

barge navigating waters other than rivers 

and/or canals. 

(b) Requirements for certification. (1) 

To qualify for an endorsement as 

Lifeboat Operator, an applicant must— 

(i) Be at least 18 years of age; 

(ii) Pass the prescribed physical and 

medical examination requirements 

specified in 46 CFR, part 10, subpart C; 

and 

(iii) Present evidence of having passed 

a chemical test for dangerous drugs or 

as having qualified for an exemption for 

testing described in § 16.220 of this 

subchapter. 

(2) To be eligible for an endorsement 

as Lifeboat Operator, an applicant must 

meet one of the following sea service 

requirements: 

(i) At least 6 months of sea service in 

any department of vessels and the 

successful completion of an approved 

course. 

(ii) At least 12 months of sea service 

in any department of vessels on ocean, 

coastwise, inland, and Great Lakes 

routes. 

(3) Before an applicant is issued an 

endorsement as a Lifeboat Operator, 

they must prove, to the satisfaction of 

the Coast Guard, by oral or other means 

of examination, and by actual practical 

demonstration of abilities, their 

knowledge of seamanship and the 

ability to carry out effectively all the 

duties that may be required of a Lifeboat 

Operator. This requirement may be met 

by completion of an approved course in 

paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, 

provided the course includes actual 

practical demonstration of abilities. 

(4) The practical demonstration must 

consist of a demonstration of the 

applicant’s ability to— 

(i) Take charge of a survival craft or 

rescue boat during and after launch; 

(ii) Operate a survival craft engine; 

(iii) Demonstrate the ability to row by 

actually pulling an oar in the boat; 

(iv) Manage a survival craft and 

survivors after abandoning ship; 

(v) Safely recover survival craft and 

rescue boats; and 

(vi) Use locating and communication 

devices. 

(5) The examination, whether 

administered orally or by other means, 

must be conducted only in the English 

language and must consist of questions 

regarding— 

(i) Lifeboats and liferafts, the names of 

their essential parts, and a description 

of the required equipment; 

(ii) The clearing away, swinging out, 

and lowering of lifeboats and liferafts, 

the handling of lifeboats under oars and 

sails, including questions relative to the 

proper handling of a boat in a heavy sea; 

and 

(iii) The operation and functions of 

commonly used types of davits. 

(6) An applicant, to be eligible for an 

endorsement as Lifeboat Operator, must 

be able to speak and understand the 

English language as would be required 

in the rating of Lifeboat Operator and in 

an emergency aboard ship. 

■ 145. Revise § 12.409 to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.409 General requirements for Lifeboat 

Operator-Limited endorsements. 

(a) General. Every person fulfilling the 

manning requirements for Lifeboat 

Operator on any United States vessel 

fitted with liferafts, but not fitted with 

lifeboats, must hold an endorsement as 

Lifeboat Operator or as Lifeboat 

Operator-Limited. No endorsement as 

Lifeboat Operator or Lifeboat OperatorLimited is required of any person 

employed on any unrigged vessel, 

except on a seagoing barge and on a tank 

barge navigating waters other than rivers 

and/or canals. 

(b) Requirements for certification. (1) 

To qualify for an endorsement as 

Lifeboat Operator-Limited, an applicant 

must— 

(i) Be at least 18 years of age; 

(ii) Pass the prescribed physical and 

medical examination requirements 

specified in 46 CFR part 10, subpart C; 

and 

(iii) Present evidence of having passed 

a chemical test for dangerous drugs or 

of having qualified for an exemption for 

testing, as described in § 16.220 of this 

subchapter. 

(2) An applicant, to be eligible for an 

endorsement as Lifeboat OperatorLimited, must meet one of the following 

sea service requirements: 

(i) At least 12 months of sea service 

in any department of vessels on ocean, 

coastwise, inland, and Great Lakes 

routes. 

(ii) At least 6 months of sea service in 

any department of vessels, and 

successful completion of an approved 

course. 

(3) Before an applicant is issued an 

endorsement as a Lifeboat OperatorLimited, they must prove, to the 

satisfaction of the Coast Guard, by oral 

or other means of examination, and by 

actual practical demonstration of 

abilities, their knowledge of seamanship 

and ability to carry out effectively all 

the duties that may be required of a 

Lifeboat Operator-Limited. 

(4) The practical demonstration must 

consist of a demonstration of the 

applicant’s ability to— 

(i) Take charge of a rescue boat, 

liferaft, or other lifesaving apparatus 

during and after launch; 

(ii) Operate a rescue boat engine; 


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(iii) Manage a survival craft and 

survivors after abandoning ship; 

(iv) Safely recover rescue boats; and 

(v) Use locating and communication 

devices. 

(5) The examination, whether 

administered orally or by other means, 

must be conducted only in the English 

language and must consist of questions 

regarding— 

(i) Liferafts, rescue boats, and other 

survival craft except lifeboats, the 

names of their essential parts, and a 

description and use of the required 

equipment; 

(ii) The clearing away, launching, and 

handling of rescue craft, except 

lifeboats; and 

(iii) The operation and functions of 

commonly used launching devices for 

rescue boats and survival craft other 

than lifeboats. 

(6) An applicant, to be eligible for an 

endorsement as Lifeboat OperatorLimited, must be able to speak and 

understand the English language as 

would be required in the rating of 

Lifeboat Operator-Limited and in an 

emergency aboard ship. 

■ 146. Amend § 12.501 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(b) to read as follows: 

§ 12.501 General requirements for a 

Qualified Member of the Engine 

Department. 

(a) General. A Qualified Member of 

the Engine Department (QMED) is any 

person below officer and above the 

rating of Coal Passer or Wiper, who 

holds an MMC or MMD endorsed as 

QMED by the Coast Guard. 

(b) Categories. (1) Each QMED rating 

must be endorsed separately, unless the 

applicant qualifies for all QMED ratings, 

in which case the endorsement will read 

‘‘QMED—any rating.’’ The ratings are— 

(i) Boiler Technician/Watertender; 

(ii) Oiler; 

(iii) Junior Engineer; 

(iv) Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer; 

and 

(v) Pump Technician/Machinist. 

(2) The Coast Guard will no longer 

issue original endorsements for Deck 

Engineer, Deck/Engine Mechanic, or 

Engineman, or individual endorsements 

for Refrigerating Engineer, Machinist, 

Electrician, and Pump Technician. 

However, a mariner who holds any of 

these endorsements may continue to 

renew them as long as they are 

otherwise qualified. 

(3) If the holder of an endorsement as 

Pump Technician only or Machinist 

only seeks the combined endorsement 

of Pump Technician/Machinist, the 

mariner must pass the examination 

described in table 1 to § 12.505(c). 

(4) If the holder of an endorsement as 

Electrician only or Refrigerating 

Engineer only seeks the combined 

endorsement of Electrician/Refrigerating 

Engineer, the mariner must pass the 

examination described in table 1 to 

§ 12.505(c). 

* * * * * 

■ 147. Amend § 12.503 by revising 

paragraph (a) to read as follows: 

§ 12.503 Service or training requirements. 

(a) An applicant for an endorsement 

as Qualified Member of the Engine 

Department (QMED) must provide the 

Coast Guard with proof of qualification 

based on 6 months of service in a rating 

at least equal to that of Wiper or Coal 

Passer. 

* * * * * 

■ 148. Amend § 12.505 by revising 

paragraph (a) and table 1 to § 12.505(c) 

to read as follows: 

§ 12.505 Examination requirements. 

(a) Before an applicant is issued an 

endorsement as QMED in the rating of 

Oiler, Boiler Technician/Watertender, 

Junior Engineer, Pump Technician/ 

Machinist, or Electrician/Refrigerating 

Engineer, they must prove, to the 

satisfaction of the Coast Guard, by oral 

or other means of examination, their 

knowledge of the subjects listed in 

paragraph (c) of this section. 

* * * * * 

(c) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 12.505(c)—EXAMINATION SUBJECTS FOR QMED RATINGS

Subjects 

Pump 

technician/ 

machinist 

Boiler 

technician/ 

watertender 

Oiler 

Electrician/ 

refrigerating 

engineer 

Junior 

engineer 

General subjects: 

Auxiliary machinery ....................................................... X X X X X 

Basic safety procedures ............................................... X X X X X 

Bearings ........................................................................ X ........................ X X X 

Care of equipment and machine parts ......................... X X X X X 

Deck machinery ............................................................ X ........................ ........................ X X

Drawings and tables ..................................................... X ........................ ........................ X X 

Heat exchangers ........................................................... X X X X X 

Hydraulic principles ....................................................... X ........................ ........................ X X 

Instrumentation principles ............................................. X X X X X 

Lubrication principles .................................................... X ........................ X X X 

Maintenance procedures .............................................. X X X X X 

Measuring instruments ................................................. X X X X X 

Pipes, fittings, and valves ............................................. X X X X X 

Pollution prevention ...................................................... X X X X X 

Properties of fuel .......................................................... ........................ X X ........................ X 

Pumps, fans, and blowers ............................................ X ........................ ........................ X X 

Refrigeration principles ................................................. ........................ ........................ X X X 

Remote control equipment ........................................... X X X X X 

Use of hand/power tools ............................................... X X X X X 

Watch duties ................................................................. ........................ X X ........................ X 

Electrical subjects: 

A/C circuits .................................................................... ........................ ........................ ........................ X X 

Batteries ........................................................................ ........................ ........................ ........................ X X 

Calculations .................................................................. ........................ ........................ ........................ X X 

Communication devices ................................................ ........................ ........................ ........................ X X 

D/C circuits ................................................................... ........................ ........................ ........................ X X 

Distribution systems ...................................................... ........................ ........................ ........................ X X 


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TABLE 1 TO § 12.505(c)—EXAMINATION SUBJECTS FOR QMED RATINGS—Continued 

Subjects 

Pump 

technician/ 

machinist 

Boiler 

technician/ 

watertender 

Oiler 

Electrician/ 

refrigerating 

engineer 

Junior 

engineer 

Electronic principles ...................................................... ........................ ........................ ........................ X X 

Generation equipment .................................................. ........................ ........................ X X X 

Maintenance ................................................................. ........................ ........................ X X X 

Measuring devices ........................................................ ........................ ........................ ........................ X X 

Motor controllers ........................................................... ........................ ........................ ........................ X X 

Motors ........................................................................... ........................ ........................ X X X 

Safety ............................................................................ X X X X X 

Troubleshooting ............................................................ ........................ ........................ ........................ X ........................

Safety and environmental protection subjects: 

Communications ........................................................... X X X X X 

Damage control ............................................................ X X X X X 

Elementary first aid ....................................................... X X X X X 

Emergency equipment .................................................. X X X X X 

Environmental awareness ............................................ X X X X X 

Fire prevention .............................................................. X X X X X 

Firefighting equipment .................................................. X X X X X 

Firefighting principles .................................................... X X X X X 

General safety .............................................................. X X X X X 

Hazardous materials ..................................................... X X X X X 

Shipboard equipment and systems subjects: 

Air conditioning ............................................................. ........................ ........................ ........................ X X 

Ballast ........................................................................... X X X ........................ X 

Bilge .............................................................................. X X X ........................ X 

Compressed air ............................................................ X X X X X 

Desalination .................................................................. ........................ ........................ X ........................ X 

Fuel oil storage/transfer ................................................ ........................ X X ........................ X 

Fuel treatment ............................................................... ........................ X X ........................ X 

Heating/ventilation ........................................................ X ........................ ........................ X X 

Lubrication .................................................................... X ........................ X X X 

Potable water ................................................................ ........................ ........................ X ........................ X 

Refrigeration ................................................................. ........................ ........................ X X X 

Sanitary/sewage ........................................................... ........................ ........................ X ........................ X 

Steering ......................................................................... ........................ ........................ X X X 

Steam propulsion subjects: 

Auxiliary turbines .......................................................... ........................ X X ........................ X 

Boiler fundamentals ...................................................... ........................ X X ........................ X 

Combustion principles .................................................. ........................ X X ........................ X 

Condensate systems .................................................... ........................ X X ........................ X 

Drive systems ............................................................... ........................ X X ........................ X 

Feedwater systems ....................................................... ........................ X X ........................ X 

Fuel service systems .................................................... ........................ X X ........................ X 

Maintenance ................................................................. X X X ........................ X 

Safety ............................................................................ X X X X X 

Steam fundamentals ..................................................... X X X ........................ X 

Turbine fundamentals ................................................... ........................ X X ........................ X 

Motor propulsion subjects: 

Air-charge systems ....................................................... ........................ ........................ X ........................ X 

Cooling water systems ................................................. ........................ ........................ X ........................ X 

Diesel engine principles ................................................ X ........................ X ........................ X 

Drive systems ............................................................... X ........................ X ........................ X 

Fuel service systems .................................................... ........................ ........................ X ........................ X 

Intake/exhaust ............................................................... ........................ ........................ X ........................ X 

Lubrication systems ...................................................... X ........................ X ........................ X 

Starting systems ........................................................... ........................ ........................ X ........................ X 

Waste heat/auxiliary boiler ........................................... ........................ ........................ X ........................ X 

■ 149. Amend § 12.601 by revising 

paragraphs (a) and (b)(1)(i) to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.601 General requirements for STCW 

rating endorsements. 

(a) General. An applicant for any 

STCW endorsement must hold the 

appropriate national endorsement, 

unless otherwise specified. The Coast 

Guard will issue an STCW endorsement 

to qualified applicants for any of the 

following ratings or qualifications: 

(1) Able Seafarer-Deck. 

(2) Ratings Forming Part of a 

Navigational Watch (RFPNW). 

(3) Able Seafarer-Engine. 

(4) Ratings Forming Part of an 

Engineering Watch in a manned 

engineroom or designated to perform 

duties in a periodically unmanned 

engineroom (RFPEW). 

(5) Electro-technical Rating on vessels 

powered by main propulsion machinery 

of 750 kW/1,000 HP or more. 

(6) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats, other than Fast Rescue 

Boats (PSC). 

(7) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats, other than lifeboats and 

Fast Rescue Boats (PSC-Limited). 

(8) Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats. 

(9) Medical First-aid Provider. 


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(10) Person in Charge of Medical Care. 

(11) GMDSS At-sea Maintainer. 

(12) Vessel Personnel with Designated 

Security Duties. 

(13) Security Awareness. 

(b) * * * 

(1) * * * 

(i) In-service experience: 

Documentation of successful 

completion of assessments, approved or 

accepted by the Coast Guard, and signed 

by a Qualified Assessor, deck or 

engineering, as appropriate. 

* * * * * 

■ 150. Amend § 12.602 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) 

introductory text and (b) introductory 

text to read as follows: 

§ 12.602 Basic Training. 

(a) Applicants seeking an STCW 

rating endorsement must provide 

evidence, with their application, of 

meeting the standard of competence for 

Basic Training (BT) as described below: 

* * * * * 

(b) Every 5 years, seafarers qualified 

in accordance with § 12.601(a) must 

provide evidence of maintaining the 

standard of competence for Basic 

Training (BT). 

* * * * * 

■ 151. Amend § 12.603 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) and (b), 

and table 1 to § 12.603(d) to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.603 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Able Seafarer-Deck. 

(a) To qualify for this endorsement as 

Able Seafarer-Deck, an applicant must— 

(1) Be not less than 18 years of age; 

(2) Meet the requirements for 

certification as Ratings Forming Part of 

a Navigational Watch (RFPNW); 

(3) While qualified as an RFPNW, 

have seagoing service in the deck 

department of— 

(i) Not less than 18 months; or 

(ii) Not less than 12 months and have 

completed approved training; 

(4) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standard of competence specified in 

Table A–II/5 of the STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 12.103); and 

(5) Provide evidence of having 

satisfactorily completed approved 

training in— 

(i) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue 

Boats (PSC); or 

(ii) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats, other than lifeboats or 

Fast Rescue Boats-Limited (PSCLimited), as appropriate. 

(b) Seafarers holding a rating 

endorsement as Able Seafarer before 

January 1, 2017, will be eligible for this 

endorsement upon showing evidence 

of— 

(1) Holding an endorsement as an 

RFPNW; and 

(2) Having satisfactorily completed 

approved training in— 

(i) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats, other than Fast Rescue 

Boats (PSC); or 

(ii) Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats, other than lifeboats or 

Fast Rescue Boats (PSC-Limited), as 

appropriate. 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 12.603(d)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS ABLE SEAFARER-DECK

Entry path from 

national endorsements 

Sea 

service under authority of the 

endorsement 1

Competence— 

STCW Table A– 

II/4 2

Competence— 

STCW Table A– 

II/5 3

Training required 

by this section 4

Able Seafarer-Unlimited ........................................................................ None .............................................. Y Y N 

Able Seafarer-Limited ............................................................................ None .............................................. Y Y N 

Able Seafarer-Special ........................................................................... 6 months 5 ..................................... Y Y N 

Able Seafarer-OSV ................................................................................ 12 months 6 ................................... Y Y N 

Able Seafarer-Sail ................................................................................. 12 months 6 ................................... Y Y N 

Able Seafarer-Fishing Industry .............................................................. 12 months 6 ................................... Y Y N 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer already holding an RFPNW endorsement in order to meet the requirements of this 

section. 2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(2) of this section not previously satisfied. 

3 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(4) of this section not previously satisfied. 

4 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(5) of this section not previously satisfied. 

5The service may be reduced to 3 months if training has been completed as part of an approved training program meeting the requirements of paragraph (a)(4) of 

this section. 6The service may be reduced to 6 months if training has been completed as part of an approved training program meeting the requirements of (a)(4) of this 

section. 

■ 152. Amend § 12.605 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) 

introductory text and (a)(2)(i), and table 

1 to § 12.605(c) to read as follows: 

§ 12.605 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Ratings Forming 

Part of a Navigational Watch 

(a) To qualify for endorsement as 

Ratings Forming Part of a Navigational 

Watch (RFPNW) on a seagoing vessel of 

500 GT or more, an applicant must— 

* * * * * 

(2) * * * 

(i) Six months of seagoing service, 

which includes training and experience 

associated with navigational 

watchkeeping functions and involves 

the performance of duties carried out 

under the supervision of the Master, 

Mate, or qualified STCW deck rating; or 

* * * * * 

(c) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 12.605(c)—STCW 

ENDORSEMENT AS RFPNW 

Entry path from 

national 

endorsements 

Sea service 

under 

authority of the 

endorsement 1

Competence— 

STCW Table 

A–II/4 2

Able SeafarerUnlimited.None ................. Y 

Able SeafarerLimited.None ................. Y 

Able SeafarerSpecial.None ................. Y 

Able SeafarerOSV.None ................. Y 

Able SeafarerSail.None ................. Y 

TABLE 1 TO § 12.605(c)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS RFPNW—Continued 

Entry path from 

national 

endorsements 

Sea service 

under 

authority of the 

endorsement 1

Competence— 

STCW Table 

A–II/4 2

Able SeafarerFishing Industry.None ................. Y 

Ordinary Seafarer.6 mo.3 ............... Y 

1This column provides the minimum additional 

service required of the seafarer in order to meet the 

requirements of this section. 2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of this 

section not previously satisfied. 3The service may be reduced to 2 months if training has been completed as part of an approved training program meeting the requirements of paragraph 

(a)(2)(ii) of this section. 


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■ 153. Amend § 12.607 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) 

introductory text, (a)(2), and (b), and 

table 1 to § 12.607(d) to read as follows: 

§ 12.607 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as rating as Able 

Seafarer-Engine. 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as an Able SeafarerEngine, an applicant must— 

* * * * * 

(2) Meet the requirements for 

certification as a Ratings Forming Part of 

an Engineering Watch (RFPEW); 

* * * * * 

(b) Seafarers holding a rating 

endorsement as QMED, Junior Engineer, 

Electrician or Electrician/Refrigerating 

Engineer, Pump Technician or Pump 

Technician/Machinist, Refrigerating 

Engineer, or Machinist before January 1, 

2017, will be eligible for this 

endorsement upon showing evidence of 

holding an endorsement as an RFPEW. 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 12.607(d)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS ABLE SEAFARER-ENGINE

Domestic QMED 

endorsement 

Additional sea service 

for AS–E 

Engineman ................ None. 

Deck Engine Mechanic.None. 

Electrician .................. 6 months.1

Refrigerating Engineer.6 months.1

Pump Technician ...... 6 months.1

Machinist ................... 6 months.1

1Service may be reduced to 3 months if 

training has been completed as part of an approved training program. 

■ 154. Amend § 12.609 by revising the 

section heading and paragraph (a) 

introductory text to read as follows: 

§ 12.609 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Rating Forming Part 

of an Engineering Watch. 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Ratings Forming Part of 

an Engineering Watch (RFPEW) in a 

manned engineroom or to qualify to be 

designated to perform duties in a 

periodically unmanned engineroom, an 

applicant must— 

* * * * * 

■ 155. Amend § 12.611 by revising the 

section heading, paragraphs (a) 

introductory text, (a)(2)(i), and (b), and 

table 1 to § 12.611(c) to read as follows: 

§ 12.611 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Electro-technical 

Rating on vessels powered by main 

propulsion machinery of 750 kW/1,000 HP 

or more. 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as an Electro-technical 

Rating (ETR), an applicant must— 

* * * * * 

(2) * * * 

(i) Twelve months of seagoing service, 

that includes training and experience 

associated with engine room 

watchkeeping functions and involves 

the performance of duties carried out 

under the supervision of an engineer 

officer, Electro-technical Officer, or a 

qualified STCW engine rating; 

* * * * * 

(b) An applicant who holds an STCW 

endorsement as Able Seafarer-Engine 

and a national rating endorsement as 

Electrician, Electrician/Refrigerating 

Engineer, or Junior Engineer will be 

issued the ETR endorsement upon 

completion of the requirements in 

Section A–III/7 of the STCW Code and 

evidence of completion of the training 

required in paragraph (a)(4) of this 

section. 

(c) * * * 

TABLE 1 TO § 12.611(c)—STCW ENDORSEMENT AS ELECTRO-TECHNICAL

RATING

Entry path from 

national 

endorsements 

Sea 

service 

under 

authority 

of the 

endorsement 1

Competence— 

STCW Table 

A–III/7 2

Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer.None .... Y 

Junior Engineer .. None .... Y 

1This column provides the minimum additional service required of the seafarer in order 

to meet the requirements of this section. 2 Complete any items in paragraph (a)(3) of 

this section not previously satisfied. 

■ 156. Amend § 12.613 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(c) to read as follows: 

§ 12.613 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement in Proficiency in 

Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than 

Fast Rescue Boats. 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement in Proficiency in Survival 

Craft and Rescue Boats other than Fast 

Rescue Boats (PSC), the applicant must– 

(1) Be at least 18 years of age; 

(2) Meet the requirements for a 

Lifeboat Operator endorsement in 

§ 12.407 and Table A–VI/2–1 of the 

STCW Code (incorporated by reference, 

see § 12.103); and 

(3) Complete Basic Training (BT), 

found in § 12.602. 

* * * * * 

(c) Seafarers holding an MMD or 

MMC endorsement as Lifeboat Operator 

before January 1, 2017 will be eligible 

for this endorsement upon showing 

evidence of sea service of not less than 

12 months within the last 60 months. 

The sea service must be completed prior 

to January 1, 2017. 

■ 157. Amend § 12.615 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(c) to read as follows: 

§ 12.615 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement in Proficiency in 

Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than 

Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats-Limited 

(PSC-Limited). 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement in Proficiency in Survival 

Craft and Rescue Boats other than 

Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats-Limited 

(PSC-Limited), the applicant must— 

(1) Be at least 18 years of age; 

(2) Meet the requirements for a 

Lifeboat Operator-Limited endorsement 

in § 12.409 and Table A–VI/2–1 of the 

STCW Code (incorporated by reference, 

see § 12.103); and 

(3) Complete Basic Training (BT), 

found in § 12.601(c). 

* * * * * 

(c) Seafarers holding an MMD or 

MMC endorsement as Lifeboat OperatorLimited before January 1, 2017, will be 

eligible for this endorsement upon 

showing evidence of sea service of not 

less than 12 months within the last 60 

months. The sea service must be 

completed prior to January 1, 2017. 

■ 158. Amend § 12.617 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(b)(2)(i) to read as follows: 

§ 12.617 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement in Proficiency in Fast 

Rescue Boats. 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement in Proficiency in Fast 

Rescue Boats, an applicant must— 

(1) Be not less than 18 years of age; 

(2) Hold an endorsement in 

Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue 

Boats other than Fast Rescue Boats 

(PSC) or in Proficiency in Survival Craft 

and Rescue Boats other than lifeboats 

and Fast Rescue Boats–Limited (PSC– 

Limited) under this subpart; 

(3) Provide evidence of successful 

completion of a Coast Guard-approved 

or -accepted course; and 

(4) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standard of competence specified in 

Table A–VI/2–2 of the STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 12.103). 

(b) * * * 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 93105 

(2) * * * 

(i) Taking charge of a Fast Rescue Boat 

during and after launch, including— 

(A) Controlling safe launching, 

operating of the engine, and recovering 

a Fast Rescue Boat; 

(B) Handling a Fast Rescue Boat in 

prevailing weather and sea conditions; 

(C) Using communication and 

signaling equipment between the Fast 

Rescue Boat and a helicopter and a ship; 

* * * * * 

■ 159. Amend § 12.619 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) 

introductory text and (b) introductory 

text to read as follows: 

§ 12.619 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Medical First-aid 

Provider. 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Medical First-aid 

Provider, an applicant must— 

* * * * * 

(b) An applicant holding one of the 

following credentials is qualified for an 

endorsement as Medical First-aid 

Provider: 

* * * * * 

■ 160. Amend § 12.621 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) 

introductory text and (b) introductory 

text to read as follows: 

§ 12.621 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Person in Charge of 

Medical Care. 

(a) To qualify for an STCW 

endorsement as Person in Charge of 

Medical Care, an applicant must— 

* * * * * 

(b) An applicant holding any of the 

following credentials is qualified for an 

endorsement as Person in Charge of 

Medical Care: 

* * * * * 

■ 161. Amend § 12.623 by revising the 

section heading, introductory text, and 

paragraphs (b)(2) and (c) to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.623 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Global Maritime 

Distress and Safety System At-sea 

Maintainer. 

To qualify for an STCW endorsement 

as Global Maritime Distress and Safety 

System (GMDSS) At-sea Maintainer, an 

applicant must— 

* * * * * 

(b) * * * 

(2) Passing an approved GMDSS Atsea Maintainer course; and 

(c) Hold a valid Federal 

Communications Commission (FCC) 

certificate as GMDSS At-sea Maintainer. 

■ 162. Amend § 12.625 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) and 

(b) introductory text to read as follows: 

§ 12.625 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement as Vessel Personnel 

with Designated Security Duties. 

(a) An applicant for an STCW 

endorsement as Vessel Personnel with 

Designated Security Duties must— 

* * * * * 

(b) Until March 24, 2014, seafarers 

will be able to apply for an endorsement 

as Vessel Personnel with Designated 

Security Duties by— 

* * * * * 

■ 163. Amend § 12.627 by revising the 

section heading and paragraphs (a) 

introductory text and (b) introductory 

text to read as follows: 

§ 12.627 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement for Security 

Awareness. 

(a) An applicant for an endorsement 

for Security Awareness must— 

* * * * * 

(b) Until March 24, 2014, seafarers 

will be able to apply for an endorsement 

in Security Awareness by— 

* * * * * 

■ 164. Revise § 12.701 to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.701 Credentials required for entrylevel and miscellaneous ratings. 

Every person employed or engaged on 

a vessel subject to 46 U.S.C. 8701 must 

produce an MMC or MMD with the 

appropriate endorsement to the Master 

or Person in Charge (PIC), if appropriate, 

before signing shipping articles. 

■ 165. Revise § 12.703 to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.703 General requirements for entrylevel ratings. 

(a) Rating endorsements will be 

issued without professional 

examination to applicants in capacities 

other than Able Seafarer, Lifeboat 

Operator, Lifeboat Operator-Limited, 

tank vessel endorsement, or QMED, 

including— 

(1) Ordinary Seafarer; 

(2) Wiper; 

(3) Steward’s Department; and 

(4) Steward’s Department (F.H.). 

(b) Holders of MMCs or MMDs 

endorsed as Ordinary Seafarer may 

serve in any unqualified rating in the 

deck or steward’s department, except as 

a Food Handler (F.H.). 

(c) Holders of MMCs or MMDs 

endorsed as Wiper may serve in any 

unqualified rating in the engine or 

steward’s department, except as a Food 

Handler. 

(d) Only MMCs or MMDs endorsed as 

Steward’s Department (F.H.) will 

authorize the holder’s service in any 

capacity in the steward’s department, 

including Food Handler. 

■ 166. Revise § 12.705 to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.705 Endorsements for persons 

enrolled in a Maritime Administrationapproved training program. 

MMCs issued to individuals obtaining 

sea service as part of an approved 

training curriculum while enrolled at 

either the United States Merchant 

Marine Academy or a deck or 

engineering class of a Maritime 

Academy approved by and conducted 

under the rules prescribed by the 

Maritime Administrator and listed in 46 

CFR part 310 will include an 

endorsement of Cadet-Deck or CadetEngine, as appropriate, and Lifeboat 

Operator. Individuals obtaining sea 

service as part of such an approved 

training curriculum must do so in the 

capacity of Cadet-Deck or Cadet-Engine, 

as appropriate, notwithstanding any 

other rating endorsements the 

individual may hold or any other 

capacity in which the individual may 

have previously served. 

■ 167. Revise § 12.709 to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.709 Apprentice Engineers. 

(a) Persons enrolled in an engineer 

training program approved by the Coast 

Guard, and who present a letter or other 

documentary evidence that they are 

enrolled, may be issued an MMC 

endorsed as Apprentice Engineer and 

may be signed on ships as such. The 

endorsement as Apprentice Engineer 

may be in addition to other 

endorsements; however, this 

endorsement does not authorize the 

holder to replace any of the regular 

required crew. 

(b) Persons holding the endorsement 

as Apprentice Engineer are deemed to 

be seafarers. 

■ 168. Revise § 12.711 to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.711 Apprentice Mate. 

(a) A person enrolled in a Mate 

training program approved by the Coast 

Guard, and who presents a letter or 

other documentary evidence that they 

are enrolled, may be issued an MMC 

rating endorsement as Apprentice Mate 

and may be signed on a vessel in this 

capacity. The rating endorsement as 

Apprentice Mate may be in addition to 

other endorsements; however, this 

endorsement does not authorize the 

holder to replace any of the regular 

required crew. 

(b) Persons holding the endorsement 

as Apprentice Mate are deemed to be 

seafarers. 


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93106 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

■ 169. Amend § 12.805 by revising 

paragraphs (b) through (d) to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.805 Employer requirements. 

* * * * * 

(b) If an MMC is issued to the 

applicant, the report and information 

required in paragraph (a)(2) of this 

section must be securely kept by the 

employer on the U.S.-flagged large 

passenger vessel on which the applicant 

is employed. The report and 

information must remain on the last 

U.S.-flagged large passenger vessel on 

which the applicant was employed until 

such time as the MMC is returned to the 

Coast Guard in accordance with 

paragraph (d) of this section. 

(c) If an MMC or a Transportation 

Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) 

is issued to the applicant, each MMC 

and TWIC must be securely kept by the 

employer on the U.S.-flagged large 

passenger vessel on which the applicant 

is employed. The employer must 

maintain a detailed record of the 

seafarer’s total service on all authorized 

U.S.-flagged large passenger vessels, and 

must make that information available to 

the Coast Guard upon request, to 

demonstrate that the limitations of 

§ 12.811(c) have not been exceeded. 

(d) In the event that the seafarer’s 

MMC and/or TWIC expires, the 

seafarer’s visa status terminates, the 

seafarer serves onboard the U.S.-flagged 

large passenger vessel(s) for 36 months 

in the aggregate as a nonimmigrant 

crewmember, the employer terminates 

employment of the seafarer, or if the 

seafarer otherwise ceases working with 

the employer, the employer must return 

the MMC to the Coast Guard and/or the 

TWIC to the Transportation Security 

Administration (TSA) within 10 days of 

the event. 

* * * * * 

■ 170. Amend § 12.809 by revising 

paragraphs (a) and (b) to read as follows: 

§ 12.809 Citizenship and identity. 

(a) Instead of the requirements of 

§ 10.221 of this subchapter, a nonresident alien may apply for a Coast 

Guard-issued MMC, endorsed and valid 

only for service in the steward’s 

department of a U.S.-flagged large 

passenger vessel, as defined in 46 U.S.C. 

8103(k)(5)(B), if they are employable in 

the United States under the Immigration 

and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101, et 

seq.), including an alien crewmember 

described in section 101 (a)(15)(D)(i) of 

that Act. 

(b) To meet the citizenship and 

identity requirements of this subpart, an 

applicant must present an unexpired 

passport issued by the government of 

the country of which the applicant is a 

citizen or subject, and either a valid U.S. 

C–1/D Crewmember Visa or another 

valid U.S. visa or authority deemed 

acceptable by the Coast Guard. 

* * * * * 

■ 171. Revise § 12.811 to read as 

follows: 

§ 12.811 Restrictions. 

(a) An MMC issued to a non-resident 

alien under this subpart authorizes 

service only in the steward’s department 

of the U.S.-flagged large passenger 

vessel(s), that is/are under the same 

common ownership and control as the 

foreign-flagged passenger vessel(s) on 

which the non-resident alien served to 

meet the requirements of § 12.807(a). 

(1) The MMC will be endorsed for 

service in the steward’s department, in 

accordance with § 12.703. 

(2) The MMC may also be endorsed 

for service as a Food Handler if the 

applicant meets the requirements of 

§ 12.703. 

(3) No other rating or endorsement is 

authorized, except Lifeboat Operator or 

Lifeboat Operator-Limited, in which 

case all applicable requirements of this 

subchapter and the STCW Convention 

and STCW Code (incorporated by 

reference, see § 12.103) must be met. 

(b) The following restrictions must be 

printed on the MMC, or be listed in an 

accompanying Coast Guard letter, or 

both: 

(1) The name and official number of 

all U.S.-flagged vessels on which the 

non-resident alien may serve. Service is 

not authorized on any other U.S.-flagged 

vessel. 

(2) Upon issuance, the MMC must 

remain in the custody of the employer 

at all times. 

(3) Upon termination of employment, 

the MMC must be returned to the Coast 

Guard within 10 days, in accordance 

with § 12.805. 

(4) A non-resident alien issued an 

MMC under this subpart may not 

perform watchstanding, engine room 

duty watch, or vessel navigation 

functions. 

(5) A non-resident alien issued an 

MMC under this subpart may perform 

emergency-related duties, provided that 

- 

(i) The emergency-related duties do 

not require any other rating or 

endorsement, except Lifeboat Operator 

or Lifeboat Operator-Limited as 

specified in paragraph (a)(3) of this 

section; 

(ii) The non-resident alien has 

completed Familiarization and Basic 

Training (BT), as required in § 15.1105 

of this subchapter; 

(iii) If the non-resident alien serves as 

a Lifeboat Operator or Lifeboat 

Operator-Limited, they have the 

necessary Lifeboat Operator or Lifeboat 

Operator-Limited endorsement; and 

(iv) The non-resident alien has 

completed the training for crewmembers 

on passenger ships performing duties 

involving safety or care for passengers, 

as required in § 15.1103 of this 

subchapter. 

(c) A non-resident alien may only 

serve for an aggregate period of 36 

months of actual service on all 

authorized U.S.-flagged large passenger 

vessels combined under the provisions 

of this subpart. 

(d) Once this 36-month limitation is 

reached, the MMC becomes invalid and 

must be returned to the Coast Guard 

under § 12.805(d), and the non-resident 

alien is no longer authorized to serve in 

a position requiring an MMC on any 

U.S.-flagged large passenger vessel. 

(e) An individual who successfully 

adjusts their immigration status to 

become either an alien lawfully 

admitted for permanent residence to the 

United States, or a citizen of the United 

States, may apply for an MMC, subject 

to the requirements of § 10.221 of this 

subchapter, without any restrictions or 

limitations imposed by this subpart. 

■ 172. Revise and republish part 13, 

consisting of §§ 13.101 through 13.611, 

to read as follows: 

PART 13—CERTIFICATION OF TANK 

VESSEL PERSONNEL 

Subpart A—General 

§ 13.101 Purpose. 

§ 13.103 Incorporation by reference. 

§ 13.105 Paperwork approval. 

§ 13.106 Requirement to hold an MMC. 

§ 13.107 Tank vessel endorsements: 

General. 

§ 13.109 Tank vessel endorsements: 

Authorized cargoes. 

§ 13.111 Restricted tank vessel 

endorsements. 

§ 13.113 [Reserved] 

§ 13.115 Chemical testing requirements. 

§ 13.117 Re-issuance of expired tank vessel 

endorsements. 

§ 13.119 Expiration of endorsements. 

§ 13.120 Renewal of tank vessel 

endorsements. 

§ 13.121 Courses for tank vessel 

endorsements. 

§ 13.123 Recency of service or experience 

for original tank vessel endorsements. 

§ 13.125 Physical and medical 

requirements. 

§ 13.127 Service: General. 

§ 13.129 Quick-reference table for tank 

vessel endorsements. 

Subpart B—Requirements for Tank VesselPIC Endorsement 

§ 13.201 Original application for Tank 

Vessel-PIC endorsement. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 93107 

§ 13.203 Service requirements. 

§ 13.205 Proof of service for Tank VesselPIC endorsement. 

Subpart C—Requirements for Tank BargePIC Endorsement 

§ 13.301 Original application for Tank 

Barge-PIC endorsement. 

§ 13.303 Service requirements. 

§ 13.305 Proof of service for Tank BargePIC. 

Subpart D Requirements for Tank VesselAssistant Wndorsement. 

§ 13.401 Original application for Tank 

Vessel-Assistant endorsement. 

§ 13.403 Service requirements. 

§ 13.405 Proof of service for Tank VesselAssistant endorsement. 

Subpart E—Requirements for Tank VesselEngineer Wndorsement 

§ 13.501 Original application for Tank 

Vessel-Engineer endorsement. 

§ 13.503 Service requirements. 

§ 13.505 Proof of service for Tank VesselEngineer endorsement. 

Subpart F—Requirements for STCW Tank 

Vessel Endorsements 

§ 13.601 General. 

§ 13.603 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement for Advanced Oil 

Tanker Cargo Operations. 

§ 13.605 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement for Advanced 

Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations. 

§ 13.607 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement for Advanced 

Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations. 

§ 13.609 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement for Basic Oil and 

Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations. 

§ 13.611 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement for Basic Liquefied 

Gas Tanker Cargo Operations. 

Authority: 46 U.S.C. 3703, 7317, 8105, 

8703, 9102; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, 

Revision No. 01.4. 

Subpart A—General 

§ 13.101 Purpose. 

This part describes the various tank 

vessel endorsements issued by the Coast 

Guard on a Merchant Mariner 

Credential (MMC). 

(a) This part prescribes the 

requirements for the following 

endorsements: 

(1) Tank Vessel-PIC. 

(2) Tank Barge-PIC . 

(3) Restricted Tank Vessel-PIC. 

(4) Restricted Tank Barge-PIC . 

(5) Tank Vessel-Assistant. 

(6) Tank Vessel-Engineer. 

(b) This part prescribes the 

requirements for the following STCW 

endorsements: 

(1) Advanced Oil Tanker Cargo 

Operation. 

(2) Advanced Chemical Tanker Cargo 

Operation. 

(3) Advanced Liquefied Gas Tanker 

Cargo Operation. 

(4) Basic Oil and Chemical Tanker 

Cargo Operation. 

(5) Basic Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo 

Operation. 

§ 13.103 Incorporation by reference. 

(a) Certain material is incorporated by 

reference into this part with the 

approval of the Director of the Federal 

Register under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 

CFR part 51. All approved incorporation 

by reference material (IBR) is available 

for inspection at the Coast Guard and 

the National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). Contact Coast 

Guard at: Office of Merchant Mariner 

Credentialing (CG–MMC), U.S. Coast 

Guard, Stop 7509, 2703 Martin Luther 

King Jr. Avenue SE, Washington, DC 

20593–7509; phone: 202–372–1492; 

website: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/ 

merchant_mariner_credential/. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at NARA,Error! Hyperlink 

reference not valid. visit 

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@

nara.gov. The material may be obtained 

from: 

(b) International Maritime 

Organization (IMO), 4 Albert 

Embankment, London SE1 7SR, 

England; phone: +44 (0)20 7735 7611; 

website: www.imo.org. 

(1) The Seafarers’ Training, 

Certification and Watchkeeping Code, as 

amended, 2011 (the STCW Code); 

approved for incorporation by reference 

in §§ 13.601, 13.603, 13.605, 13.607, 

13.609, and 13.611; and 

(2) [Reserved] 

§ 13.105 Paperwork approval. 

(a) This section lists the control 

numbers assigned by the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) under 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 

[Pub. L. 96–511] for the reporting and 

recordkeeping requirements in this part. 

(b) OMB has assigned the following 

control numbers to the sections 

indicated: 

(1) OMB 1625–0040—46 CFR 13.113, 

13.115, 13.117, 13.201, 13.203, 13.205, 

13.301, 13.303, 13.305, 13.401, 13.403, 

13.405, 13.501, 13.503, 13.505. 

(2) OMB 1625–0028—46 CFR 13.121, 

13.207, 13.209, 13.307, 13.309, 13.407, 

13.409, 13.507, 13.509. 

§ 13.106 Requirement to hold an MMC. 

An applicant for any endorsement in 

this part must also meet the 

requirements for the MMC on which the 

endorsement would appear. These 

requirements are set out in part 10 of 

this subchapter. 

§ 13.107 Tank vessel endorsements: 

General. 

(a) If an applicant meets the 

requirements of subpart B of this part, 

the Coast Guard may endorse their 

MMC as Tank Vessel-PIC with the 

appropriate cargo classification or 

classifications. A person holding this 

endorsement and meeting the other 

requirements of 33 CFR 155.710(a) may 

act as a PIC of a transfer of fuel oil, of 

a transfer of liquid cargo in bulk, or of 

cargo-tank cleaning on any tank vessel. 

That person may also act as a Tank 

Vessel-Engineer, provided they also 

hold an engineer License or engineer 

endorsement. 

(b) If an applicant meets the 

requirements of subpart C of this part, 

the Coast Guard may endorse their 

MMC as Tank Barge-PIC with the 

appropriate cargo classification or 

classifications. A person holding this 

endorsement and meeting the other 

requirements of 33 CFR 155.710(b) may 

act as a PIC of a transfer of liquid cargo 

in bulk only on a tank barge. 

(c) If an applicant meets the 

requirements of subpart D of this part, 

the Coast Guard may endorse their 

MMC as Tank Vessel-Assistant with the 

appropriate cargo classification or 

classifications. No person holding this 

endorsement may act as a PIC of any 

transfer of fuel oil, of any transfer of 

liquid cargo in bulk, or of cargo-tank 

cleaning unless they also hold an 

endorsement authorizing service as PIC. 

They may, however, without being 

directly supervised by the PIC, perform 

duties relative to cargo and cargohandling equipment assigned by the PIC 

of transfers of fuel oil, of transfers of 

liquid cargo in bulk, or of cargo-tank 

cleaning. When performing these duties, 

they must maintain continuous two-way 

voice communications with the PIC. 

(d) If an applicant meets the 

requirements of subpart E of this part, 

the Coast Guard may endorse their 

MMC as Tank Vessel-Engineer. No 

person holding this endorsement may 

act as a PIC or Tank Vessel-Assistant of 

any transfer of liquid cargo in bulk, or 

of cargo-tank cleaning unless they also 

hold an endorsement authorizing such 

service. A person holding this 

endorsement and acting in this capacity 

has the primary responsibility, on their 

self-propelled tank vessel carrying 

dangerous liquid (DL) or liquefied gas 

(LG), for maintaining both the cargo 

systems and equipment for transfer of 

liquid cargo in bulk. No person licensed 

or credentialed under part 11 of this 

chapter may serve as a Chief Engineer, 

First Assistant Engineer, or Cargo 

Engineer aboard an inspected selfpropelled tank vessel when liquid cargo 


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93108 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

in bulk or cargo residue is carried unless 

they hold an endorsement as Tank 

Vessel-Engineer or equivalent. 

(e) If an applicant meets the 

requirements of § 13.111, the Coast 

Guard may place, on their MMC, an 

endorsement as a Tank Vessel-PIC 

restricted according to the definitions of 

‘‘restricted tank vessel endorsement’’ in 

§ 10.107 of this subchapter. 

(f) This section does not apply to any 

person solely by reason of their 

involvement in bunkering or fueling. 

§ 13.109 Tank vessel endorsements: 

Authorized cargoes. 

(a) Each tank vessel endorsement 

described in § 13.107 will expressly 

limit the holder’s service under it to 

transfers involving one or both of the 

following cargo classifications: 

(1) Dangerous liquid (DL). 

(2) Liquefied gas (LG). 

(b) No tank vessel endorsement is 

necessary to transfer the liquid cargoes 

in bulk listed in table 2 of part 153 of 

this subchapter when those cargoes are 

carried on barges not certified for ocean 

service. 

§ 13.111 Restricted tank vessel 

endorsements. 

(a) An applicant may apply for a tank 

vessel endorsement restricted to specific 

cargoes, specific vessels, or groups of 

vessels (such as uninspected towing 

vessels and oil spill response vessels), 

specific facilities, and/or specific 

employers. The Coast Guard will 

evaluate each application and may 

modify the applicable requirements for 

the endorsement, allowing for special 

circumstances and for whichever 

restrictions the endorsement will state. 

(b) To qualify for a Restricted Tank 

Vessel-PIC endorsement, an applicant 

must meet §§ 13.201 (excluding 

paragraph (c)(4)), 13.203, and 13.205. 

(1) Twenty-five percent of the service 

described in § 13.203(a) must have 

occurred within the past 5 years. 

(2) Two of the transfers described in 

§ 13.203(b) must have occurred within 

the past 5 years. 

(c) To qualify for a Restricted Tank 

Barge-PIC endorsement, an applicant 

must meet §§ 13.301 (excluding 

paragraph (c)(4)), 13.303, and 13.305. 

(1) Twenty-five percent of the service 

described in § 13.303(a) must have 

occurred within the past 5 years. 

(2) Two of the transfers described in 

§ 13.303(b) must have occurred within 

the past 5 years. 

(d) To qualify for a Restricted Tank 

Barge-PIC endorsement restricted to a 

tank-cleaning and gas-freeing facility, an 

applicant must— 

(1) Be at least 18 years old; 

(2) Apply on a form provided by the 

Coast Guard; 

(3) Present evidence of passing a 

physical and medical examination 

according to § 13.125; 

(4) Present evidence in the form of a 

letter, which must be dated within the 

5 years prior to the application for the 

credential, on company letterhead from 

the operator of the facility stating that 

OSHA considers the applicant a 

‘‘competent person (as designated under 

29 CFR 1915.7)’’ for the facility and that 

the applicant has the knowledge 

necessary to supervise tank-cleaning 

and gas-freeing; and 

(5) Be capable of speaking and 

understanding, in English, all 

instructions needed to commence, 

conduct, and complete a transfer of 

cargo, and of reading and understanding 

the English found in the Declaration of 

Inspection, vessel response plans, and 

Cargo Information Cards. 

(e) The Restricted Tank Barge-PIC 

endorsement restricted to a tankcleaning and gas-freeing facility is valid 

only while the applicant is employed by 

the operator of the facility that provided 

the letter of service required by 

paragraph (d)(4) of this section, and this 

and any other appropriate restrictions 

will appear in the endorsement. 

(f) A restricted Tank Vessel-PIC 

endorsement limited to operation on 

vessels inside the boundary line is not 

valid where STCW certification is 

required. 

§ 13.113 [Reserved] 

§ 13.115 Chemical testing requirements. 

Each applicant for an original tank 

vessel endorsement must provide 

evidence of having passed a chemical 

test for dangerous drugs or of qualifying 

for an exemption from testing in 

§ 16.220 of this subchapter as specified 

in § 10.225(b)(5) of this subchapter. 

§ 13.117 Re-issuance of expired tank 

vessel endorsements. 

Whenever an applicant applies for reissuance of any tank vessel endorsement 

more than 12 months after expiration of 

the previous endorsement, the applicant 

must meet the requirements for an 

original endorsement. 

§ 13.119 Expiration of endorsements. 

A tank vessel endorsement is valid for 

the duration of the Merchant Mariner 

Credential (MMC) on which the 

endorsement appears. 

§ 13.120 Renewal of tank vessel 

endorsements. 

An applicant seeking renewal of a 

tank vessel endorsement or an STCW 

endorsement valid for service on tank 

vessels must meet the requirements of 

§ 10.227 of this subchapter, except 

§ 10.227(e)(1), for renewing an MMC, 

and meet the following additional 

requirements: 

(a) For endorsements as Tank VesselPIC, Advanced Oil and Chemical Tanker 

Cargo Operation; and Advanced 

Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations, 

present evidence of— 

(1) At least 90 days of service during 

the preceding 5 years onboard a tank 

vessel for which the endorsement is 

valid, performing duties appropriate to 

the tank vessel endorsement held; and 

participation in at least two transfers of 

liquid cargo in bulk of the type for 

which the endorsement is valid within 

the preceding 5 years; or 

(2) Completion of an approved course 

for Tankship: Dangerous Liquids or 

Tankship: Liquefied Gases, appropriate 

for the endorsement to be renewed, 

within the previous 5 years. 

(b) For endorsements as Tank VesselAssistant, Basic Oil and Chemical 

Tanker Cargo Operation; and Basic 

Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations, 

present evidence of— 

(1) At least 90 days of service during 

the preceding 5 years onboard a tank 

vessel for which the endorsement is 

valid, performing duties appropriate to 

the tank vessel endorsement held; or 

(2) Completion of an approved course 

for Tankship: Dangerous Liquids or 

Tankship: Liquefied Gases, appropriate 

for the endorsement to be renewed, 

within the previous 5 years. 

(c) For endorsements as Tank BargePIC, present evidence of— 

(1) Participation in at least two 

transfers of liquid cargo in bulk of the 

type for which the endorsement is valid, 

within the preceding 5 years; or 

(2) Completion of a course approved 

for this purpose, appropriate for the 

endorsement to be renewed, within the 

previous 5 years. 

(d) For endorsements as Tank VesselEngineer, present evidence of— 

(1) At least 90 days of service during 

the preceding 5 years onboard a tank 

vessel for which the endorsement is 

valid, performing duties appropriate to 

the tank vessel endorsement held; or 

(2) Completion of a course approved 

for this purpose, appropriate for the 

endorsement to be renewed, within the 

previous 5 years. 

§ 13.121 Courses for tank vessel 

endorsements. 

(a) This section prescribes the 

requirements, beyond those in §§ 10.302 

and 10.304 of this subchapter, 

applicable to schools offering courses 

required for a tank vessel endorsement 

and courses that are a substitute for 


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experience with transfers of liquid cargo 

in bulk required for the endorsement. 

(b) A course that uses simulated 

transfers to train students in loading and 

discharging tank vessels may replace up 

to two loadings and two discharges, one 

commencement and one completion of 

loading, and one commencement and 

one completion of discharge required 

for a Tank Vessel-PIC or Tank Barge-PIC 

endorsement. The request for approval 

of the course must specify those 

segments of a transfer that the course 

will simulate. The letter from the Coast 

Guard approving the course will state 

the number and kind of segments that 

the course will replace. 

(c) The Liquid Cargo course required 

for an endorsement as— 

(1) Tank Vessel-PIC DL is Tankship: 

Dangerous Liquids; 

(2) Tank Barge-PIC DL is Tank Barge: 

Dangerous Liquids; 

(3) Tank Vessel-PIC LG is Tankship: 

Liquefied Gases; 

(4) Tank barge-PIC LG is Tank Barge: 

Liquefied Gases; 

(5) Tank Vessel-Assistant DL is 

Tankship: Familiarization (Dangerous 

Liquids); 

(6) Tank Vessel-Assistant LG is 

Tankship: Familiarization (Liquefied 

Gases); 

(7) Tank Vessel-Engineer DL is 

Tankship: Dangerous Liquids; and 

(8) Tank Vessel-Engineer LG is 

Tankship: Liquefied Gases. 

(d) The firefighting course required 

for an endorsement as— 

(1) Tank Barge-PIC is Tank Barge: 

Firefighting or Basic Firefighting; and 

(2) Tank Vessel-PIC, Tank VesselAssistant, and Tank Vessel-Engineer is 

basic firefighting. 

(e) The Coast Guard will evaluate and 

approve the curricula of courses to 

ensure adequate coverage of the 

required subjects. Training may employ 

classroom instruction, demonstrations, 

or simulated or actual operations. 

(1) The course curricula for Tankship 

Familiarization must consist of the 

topics identified in table 1 to 

§ 13.121(e). 

(2) The course curricula for Tank 

Vessel-PIC, Tank Barge-PIC, and Tank 

Vessel-Engineer endorsements must 

consist of the topics identified in table 

2 to § 13.121(e). 

(3) The course curricula for 

firefighting courses must consist of the 

topics identified in table 3 to 

§ 13.121(e). 

TABLE 1 TO § 13.121(e) 

Tankship familiarization topics 1 2 

Basic knowledge of tankers: 

Types of oil and chemical vessels or liquefied gas tanker vessels ................................................................. X X 

General arrangement and construction ............................................................................................................ X X 

Basic knowledge of cargo operations: 

Piping systems and valves ............................................................................................................................... X X 

Cargo pumps and cargo handling equipment .................................................................................................. X X 

Loading and unloading and care in transit ....................................................................................................... X X 

Tank cleaning, purging, gas-freeing and inerting ............................................................................................. X X 

Basic knowledge of the physical properties of oil and chemicals: 

Pressure and temperature, including vapor pressure/temperature relationship .............................................. X ........................

Types of electrostatic charge generation ......................................................................................................... X ........................

chemical symbols ............................................................................................................................................. X ........................

Basic knowledge of the physical properties of liquefied gases, including: 

Properties and characteristics .......................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Pressure and temperature, including vapor pressure/temperature relationship .............................................. ........................ X 

Types of electrostatic charge generation ......................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Chemical symbols ............................................................................................................................................ ........................ X 

Knowledge and understanding of tanker safety culture and safety management .......................................... X X 

Basic knowledge of the hazards associated with tanker operations, including: 

Health hazards ................................................................................................................................................. X X 

Environmental hazards ..................................................................................................................................... X X 

Reactivity hazards ............................................................................................................................................ X X 

Corrosion hazards ............................................................................................................................................ X X 

Explosion and flammability hazards ................................................................................................................. X X 

Sources of ignition ............................................................................................................................................ X X 

Electrostatic hazards ........................................................................................................................................ X X 

Toxicity hazards ................................................................................................................................................ X X 

Vapor leaks and clouds .................................................................................................................................... X X 

Extremely low temperatures ............................................................................................................................. ........................ X 

Pressure hazards ............................................................................................................................................. ........................ X 

Basic knowledge of hazard controls: 

Inerting, water padding, drying agents and monitoring techniques ................................................................. X X 

Anti-static measures ......................................................................................................................................... X X 

Ventilation ......................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Segregation ...................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Cargo inhibition ................................................................................................................................................. X X 

Importance of cargo compatibility .................................................................................................................... X X 

Atmospheric control .......................................................................................................................................... X X 

Gas testing ....................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Understanding of information on a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) ........................................................ X X 

Function and proper use of gas-measuring instruments and similar equipment ............................................ X X 

Proper use of safety equipment and protective devices, including: 

Breathing apparatus and tank-evacuating equipment ..................................................................................... X X 

Protective clothing and equipment ................................................................................................................... X X 

Resuscitators .................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Rescue and escape equipment ........................................................................................................................ X X 


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TABLE 1 TO § 13.121(e)—Continued 

Tankship familiarization topics 1 2 

Basic knowledge of safe working practices and procedures in accordance with legislation and industry guidelines and personal shipboard safety relevant to oil and chemical tankers, including: 

Precautions to be taken when entering enclosed spaces ............................................................................... X X 

Precautions to be taken before and during repair and maintenance work ..................................................... X X 

Safety measures for hot and cold work ........................................................................................................... X X 

Electrical safety ................................................................................................................................................ X X 

Ship/shore safety checklist ............................................................................................................................... X X 

Basic knowledge of first aid with reference to a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) ................................... X X 

Basic knowledge of emergency procedures, including emergency shutdown ................................................ X X 

Basic knowledge of the effects of oil and chemical pollution on human and marine life ................................ X X 

Basic knowledge of shipboard procedures to prevent pollution ...................................................................... X X 

Basic knowledge of measures to be taken in the event of spillage, including the need to: 

Report relevant information to the responsible persons .................................................................................. X X 

Assist in implementing shipboard spill-containment procedures ..................................................................... X X 

prevent brittle fracture ...................................................................................................................................... X ........................

Column 1—Tankship Familiarization (Dangerous Liquids). 

Column 2—Tankship Familiarization (Liquefied Gases). 

TABLE 2 TO § 13.121(e) 

Tankship and tank barge course topics 1 2 3 4 

General characteristics, compatibility, reaction, firefighting procedures, and 

safety precautions for the cargoes of: 

Bulk liquids defined as Dangerous Liquids in 46 CFR Part 13 ............... X X ........................ ........................

Bulk liquefied gases & their vapors defined as Liquefied Gases in 46 

CFR Part 13 .......................................................................................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Knowledge and understanding of the physical and chemical properties 

of oil and chemical cargoes .................................................................. X ........................ ........................ ........................

Physical phenomena of liquefied gas, including: 

Basic concept ........................................................................................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Compression and expansion .................................................................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Mechanism of heat transfer ...................................................................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Potential hazards of liquefied gas, including: 

Chemical and physical properties ............................................................ ........................ ........................ X X 

Combustion characteristics ....................................................................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Results of gas release to the atmosphere ............................................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Health hazards (skin contact, inhalation, and ingestion) ......................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Control of flammability range with inert gas ............................................. ........................ ........................ X X 

Thermal stress in structure and piping of vessel ..................................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Cargo systems, including: 

Principles of containment systems ........................................................... X X X X 

Construction, materials, coating, & insulation of cargo tanks .................. ........................ ........................ X X 

General arrangement of cargo tanks ....................................................... X X X X 

Venting and vapor-control systems .......................................................... X X X X 

Cargo-handling systems, including: 

Piping systems, valves, pumps, and expansion systems ........................ X X X X 

Operating characteristics .......................................................................... X X X X 

Instrumentation systems, including: 

Cargo-level indicators ............................................................................... X X X X 

Gas-detecting systems ............................................................................. X ........................ X X

Temperature-monitoring systems, cargo .................................................. X ........................ X X 

Temperature-monitoring systems, hull ..................................................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Automatic-shutdown systems ................................................................... X ........................ X X 

Auxiliary systems, including: 

Ventilation, inerting ................................................................................... X X X X 

Valves, including: 

Quick-closing ............................................................................................ X X X X 

Remote-control ......................................................................................... X X X X 

Pneumatic ................................................................................................. X X X X 

Excess-flow ............................................................................................... X X X X 

Safety-relief ............................................................................................... X X X X 

Pressure-vacuum ...................................................................................... X X X X 

Heating-systems: cofferdams & ballast tanks .......................................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Operations connected with the loading and discharging of cargo, including: 

Lining up the cargo and vapor-control systems ....................................... X X X X 

Pre-transfer inspections and completion of the Declaration of Inspection X X X X 

Hooking up of cargo hose, loading arms, and grounding-strap ............... X X X X 

Starting of liquid flow ................................................................................ X X X X 

Calculation of loading rates ...................................................................... X ........................ X ........................

Discussion of loading ............................................................................... X X X X 


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TABLE 2 TO § 13.121(e)—Continued 

Tankship and tank barge course topics 1 2 3 4 

Ballasting and deballasting ....................................................................... X X X X 

Topping off of the cargo tanks ................................................................. X X X X 

Discussion of discharging ......................................................................... X X X X 

Stripping of the cargo tanks ..................................................................... X X ........................ ........................

Monitoring of transfers .............................................................................. X X X X 

Gauging of cargo tanks ............................................................................ X X X X 

Disconnecting of cargo hoses or loading arms ........................................ X X X X 

Cargo-tank-cleaning procedures and precautions ................................... X X ........................ ........................

Slop arrangements ................................................................................... X ........................ ........................ ........................

Ship-to-ship transfers ............................................................................... X ........................ ........................ ........................

Operating procedures and sequence for: 

Inerting of cargo tanks and void spaces .................................................. X X X X 

Cooldown and warmup of cargo tanks ..................................................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Gas-freeing ............................................................................................... X X X X 

Loaded or ballasted voyages ................................................................... X ........................ X ........................

Testing of cargo-tank atmospheres for oxygen & cargo vapor ................ X X X X 

Stability and stress considerations connected with loading and discharging 

of cargo ........................................................................................................ X X X X 

Loadline, draft, and trim ................................................................................... X X X X 

Disposal of boil-off, including: 

System design .......................................................................................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Safety features ......................................................................................... ........................ ........................ X X 

Stability-letter requirements ...................................................................... X ........................ X ........................

Emergency procedures, including notice to appropriate authorities, for: 

Fire ............................................................................................................ X X X X 

Collision .................................................................................................... X X X X 

Grounding ................................................................................................. X X X X 

Equipment failure ...................................................................................... X X X X 

Leaks and spills ........................................................................................ X X X ........................

Structural failure ....................................................................................... X X X X 

Emergency discharge of cargo ................................................................. X X X X 

Entering cargo tanks ................................................................................ X X X X 

Emergency shutdown of cargo-handling .................................................. X X X X 

Emergency systems for closing cargo tanks ............................................ X X ........................ ........................

Rules & regulations (international and Federal, for all tank vessels) on conducting operations and preventing pollution ................................................ X X X X 

Pollution prevention, including: 

Procedures to prevent air and water pollution ......................................... X X X X 

Measures to take in event of spillage ...................................................... X X X X 

Danger from drift of vapor cloud .............................................................. X X X X 

Environmental protection equipment, including oil discharge monitoring 

equipment ............................................................................................. X ........................ ........................ ........................

Terminology for tankships carrying oil and chemicals .................................... X ........................ ........................ ........................

Terminology for tank barges carrying oil and chemicals ................................. ........................ X ........................ ........................

Terminology for tankships carrying liquefied gases ........................................ ........................ ........................ X ........................

Terminology for tank barges carrying liquefied gases .................................... ........................ ........................ ........................ X 

Principles & procedures of crude-oil-washing (COW) systems, including: 

Purpose .................................................................................................... X ........................ ........................ ........................

Equipment and design .............................................................................. X ........................ ........................ ........................

Operations ................................................................................................ X ........................ ........................ ........................

Safety precautions .................................................................................... X ........................ ........................ ........................

Maintenance of plant and equipment ....................................................... X ........................ ........................ ........................

Principles & procedures of the inert-gas systems (IGSs), including: 

Purpose .................................................................................................... X ........................ X ........................

Equipment and design .............................................................................. X ........................ X ........................

Operations ................................................................................................ X ........................ X ........................

Safety precautions .................................................................................... X ........................ X ........................

Maintenance of plant and equipment ....................................................... X ........................ X ........................

Principles & procedures of vapor-control systems, including: 

Purpose .................................................................................................... X X X X 

Principles .................................................................................................. X X X X 

Coast Guard regulations .......................................................................... X X X X 

Hazards .................................................................................................... X X X X 

Active system components ....................................................................... X X X X 

Passive system components .................................................................... X X X X 

Operating procedures, including: 

Testing and inspection requirements ....................................................... X X X X 

Pre-transfer procedures ............................................................................ X X X X 

Connecting sequence ............................................................................... X X X X 

Start-up sequence .................................................................................... X X X X 

Normal operations .................................................................................... X X X X 

Loading and unloading plans ................................................................... X ........................ ........................ ........................


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TABLE 2 TO § 13.121(e)—Continued 

Tankship and tank barge course topics 1 2 3 4 

Emergency procedures .................................................................................... X X X X 

Cargo-hazard-information systems .................................................................. X X X X 

Safe entry into confined spaces, including: 

Testing tank atmospheres for oxygen & hydrocarbon vapors ................. X X ........................ ........................

Definition and hazards of confined spaces .............................................. X X X X 

Cargo tanks and pumprooms ................................................................... X X X X 

Evaluation and assessment of risks and hazards .................................... X X X X 

Safety precautions and procedures ......................................................... X X X X 

Enclosed space rescue ............................................................................ X ........................ ........................ ........................

Personnel protective equipment (PPE) and clothing ............................... X X X X 

Maintenance of PPE ................................................................................. X X X X 

Dangers of skin contact ............................................................................ X X X X 

Inhalation of vapors .................................................................................. X X ........................ ........................

Electricity and static electricity—hazards and precautions ...................... X X X X 

Emergency procedures ............................................................................ X X X X 

Federal regulations, national standards & industry guidelines ................ X X X X 

Inspections by marine chemists & competent persons, including hotwork permits & procedures ................................................................... X X X X 

Vessel response plans: 

Purpose, content, and location of information .......................................... X X X X 

Procedures for notice and mitigation of spills .......................................... X X X X 

Geographic-specific appendices .............................................................. X X X X 

Vessel-specific appendices ...................................................................... X X X X 

Emergency-action checklist ...................................................................... X X X X 

Column 1—Tankship: Dangerous Liquids. 

Column 2—Tank Barge: Dangerous Liquids. 

Column 3—Tankship: Liquefied Gases. 

Column 4—Tank Barge: Liquefied Gases. 

TABLE 3 TO § 13.121(e) 

Firefighting course topics 1 2 

Elements of fire (Fire triangle): 

Fuel ................................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Source of ignition .............................................................................................................................................. X X 

Oxygen ............................................................................................................................................................. X X 

Ignition sources (general): 

Chemical ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Biological .......................................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Physical ............................................................................................................................................................ ........................ X 

Ignition sources applicable to barges ............................................................................................................... X ........................

Definitions of flammability and combustibility: 

Flammability ...................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Ignition point ..................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Burning temperature ......................................................................................................................................... X X 

Burning speed .................................................................................................................................................. ........................ X 

Thermal value ................................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Lower flammable limit ....................................................................................................................................... X X 

Upper flammable limit ....................................................................................................................................... X X 

Flammable range .............................................................................................................................................. X X 

Inerting .............................................................................................................................................................. ........................ X 

Static electricity ................................................................................................................................................. X X 

Flash point ........................................................................................................................................................ X X 

Auto-ignition ...................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Spread of fire: 

By radiation ....................................................................................................................................................... X X 

By convection ................................................................................................................................................... X X 

By conduction ................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Reactivity ................................................................................................................................................................. X X 

Fire classifications and applicable extinguishing agents ......................................................................................... X X 

Main causes of fires: 

Oil leakage ........................................................................................................................................................ X X 

Smoking ............................................................................................................................................................ X X 

Overheating pumps .......................................................................................................................................... X X 

Galley appliances ............................................................................................................................................. ........................ X 

Spontaneous ignition ........................................................................................................................................ X X 

Hot work ........................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Electrical apparatus .......................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Reaction, self-heating, and auto-ignition .......................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Fire prevention: 


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TABLE 3 TO § 13.121(e)—Continued 

Firefighting course topics 1 2 

General ............................................................................................................................................................. X X 

Fire hazards of DL and LG .............................................................................................................................. X X 

Fire detection: 

Fire- and smoke-detection systems ................................................................................................................. ........................ X 

Automatic fire alarms ........................................................................................................................................ ........................ X 

Firefighting equipment: 

Fire mains, hydrants ......................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

International shore-connection ......................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Smothering-installations, carbon dioxide (CO2), foam * * * ............................................................................. ........................ X 

Pressure-water spray system in special-category spaces ............................................................................... ........................ X 

Automatic sprinkler system .............................................................................................................................. ........................ X 

Emergency fire pump, emergency generator ................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Chemical-powder applicants ............................................................................................................................ ........................ X 

General outline of required and mobile apparatus .......................................................................................... ........................ X 

Boiler Technician’s outfit, personal equipment ................................................................................................ ........................ X 

Breathing apparatus ......................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Resuscitation apparatus ................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Smoke helmet or mask .................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Fireproof life-line and harness .......................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Fire hose, nozzles, connections, and fire axes ................................................................................................ ........................ X 

Fire blankets ..................................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Portable fire extinguishers ................................................................................................................................ X X 

Limitations of portable and semiportable extinguishers ................................................................................... X X 

Emergency procedures: 

Arrangements: 

Escape routes ................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Means of gas-freeing tanks .............................................................................................................................. X X 

Class A, B, and C divisions .............................................................................................................................. ........................ X 

Inert-gas system ............................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Ship firefighting organization: 

General alarms ................................................................................................................................................. ........................ X 

Fire-control plans, muster stations, and duties ................................................................................................ ........................ X 

Communications ............................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Periodic shipboard drills ................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Patrol system .................................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Basic firefighting techniques: 

Sounding alarm ................................................................................................................................................ X X 

Locating and isolating fires ............................................................................................................................... X X 

Stopping leakage of cargo ............................................................................................................................... X X 

Jettisoning ......................................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Inhibiting ........................................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Cooling .............................................................................................................................................................. ........................ X 

Smothering ....................................................................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Sizing up situation ............................................................................................................................................ X ........................

Locating information on cargo .......................................................................................................................... X ........................

Extinguishing .................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Extinguishing with portable units ...................................................................................................................... X X 

Setting reflash watch ........................................................................................................................................ X X 

Using additional personnel ............................................................................................................................... X X 

Firefighting extinguishing-agents: 

Water (solid jet, spray, fog, and flooding) ........................................................................................................ ........................ X 

Foam (high, medium and low expansion) ........................................................................................................ ........................ X 

Carbon dioxide (CO2) ....................................................................................................................................... X X 

Aqueous-film-forming foam (AFFF) .................................................................................................................. ........................ X 

Dry chemicals ................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Use of extinguisher on: 

Flammable and combustible liquids ................................................................................................................. X X 

Manifold-flange fire ........................................................................................................................................... X X 

Drip-pan fire ...................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Pump fire .......................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Drills for typical fires on barges ........................................................................................................................ X ........................

Field exercises: 

Extinguish small fires using portable extinguishers: 

Electrical ........................................................................................................................................................... X X 

Manifold-flange ................................................................................................................................................. X X 

Drip-pan ............................................................................................................................................................ X X 

Pump ................................................................................................................................................................ X X 

Use self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) ............................................................................................. ........................ X 

Extinguish extensive fires with water ............................................................................................................... ........................ X 

Extinguish fires with foam, or chemical ............................................................................................................ ........................ X 

Fight fire in smoke-filled enclosed space wearing SCBA ................................................................................ ........................ X 

Extinguish fire with water fog in an enclosed space with heavy smoke ......................................................... ........................ X 


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TABLE 3 TO § 13.121(e)—Continued 

Firefighting course topics 1 2 

Extinguish oil fire with fog applicator and spray nozzles, dry-chemical, or foam applicators ......................... ........................ X 

Effect a rescue in a smoke-filled space while wearing breathing apparatus .................................................. ........................ X 

Column 1—Tank Barge-PIC. 

Column 2—Tank Vessel-PIC, Tank Vessel-Engineer, and Tank Vessel-Assistant. 

§ 13.123 Recency of service or experience 

for original tank vessel endorsements. 

An applicant for an original tank 

vessel endorsement in subpart B, C, D, 

or E of this part must have obtained at 

least 25 percent of the qualifying service 

and, if the endorsement requires 

transfers, at least two of the qualifying 

transfers, within 5 years of the date of 

application. 

§ 13.125 Physical and medical 

requirements. 

Each applicant for an original tank 

vessel endorsement must meet the 

physical requirements of part 10, 

subpart C, of this subchapter. 

§ 13.127 Service: General. 

(a) A service letter must be signed by 

the owner, operator, Master, or Chief 

Engineer of the vessel and must specify 

the following: 

(1) The name of the vessel, official 

number for the vessel, and date of 

service for each vessel. 

(2) For endorsements as Tank VesselPIC, Tank Barge-PIC, and Tank VesselAssistant, the classification of cargo (DL, 

LG, or, for a restricted endorsement, a 

specific product) handled while the 

applicant accumulated the service. 

(3) The dates, the numbers and kinds 

of transfers the applicant has 

participated in, the ports or terminals, if 

applicable, and the number of transfers 

that involved commencement or 

completion of loading or discharge. 

(4) For endorsements as Tank VesselPIC or Tank Barge-PIC, that the 

applicant has demonstrated to the 

satisfaction of the signer that they are 

fully capable of supervising transfers of 

liquid cargo, including— 

(i) Pre-transfer inspection; 

(ii) Pre-transfer conference and 

execution of the Declaration of 

Inspection; 

(iii) Connection of cargo hoses or 

loading-arms; 

(iv) Line-up of the cargo system for 

loading and discharge; 

(v) Start of liquid flow during loading; 

(vi) Start of cargo pump and increase 

of pressure to normal discharge 

pressure; 

(vii) Calculation of loading-rates; 

(viii) Monitoring; 

(ix) Topping-off of cargo tanks during 

loading; 

(x) Stripping of cargo tanks; 

(xi) Ballasting and deballasting, if 

appropriate; 

(xii) Disconnection of the cargo hoses 

or loading-arms; and 

(xiii) Securing of cargo systems. 

(5) For endorsements as Tank VesselEngineer, that the applicant has 

demonstrated to the satisfaction of the 

signer that they are fully capable of 

supervising transfers of fuel oil, 

including— 

(i) Pre-transfer inspection; 

(ii) Pre-transfer conference and 

execution of the Declaration of 

Inspection; 

(iii) Connection of hoses or loadingarms; 

(iv) Line-up of the piping system for 

loading and transfer of fuel oil; 

(v) Start of liquid flow during loading; 

(vi) Calculation of loading rates; 

(vii) Monitoring; 

(viii) Topping-off of tanks during 

loading; 

(ix) Disconnection of the hoses or 

loading arms; and 

(x) Securing of fuel oil systems. 

(b) In determining the numbers and 

kinds of transfers that the applicant has 

participated in under paragraph (a)(3) of 

this section, the following rules apply: 

(1) A transfer must involve the 

loading or discharge from at least one of 

the vessel’s cargo tanks to or from a 

shore facility or another vessel. A shift 

of cargo from one tank to another tank 

is not a transfer for this purpose. 

(2) Regardless of how long the transfer 

lasts beyond 4 hours, it counts as only 

one transfer. 

(3) A transfer must include both a 

commencement and a completion. 

(4) Regardless of how many tanks or 

products are being loaded or discharged 

at the same time, a person may receive 

credit for only one transfer, one loading, 

and one discharge conducted during 

each watch. 

(5) Credit for a transfer during a watch 

of less than 4 hours accrues only if the 

watch includes either the connection 

and the commencement of transfer or 

the completion of transfer and the 

disconnection. 

(6) Credit for a commencement of 

loading accrues only if the applicant 

participates in the pre-transfer 

inspection, the pre-transfer conference 

including execution of the Declaration 

of Inspection, the connection of hoses or 

loading-arms, the line-up of the system 

for the loading, the start of liquid flow, 

and the calculation of loading-rates, 

where applicable. 

(7) Credit for a commencement of 

discharge accrues only if the applicant 

participates in the pre-transfer 

inspection, the pre-transfer conference 

including execution of the Declaration 

of Inspection, the connection of hoses or 

loading-arms, the line-up of the cargo 

system for the discharge, the start of the 

pump or pumps and increase of 

pressure to normal pressure for 

discharge, and the monitoring of 

discharge rates. 

(8) Credit for a completion of transfer, 

whether loading or discharge, accrues 

only if the applicant participates in the 

topping-off at the loading port, or in the 

stripping of cargo tanks and the 

commencement of ballasting, if required 

by the vessel’s transfer procedures, at 

the discharge port. 

(9) Personnel desiring credit for 

transfers during off-duty hours may 

satisfy requirements of competence 

through incremental training periods 

that include segments of transfers. The 

cumulative number of transfers must 

equal the minimum specified in 

§§ 13.203(b) or 13.303(b) of this 

subchapter. 

(c) Service on Articulated Tug Barges 

(ATBs). Service on ATBs with an 

aggregate tonnage of 1,600 GRT or more 

will be creditable on a case-by-case 

basis and with prior authorization by 

the Coast Guard, provided the ATB 

equipment is comparable to tank vessel 

equipment. The Coast Guard may issue 

blanket authorizations for classes of 

ATBs. 

§ 13.129 Quick-reference table for tank 

vessel endorsements. 

Table 1 to § 13.129 provides a guide 

to the requirements for various tank 

vessel endorsements. Provisions in the 

reference sections are controlling. 


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TABLE 1 TO § 13.129 

Category Minimum age Physical required Service Recency of 

service 

Proof of 

service Firefighting Cargo training 

English 

language 

Tank Vessel-PIC Subpart 

B.

18; 13.201(a) ..... Yes; Part 10, subpart C ... 13.203 ........ 13.123 ........ 13.205 ........ 13.201(c)(3) 13.201(c)(4) 13.201(d). 

Tank Barge-PIC Subpart 

C.

18; 13.301(a) ..... Yes; Part 10, subpart C ... 13.303 ........ 13.123 ........ 13.305 ........ 13.301(c)(3) 13.301(c)(4) 13.301(d). 

Tank Vessel-Assistant 

Subpart D.

18; 13.401(a) ..... Yes; Part 10, subpart C ... 13.401(e)(2) 13.123 ........ 13.405 ........ 13.401(d) .... 13.401(e)(1) 13.401(f). 

Tank Vessel-Engineer 

Subpart E.

18; 13.501(a) ..... Yes; Part 10, subpart C ... 13.503 ........ 13.123 ........ 13.505 ........ 13.501(c)(3) 13.501(c)(4) 13.501(d). 

Restricted Tank VesselPIC.18; 13.111(b) ..... Yes; Part 10, subpart C ... 13.111(b) .... 13.111(b) .... 13.111(b) .... 13.111(b) .... No ............... 13.111(b). 

Restricted Tank BargePIC.18; 13.111(c) ..... Yes; Part 10, subpart C ... 13.111(c) .... 13.111(c) .... 13.111(c) .... 13.111(c) .... No ............... 13.111(c). 

Restricted Tank BargePIC, Facility.18; 13.111(d)(1) Yes; Part 10, subpart C ... 13.111(d)(4) No ............... 13.111(d)(4) No ............... No ............... 13.111(d)(5). 

Subpart B—Requirements for Tank 

Vessel-PIC Endorsement 

§ 13.201 Original application for Tank 

Vessel-PIC endorsement. 

Each applicant for an original Tank 

Vessel-PIC endorsement must— 

(a) Be at least 18 years old; 

(b) Apply on a form provided by the 

Coast Guard; 

(c) Present evidence of— 

(1) Passing a physical and medical 

examination in accordance with 

§ 13.125; 

(2) Service on tankships in 

accordance with § 13.203; 

(3) Completion of an approved 

firefighting course that provides training 

in the subjects listed in table 3 to 

§ 13.121(e) completed within 5 years of 

the date of application for the 

endorsement, unless they have 

previously submitted such a certificate 

for tank vessel endorsement or officer 

endorsement on an MMC; and 

(4) Completion of an approved course 

for Tankship: Dangerous Liquids or 

Tankship: Liquefied Gases appropriate 

to the endorsement applied for within 

the previous 5 years. A course certificate 

used for original issuance or renewal of 

an endorsement cannot be used for a 

subsequent renewal of the same 

endorsement; and 

(d) Be capable of speaking and 

understanding, in English, all 

instructions needed to commence, 

conduct, and complete a transfer of 

cargo, and be capable of reading and 

understanding the English language 

found in the Declaration of Inspection, 

vessel response plans, and Material 

Safety Data Sheet. 

§ 13.203 Service requirements. 

Each applicant for a Tank Vessel-PIC 

endorsement for DL or LG must meet 

the requirements of either paragraphs (a) 

and (b) or paragraph (c) of this section. 

(a) Each applicant must present 

evidence of— 

(1) At least 90 days of service as a 

deck officer or an engineering officer on 

one or more tankships or self-propelled 

tank vessels certified to carry DL or LG 

appropriate to the endorsement applied 

for; 

(2) At least 90 days of rating or cadet 

service on deck or in the engine 

department on one or more tankships or 

self-propelled tank vessels certified to 

carry DL or LG appropriate to the 

endorsement applied for; or 

(3) A combination of the service in 

paragraphs (a) (1) and (2) of this section. 

(b) Each applicant must present 

evidence of participation, under the 

supervision of a Tank Vessel-PIC, in at 

least 10 transfers of liquid cargo in bulk 

of the classification desired on 

tankships or self-propelled tank vessels, 

including at least— 

(1) Five loadings and five discharges; 

(2) Two commencements of loading 

and two completions of loading; and 

(3) Two commencements of discharge 

and two completions of discharge. 

(c) Each applicant already holding an 

MMC endorsed as Tank Vessel-PIC for 

DL and seeking an endorsement for LG, 

or the converse, must— 

(1) Provide evidence of at least half 

the service required by paragraph (a) of 

this section; and 

(2) Comply with paragraph (b) of this 

section, except that they need provide 

evidence of only three loadings and 

three discharges along with evidence of 

compliance with paragraphs (b)(2) and 

(3) of this section. 

§ 13.205 Proof of service for Tank VesselPIC endorsement. 

Proof of service must be provided in 

a letter on company letterhead from the 

owner, operator, or Master of the vessel 

on which the applicant obtained the 

service. The letter must contain the 

information described in § 13.127(a). 

Subpart C—Requirements for Tank 

Barge-PIC Endorsement 

§ 13.301 Original application for Tank 

Barge-PIC endorsement. 

Each applicant for a Tank Barge-PIC 

endorsement must— 

(a) Be at least 18 years old; 

(b) Apply on a form provided by the 

Coast Guard; 

(c) Present evidence of— 

(1) Passing a physical and medical 

examination according to § 13.125; 

(2) Service on tank vessels in 

accordance with § 13.303; 

(3) Completion of an approved Tank 

Barge: Firefighting course providing 

training in the subjects identified in 

table 3 to § 13.121(e) completed within 

5 years of the date of application for the 

endorsement, unless they have 

previously submitted such a certificate 

for a tank vessel endorsement or officer 

endorsement on an MMC; and 

(4) Completion of an approved Tank 

Barge: Dangerous Liquids or Tank Barge: 

Liquefied Gases course appropriate for 

the endorsement applied for within the 

previous 5 years. A course certificate 

used for original issuance or renewal of 

an endorsement cannot be used for a 

subsequent renewal of the same 

endorsement; and 

(d) Be capable of speaking, and 

understanding, in English, all 

instructions needed to commence, 

conduct, and complete a transfer of 

cargo, and be capable of reading and 

understanding the English language 

found in the Declaration of Inspection, 

vessel response plans, and Material 

Safety Data Sheet. 

§ 13.303 Service requirements. 

Each applicant for a Tank Barge-PIC 

endorsement for DL or LG must meet 

the requirements of either paragraphs (a) 

and (b) or paragraph (c) of this section. 

(a) Each applicant must present 

evidence of— 

(1) At least 60 days of service, 

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based personnel, on one or more tank 

vessels certified to carry DL or LG 

appropriate to the endorsement applied 

for; or 

(2) At least 6 months of closely related 

service directly involved with tank 

barges appropriate to the endorsement 

applied for; and 

(b) Participation, under the 

supervision of a Tank Vessel-PIC or 

Tank Barge-PIC, in at least 10 transfers 

of liquid cargo in bulk of the 

classification desired on any tank 

vessel, including at least— 

(1) Five loadings and five discharges; 

(2) Two commencements of loading 

and two completions of loading; and 

(3) Two commencements of discharge 

and two completions of discharge. 

(c) Each applicant already holding an 

MMC endorsed as Tank Barge-PIC for 

DL and seeking an endorsement for LG, 

or the converse, must— 

(1) Provide evidence of at least half 

the service required by paragraph (a) of 

this section; and 

(2) Comply with paragraph (b) of this 

section, except that they need provide 

evidence of only three loadings and 

three discharges along with evidence of 

compliance with paragraphs (b)(2) and 

(3) of this section. 

§ 13.305 Proof of service for Tank BargePIC. 

Proof of service must be provided in 

a letter on company letterhead from the 

owner or operator of a terminal; the 

owner or operator of a tank barge; the 

owner, operator, or Master of a tank 

vessel; or the employer of shore-based 

PICs. The letter must contain the 

information required by § 13.127(a), 

excluding paragraph (a)(4)(vii). 

Subpart D—Requirements for Tank 

Vessel-Assistant Endorsement 

§ 13.401 Original application for Tank 

Vessel-Assistant endorsement. 

Each applicant for a Tank VesselAssistant endorsement must— 

(a) Be at least 18 years old; 

(b) Apply on a form provided by the 

Coast Guard; 

(c) Present evidence of passing a 

physical and medical examination 

according to § 13.125; 

(d) Present evidence of completion of 

an approved firefighting course 

providing training in the subjects 

identified in table 3 to § 13.121(e) 

completed within 5 years of the date of 

application for the endorsement, unless 

they have previously submitted such a 

certificate for a tank vessel endorsement 

or officer endorsement on an MMC; 

(e) Present evidence of either— 

(1) Completion of an approved 

Tankship Familiarization course 

providing training in the subjects 

identified in table 1 to § 13.121(e) 

within the previous 5 years. A course 

certificate used for original issuance or 

renewal of an endorsement cannot be 

used for a subsequent renewal of the 

same endorsement; or 

(2) At least 90 days of deck service on 

tankships or self-propelled tank vessels 

certified to carry DL or LG appropriate 

to the endorsement applied for and 

successfully complete a professional 

examination for the topics identified in 

table 1 to § 13.121(e); and 

(f) Be capable of speaking and 

understanding, in English, all 

instructions needed to commence, 

conduct, and complete a transfer of 

cargo. 

§ 13.403 Service requirements. 

(a) Each applicant already holding an 

MMC endorsed as Tank Vessel-Assistant 

for DL and seeking one for LG, or the 

converse, must— 

(1) Provide evidence of at least half 

the service required in § 13.401(e)(2) 

and successfully complete a 

professional examination for the topics 

identified in table 1 to § 13.121(e) 

appropriate to the endorsement applied 

for; or 

(2) Complete a course in DL or LG 

appropriate to the endorsement applied 

for as prescribed in § 13.401(e)(1). 

(b) [Reserved] 

§ 13.405 Proof of service for Tank VesselAssistant endorsement. 

Service must be proved by either— 

(a) A letter on company letterhead 

from the owner, operator, or Master of 

a tankship or self-propelled tank vessel. 

The letter must specify— 

(1) The name of the vessel(s), the 

applicable dates, and the port(s) or 

terminal(s); 

(2) The classification of cargo (DL or 

LG) carried while the applicant 

accumulated the service; 

(3) The number of days of deck 

service the applicant accumulated on 

the tankship or self-propelled tank 

vessel; and 

(4) That the applicant has 

demonstrated an understanding of cargo 

transfer and a sense of responsibility 

that, in the opinion of the signer, will 

allow the applicant to safely carry out 

duties respecting cargo transfer and 

transfer equipment assigned by the PIC 

of the transfer without direct 

supervision by the PIC; or 

(b) Certificates of Discharge from 

tankships with the appropriate 

classification of cargo (DL, LG, or both); 

and a letter on company letterhead from 

the owner, operator, or Master of one of 

the tankships or self-propelled tank 

vessels stating that they have 

demonstrated— 

(1) An understanding of cargo 

transfers; and 

(2) A sense of responsibility that, in 

the opinion of the signer, will allow 

them to safely carry out duties 

respecting cargo and its equipment 

assigned by the PIC of the transfer 

without direct supervision by the PIC. 

Subpart E—Requirements for Tank 

Vessel-Engineer Endorsement 

§ 13.501 Original application for Tank 

Vessel-Engineer endorsement. 

Each applicant for a Tank VesselEngineer endorsement must— 

(a) Be at least 18 years old; 

(b) Apply on a form provided by the 

Coast Guard; 

(c) Present evidence of— 

(1) Passing a physical and medical 

examination according to § 13.125; 

(2) Service on tankships and selfpropelled tank vessels in accordance 

with § 13.503; 

(3) Completion of an approved 

firefighting course providing training in 

the subjects identified in table 3 to 

§ 13.121(e) completed within 5 years of 

the date of application for the 

endorsement, unless they have 

previously submitted such a certificate 

for a tank vessel endorsement or officer 

endorsement on an MMC; and 

(4) Completion of an approved 

Tankship course in dangerous liquids or 

liquefied gases, appropriate for the 

endorsement applied for within the 

previous 5 years. A course certificate 

used for original issuance or renewal of 

an endorsement cannot be used for a 

subsequent renewal of the same 

endorsement; and 

(d) Be capable of speaking and 

understanding, in English, all 

instructions needed to commence, 

conduct, and complete a transfer of 

cargo or fuel. 

§ 13.503 Service requirements. 

(a) Each applicant for a Tank VesselEngineer endorsement must present 

evidence of at least— 

(1) 90 days of service as an 

engineering officer on tankships or selfpropelled tank vessels certified to carry 

DL or LG appropriate to the 

endorsement applied for; 

(2) 90 days of rating or cadet service 

in the engine department on tankships 

or self-propelled tank vessels certified to 

carry DL or LG appropriate to the 

endorsement applied for; or 

(3) A combination of the service in 

paragraphs (a) (1) and (2) of this section. 

(b) Each applicant already holding an 

MMC endorsed as Tank Vessel-Engineer 


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for DL and seeking an endorsement for 

LG, or the converse, must prove at least 

half the service required by paragraph 

(a) of this section. 

§ 13.505 Proof of service for Tank VesselEngineer endorsement. 

(a) Service must be proved by a letter 

on company letterhead from the owner, 

operator, Master, or Chief Engineer of a 

tankship or self-propelled tank vessel. 

The letter must specify— 

(1) The classification of cargo (DL, LG, 

or both) carried while the applicant 

accumulated the service; and 

(2) The number of days of officer, 

rating, and cadet service in the engine 

department on tankships or selfpropelled tank vessels; or 

(b) Service must be proved by 

certificates of discharge from tankships 

or self-propelled tank vessels with the 

appropriate classification of cargo (DL, 

LG, or both). 

Subpart F—Requirements for STCW 

Tank Vessel Endorsements 

§ 13.601 General. 

(a) When all tank vessel endorsements 

are issued, renewed, or otherwise 

modified, the Coast Guard will 

determine, upon request, whether the 

applicant meets the requirements for an 

STCW tank vessel endorsement for 

service on seagoing vessels. If the 

applicant is qualified, the Coast Guard 

will issue the appropriate endorsement. 

An applicant for any STCW 

endorsement must hold the appropriate 

national endorsement unless otherwise 

specified. 

(b) Applicants for an STCW tank 

vessel endorsement must— 

(1) Meet the training and service 

requirements for the endorsement 

sought; and 

(2) Meet the appropriate standard of 

competence identified in the STCW 

Code (incorporated by reference, see 

§ 13.103). 

(c) The Coast Guard will accept the 

following as proof of meeting the 

standards of competence: 

(1) In-service experience: 

Documentation of successful 

completion of assessments, approved or 

accepted by the Coast Guard, and signed 

by a qualified assessor, deck or 

engineering, as appropriate. 

(2) Training ship experience: 

Documentation of successful 

completion of an approved training 

program involving formal training and 

assessment onboard a school ship. 

(3) Simulator training: Documentation 

of successful completion of training and 

assessment from a Coast Guardapproved course involving maritime 

simulation. 

(4) Training program: Documentation 

of successful completion of an approved 

training program involving formal 

training and assessments. 

(d) The Coast Guard will publish 

guidelines that should be used to 

document successful demonstrations of 

competence. Organizations may develop 

alternative assessment documentation 

for demonstrations of competence; 

however, such documentation must be 

approved by the Coast Guard prior to its 

use and submittal with an application. 

§ 13.603 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement for Advanced Oil 

Tanker Cargo Operations. 

(a) Every applicant for an 

endorsement in Advanced Oil Tanker 

Cargo Operations must— 

(1) Qualify for a national endorsement 

as Tank Vessel-PIC Dangerous Liquids 

(DL); 

(2) Meet the standards of competence 

identified in Table A–V/1–1–2 of the 

STCW Code (incorporated by reference, 

see § 13.103); and 

(3) Provide evidence of 90 days of sea 

service onboard oil tankers. The Coast 

Guard will accept service submitted to 

qualify for a national endorsement as 

required in § 13.203, provided that the 

service was on oil tankers. 

(b) Applicants may qualify for an 

endorsement in Advanced Oil Tanker 

Cargo Operations with a limitation to 

non-self-propelled vessels. To qualify 

for this endorsement, an applicant 

must— 

(1) Hold a national endorsement as 

Tank Barge-PIC DL; 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standards of competence identified in 

Table A–V/1–1–2 of the STCW Code; 

and 

(3) Provide evidence of at least 90 

days of service, whether shore-based or 

vessel-based, on one or more oil tankers. 

The Coast Guard will accept service 

submitted to qualify for a national 

endorsement required in § 13.303, 

provided that the service was on oil 

tankers. 

(c) Applicants may qualify for an 

endorsement in Advanced Oil Tanker 

Cargo Operations with a limitation to 

maintenance and repair of cargo 

equipment. To qualify for this 

endorsement, an applicant must— 

(1) Qualify for a national endorsement 

as Tank Vessel-Engineer; 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standards of competence identified in 

Table A–V/1–1–2 of the STCW Code 

applicable to maintenance and repair of 

cargo equipment; and 

(3) Provide evidence of— 

(i) At least 90 days of service as an 

engineering officer on oil tankers; 

(ii) At least 90 days of rating or cadet 

service on deck or in the engine 

department on oil tankers; or 

(iii) A combination of the service in 

paragraphs (c)(3)(i) and (c)(3)(ii) of this 

section. 

(d) Applicants holding an 

endorsement in Advanced Chemical 

Tanker Cargo Operations or Advanced 

Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations 

may qualify for an endorsement in 

Advanced Oil Tanker Cargo Operations 

by completing, in a supernumerary 

capacity, an approved training program 

onboard oil tankers. The program must 

be at least 1 month and include at least 

three loading and three discharge 

operations. 

§ 13.605 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement for Advanced Chemical 

Tanker Cargo Operations. 

(a) Every applicant for an 

endorsement in Advanced Chemical 

Tanker Cargo Operations must: 

(1) Qualify for a national endorsement 

as Tank Vessel-PIC DL; 

(2) Meet the standards of competence 

identified in Table A–V/1–1–3 of the 

STCW Code (incorporated by reference, 

see § 13.103); and 

(3) Provide evidence of 90 days of sea 

service onboard chemical tankers. The 

Coast Guard will accept service 

submitted to qualify for a national 

endorsement as required in § 13.203, 

provided that the service was on 

chemical tankers. 

(b) Applicants may qualify for an 

endorsement in Advanced Chemical 

Tanker Cargo Operations with a 

limitation to non-self-propelled vessels. 

To qualify for this endorsement, an 

applicant must: 

(1) Qualify for a national endorsement 

as Tank Barge-PIC DL; 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standards of competence identified in 

Table A–V/1–1–3 of the STCW Code; 

and 

(3) Provide evidence of at least 90 

days of service, whether shore-based or 

vessel-based, on chemical tankers. The 

Coast Guard will accept service 

submitted to qualify for a national 

endorsement as required in § 13.303, 

provided that the service was on 

chemical tankers. 

(c) Applicants may qualify for an 

endorsement in Advanced Chemical 

Tanker Cargo Operations with a 

limitation to maintenance and repair of 

cargo equipment. To qualify for this 

endorsement, an applicant must: 

(1) Qualify for a national endorsement 

as Tank Vessel-Engineer; 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standards of competence identified in 

Table A–V/1–1–3 of the STCW Code 


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applicable to maintenance and repair of 

cargo equipment; and 

(3) Provide evidence of— 

(i) At least 90 days of service as an 

engineering officer on chemical tankers; 

(ii) At least 90 days of rating or cadet 

service on deck or in the engine 

department on chemical tankers; or 

(iii) A combination of the service in 

paragraphs (c)(3)(i) and (c)(3)(ii) of this 

section. 

(d) Applicants holding an 

endorsement in Advanced Oil Tanker 

Cargo Operations or Advanced 

Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations 

may qualify for an endorsement in 

Advanced Chemical Tanker Cargo 

Operations by completing, in a 

supernumerary capacity, an approved 

training program onboard chemical 

tankers. The program must be at least 1 

month and include at least three loading 

and three discharge operations. 

§ 13.607 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement for Advanced Liquefied 

Gas Tanker Cargo Operations. 

(a) Every applicant for an 

endorsement in Advanced Liquefied 

Gas Tanker Cargo Operations must: 

(1) Qualify for a national endorsement 

as Tank Vessel-PIC LG; 

(2) Meet the standards of competence 

identified in Tables A–V/1–2–2 of the 

STCW Code (incorporated by reference, 

see § 13.103); and 

(3) Provide evidence of 90 days of 

service on liquefied gas tankers. The 

Coast Guard will accept service 

submitted to qualify for a national 

endorsement as required in § 13.203, 

provided that the service was on 

liquefied gas tankers. 

(b) Applicants may qualify for an 

endorsement in Advanced Liquefied 

Gas Tanker Cargo Operations with a 

limitation to non-self-propelled vessels. 

To qualify for this endorsement, an 

applicant must: 

(1) Qualify for a national endorsement 

as Tank Barge-PIC LG; 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standards of competence identified in 

Table A–V/1–2–2 of the STCW Code; 

and 

(3) Provide evidence of at least 90 

days of service, whether shore-based or 

vessel-based, on liquefied gas tankers. 

The Coast Guard will accept service 

submitted to qualify for a national 

endorsement as required in § 13.303, 

provided that the service was on 

liquefied gas tankers. 

(c) Applicants may qualify for an 

endorsement in Advanced Liquefied 

Gas Tanker Cargo Operations with a 

limitation to maintenance and repair of 

cargo equipment. To qualify for this 

endorsement, an applicant must: 

(1) Qualify for a national endorsement 

as Tank Vessel-Engineer; 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standards of competence identified in 

Table A–V/1–2–2 of the STCW Code 

applicable to maintenance and repair of 

cargo equipment; and 

(3) Provide evidence of— 

(i) At least 90 days of service as an 

engineering officer on liquefied gas 

tankers; 

(ii) At least 90 days of rating or cadet 

service on deck or in the engine 

department on liquefied gas tankers; or 

(iii) A combination of the service in 

paragraphs (c)(3)(i) and (c)(3)(ii) of this 

section. 

(d) Applicants holding an 

endorsement in Advanced Oil Tanker 

Cargo Operations or Advanced 

Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations may 

qualify for an endorsement in Advanced 

Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations 

by completing, in a supernumerary 

capacity, an approved training program 

onboard liquefied gas tankers. The 

program must be at least 1 month and 

include at least three loading and three 

discharge operations. 

§ 13.609 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement for Basic Oil and 

Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations. 

(a) Every applicant for an 

endorsement in Basic Oil and Chemical 

Tanker Operations must: 

(1) Qualify for a national endorsement 

as Tank Vessel-Assistant DL; and 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standards of competence identified in 

Table A–V/1–1–1 of the STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 13.103). 

(b) [Reserved] 

§ 13.611 Requirements to qualify for an 

STCW endorsement for Basic Liquefied Gas 

Tanker Cargo Operations. 

(a) Every applicant for an 

endorsement in Basic Liquefied Gas 

Tanker Operations must: 

(1) Qualify for a national endorsement 

as Tank Vessel-Assistant LG; and 

(2) Provide evidence of meeting the 

standards of competence identified in 

Table A–V/1–2–1 of the STCW Code 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 13.103). 

(b) [Reserved] 

■ 173. Revise and republish part 15, 

consisting of §§ 15.101 through 15.1113, 

to read as follows: 

PART 15—MANNING REQUIREMENTS 

Subpart A—Purpose and Applicability 

§ 15.101 Purpose of regulations. 

§ 15.102 Paperwork approval. 

§ 15.103 Incorporation by reference. 

§ 15.105 General. 

Subpart B–C [Reserved] 

Subpart D—Manning Requirements; All 

Vessels 

§ 15.401 Employment and service within 

restrictions of credential. 

§ 15.403 When credentials for ratings are 

required. 

§ 15.404 Requirements for serving onboard 

a vessel. 

§ 15.405 Familiarity with vessel 

characteristics. 

§ 15.410 Credentialed individuals for 

assistance towing vessels. 

§ 15.415 [Reserved] 

Subpart E—Manning Requirements; 

Inspected Vessels 

§ 15.501 Certificate of inspection. 

§ 15.505 Changes in the certificate of 

inspection. 

§ 15.510 Right of appeal. 

§ 15.515 Compliance with certificate of 

inspection. 

§ 15.520 Mobile offshore drilling units 

(MODUs). 

§ 15.525 Additional manning requirements 

for tank vessels. 

§ 15.530 Large passenger vessels. 

§ 15.535 Towing vessels. 

Subpart F—Manning Requirements; 

Uninspected Vessels 

§ 15.601 General. 

§ 15.605 Credentialed operators for 

uninspected passenger vessels. 

§ 15.610 Master and Mate (Pilot) of 

uninspected towing vessels. 

Subpart G—Limitations and Qualifying 

Factors 

§ 15.701 Officers Competency Certificates 

Convention, 1936. 

§ 15.705 Watches. 

§ 15.710 Working hours. 

§ 15.715 Automated vessels. 

§ 15.720 Use of non-U.S.-credentialed 

personnel. 

§ 15.725 Sailing short. 

§ 15.730 Language requirements. 

Subpart H—Computations 

§ 15.801 General. 

§ 15.805 Master. 

§ 15.810 Mates. 

§ 15.812 Pilots. 

§ 15.815 Radar Observers. 

§ 15.816 Automatic radar plotting aids 

(ARPA). 

§ 15.817 Global Maritime Distress and 

Safety System (GMDSS) Radio Operator. 

§ 15.818 Global Maritime Distress and 

Safety System (GMDSS) At-sea 

Maintainer. 

§ 15.820 Chief Engineer. 

§ 15.825 Engineers. 

§ 15.830 Radio Officers. 

§ 15.835 Staff officers. 

§ 15.840 Able Seafarers. 

§ 15.845 Lifeboat Operators. 

§ 15.850 Lookouts. 

§ 15.855 Cabin watchmen and fire 

patrolmen. 

§ 15.860 Tank vessel endorsements. 

§ 15.865 Qualified member of the engine 

department (QMED). 


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Subpart I—Equivalents 

§ 15.901 Inspected vessels of less than 100 

GRT. 

§ 15.905 Uninspected passenger vessels. 

§ 15.910 Towing vessels. 

§ 15.915 Engineer officer endorsements. 

Subpart J—Vessels in Foreign Trade 

§ 15.1001 General. 

§ 15.1010 California. 

§ 15.1020 Hawaii. 

§ 15.1030 New York and New Jersey. 

§ 15.1040 Massachusetts. 

§ 15.1050 North Carolina. 

Subpart K—Vessels Subject to 

Requirements of STCW 

§ 15.1101 General. 

§ 15.1103 Employment and service within 

the restrictions of an STCW endorsement 

or of a certificate of training. 

§ 15.1105 Familiarization and Basic 

Training (BT). 

§ 15.1107 Maintenance of merchant 

mariners’ records by owner or operator. 

§ 15.1109 Watches. 

§ 15.1111 Work hours and rest periods. 

§ 15.1113 Security personnel. 

Authority: 46 U.S.C. 2101, 2103, 3306, 

3703, 8101, 8102, 8103, 8104, 8105, 8301, 

8304, 8502, 8503, 8701, 8702, 8901, 8902, 

8903, 8904, 8905(b), 8906 and 9102; sec. 617, 

Pub. L. 111–281, 124 Stat. 2905; and DHS 

Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4. 

Subpart A—Purpose and Applicability 

§ 15.101 Purpose of regulations. 

The purpose of this part is to set forth 

uniform minimum requirements for the 

manning of vessels. In general, they 

implement, interpret, or apply the 

specific statutory manning requirements 

in title 46, U.S.C., implement various 

international conventions which affect 

merchant marine personnel, and 

provide the means for establishing the 

complement necessary for safe 

operation of vessels. 

§ 15.102 Paperwork approval. 

(a) This section lists the control 

numbers assigned by the Office of 

Management and Budget under the 

Paper Reduction Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 

96–511) for the reporting and 

recordkeeping requirements in this part. 

(b) The following control numbers 

have been assigned to the sections 

indicated: 

(1) OMB 1625–0079—46 CFR 15.1107. 

(2) [Reserved] 

§ 15.103 Incorporation by reference. 

(a) Certain material is incorporated by 

reference into this part with the 

approval of the Director of the Federal 

Register under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 

CFR part 51. All approved incorporation 

by reference (IBR) material is available 

for inspection at the Coast Guard and 

the National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). Contact Coast 

Guard at: Office of Merchant Mariner 

Credentialing (CG–MMC), U.S. Coast 

Guard, Stop 7509, 2703 Martin Luther 

King Jr. Avenue SE, Washington, DC 

20593–7509, 202–372–1492; website: 

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/ 

merchant_mariner_credential/. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at NARA, visit 

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@

nara.gov. The material may be obtained 

from: 

(b) International Maritime 

Organization (IMO), 4 Albert 

Embankment, London, SE1 7SR 

England, phone: +44 (0)20 7735 7611; 

website: www.imo.org. 

(1) The International Convention on 

Standards of Training, Certification and 

Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as 

amended, 2011 (STCW Convention); 

incorporation by reference approved for 

§§ 15.403, 15.404, 15.1103, 15.1105, and 

15.1109. 

(2) The Seafarers’ Training, 

Certification and Watchkeeping Code, as 

amended, 2011 (STCW Code); 

incorporation by reference approved for 

§ 15.1109. 

(3) The International Convention for 

the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS); 

incorporation by reference approved for 

§§ 15.818 and 15.1103. 

§ 15.105 General. 

(a) The regulations in this part apply 

to all vessels that are subject to the 

manning requirements contained in the 

navigation and shipping laws of the 

United States, including uninspected 

vessels (46 U.S.C. 7101–9308). 

(b) The navigation and shipping laws 

state that a vessel may not be operated 

unless certain manning requirements 

are met. In addition to establishing a 

minimum number of officers and rated 

crew to be carried onboard certain 

vessels, they establish minimum 

qualifications concerning Licenses and 

MMC endorsements, citizenship, and 

conditions of employment. It is the 

responsibility of the owner, charterer, 

managing operator, Master, or Person in 

Charge or in command of the vessel to 

ensure that appropriate personnel are 

carried to meet the requirements of the 

applicable navigation and shipping laws 

and regulations. 

(c) Inspected vessels are issued a 

Certificate of Inspection (COI) which 

indicates the minimum complement of 

officers and crew (including Lifeboat 

Operators) considered necessary for safe 

operation. The COI complements the 

statutory requirements but does not 

supersede them. 

(d) Uninspected vessels operating on 

an international voyage may be issued a 

safe manning certificate indicating the 

minimum complement of qualified 

mariners necessary for safe operation. 

(e) The regulations in subpart K of 

this part apply to seagoing vessels 

subject to the International Convention 

on Standards of Training, Certification 

and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, 

as amended (STCW). 

(f) Persons serving on any of the 

following vessels, or any owner or 

operator of any of these vessels, do not 

need to meet the requirements of 

subpart K of this part, because the 

vessels are exempt from application of 

STCW: 

(1) Fishing vessels as defined in 46 

U.S.C. 2101(12). 

(2) Fishing vessels used as fish-tender 

vessels as defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(14). 

(3) Barges as defined in 46 U.S.C. 102, 

including non-self-propelled Mobile 

Offshore Drilling Units. 

(4) Vessels operating exclusively on 

the Great Lakes or on the inland waters 

of the U.S. in the Straits of Juan de Fuca 

or on the Inside Passage between Puget 

Sound and Cape Spencer. 

(5) Pilot vessels engaged on pilotage 

duty. 

(g) Owners and operators, and 

personnel serving on the following 

small vessels engaged exclusively on 

domestic, near-coastal voyages are in 

compliance with subpart K of this part 

and are, therefore, not subject to further 

requirements for the purposes of the 

STCW Convention: 

(1) Small passenger vessels subject to 

subchapter T or K of this chapter. 

(2) Vessels of less than 200 GRT, other 

than passenger vessels subject to 

subchapter H of this chapter. 

(3) Uninspected passenger vessels 

(UPVs) as defined in 46 U.S.C. 

2101(42)(B). 

(h) Personnel serving on vessels 

identified in paragraphs (g)(1) and (2) of 

this section may be issued, without 

additional proof of qualification, an 

appropriate STCW endorsement on their 

License or MMC when the Coast Guard 

determines that such an endorsement is 

necessary to enable the vessel to engage 

on a single international voyage of a 

non-routine nature. The STCW 

endorsement will be expressly limited 

to service on the vessel or the class of 

vessels and will not establish 

qualification for any other purpose. 


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Subpart B–C [Reserved] 

Subpart D—Manning Requirements; 

All Vessels 

§ 15.401 Employment and service within 

restrictions of credential. 

(a) A person may not employ or 

engage an individual, and an individual 

may not serve, in a position in which an 

individual is required by law or 

regulation to hold a Transportation 

Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) 

and/or Merchant Mariner Credential 

(MMC), unless the individual holds all 

credentials required, as appropriate, 

authorizing service in the capacity in 

which the individual is engaged or 

employed, and the individual serves 

within any restrictions placed on the 

credential. An individual holding an 

active MMC issued by the Coast Guard 

must also hold a valid TWIC issued by 

the Transportation Security 

Administration unless the individual is 

exempt under § 10.203(b)(1) of this 

subchapter. 

(b) A person may not employ or 

engage an individual, and an individual 

may not serve in a position in which it 

is required by law or regulation that the 

individual hold an MMC endorsed with 

a national endorsement, as well as a 

corresponding STCW endorsement for 

service outside the boundary line. 

(c) A person may not employ or 

engage an individual in a position 

required to hold an MMC unless that 

individual maintains a current medical 

certificate. Medical certificates must be 

issued and will remain current for the 

following periods of time, unless 

otherwise noted on the certificate: 

(1) Two years for individuals serving 

on vessels to which STCW applies 

unless the mariner is under the age of 

18, in which case the maximum period 

of validity will be 1 year. 

(2) Five years for all other mariners. 

(d) Each individual referred to in 

paragraph (a) of this section must hold 

an MMC that serves as identification, 

with an appropriate endorsement for the 

position in which the seafarer serves, 

and the MMC, along with a valid 

medical certificate, must be presented to 

the Master of the vessel at the time of 

employment or before signing Articles 

of Agreement. 

(e) Each individual below the grades 

of officer and staff officer employed on 

any U.S.-flagged merchant vessel of 100 

GRT or more must possess a valid MMC 

issued by the Coast Guard, except as 

noted below: 

(1) Mariners on vessels navigating 

exclusively on rivers and lakes, except 

the Great Lakes, as defined in § 10.107 

of this subchapter. 

(2) Mariners below the rank of officer 

employed on any non-self-propelled 

vessel, except seagoing barges and 

barges to which 46 U.S.C. chapter 37 

applies. 

(3) Personnel not designated with any 

safety or security duties onboard casino 

vessels. 

(f) Every person employed on a vessel 

with dual tonnages (both domestic and 

international) must hold a credential 

authorizing service appropriate to the 

tonnage scheme under which the vessel 

is manned and operating. 

§ 15.403 When credentials for ratings are 

required. 

(a) Every seafarer referred to in this 

section, when required, must produce a 

valid MMC with all applicable rating 

endorsements for the position sought, a 

valid TWIC unless the mariner is 

exempt under § 10.203(b)(2) of this 

subchapter, and a valid medical 

certificate, to the Master of the vessel at 

the time of employment or before 

signing Articles of Agreement. Seafarers 

who do not possess one of these 

credentials may be employed at a 

foreign port or place within the 

limitations specified in § 15.720. 

(b)(1) Every person below the grades 

of officer and staff officer employed on 

any U.S.-flagged merchant vessel of 100 

GRT or more, except those navigating 

rivers exclusively and the smaller 

inland lakes, must possess a valid MMC, 

along with a valid medical certificate, 

with all appropriate endorsements for 

the positions served. 

(2) No endorsements are required of 

any person below the rank of officer 

employed on any barges except seagoing 

barges and barges to which 46 U.S.C. 

chapter 37 applies. 

(3) No endorsements are required of 

any person below the rank of officer 

employed on any sail vessel of less than 

500 net tons while not carrying 

passengers for hire and while not 

operating outside the line dividing 

inland waters from the high seas. 33 

U.S.C. 151. 

(c) Each person serving as an Able 

Seafarer-Deck or a Rating Forming Part 

of a Navigational Watch (RFPNW) on a 

seagoing vessel of 500 GT or more must 

hold an STCW endorsement certifying 

them as qualified to perform the 

navigational function at the support 

level, in accordance with the STCW 

Convention (incorporated by reference, 

see § 15.103). 

(d) Each person serving as an Able 

Seafarer-Engine or an RFPEW on a 

seagoing vessel driven by main 

propulsion machinery of 1,000 HP/750 

kW propulsion power or more must 

hold an STCW endorsement certifying 

them as qualified to perform the marineengineering function at the support 

level, in accordance with the STCW 

Convention. 

(e) Notwithstanding any other rule in 

this part, no person subject to this part 

serving on any of the following vessels 

needs an STCW endorsement: 

(1) Vessels exempted from the 

application of the STCW Convention, 

including— 

(i) Fishing vessels as defined in 46 

U.S.C. 2101(11)(a); 

(ii) Fishing vessels used as fish-tender 

vessels as defined in 46 U.S.C. 

2101(11)(c); 

(iii) Barges as defined in 46 U.S.C. 

102, including non-self-propelled 

mobile offshore-drilling units; 

(iv) Vessels operating exclusively on 

the Great Lakes; or 

(v) Pilot vessels engaged in pilotage 

duty. 

(2) Vessels not subject to any 

obligation under the STCW Convention 

due to their special operating conditions 

as small vessels engaged in domestic, 

near-coastal voyages, including— 

(i) Small passenger vessels subject to 

subchapter T or K of this chapter; 

(ii) Vessels of less than 200 GRT 

(other than passenger vessels subject to 

subchapter H of this chapter); or 

(iii) Uninspected passenger vessels as 

defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(42)(B). 

§ 15.404 Requirements for serving 

onboard a vessel. 

(a) Ratings Forming Part of a 

Navigational Watch (RFPNW). Each 

person serving as an RFPNW on a 

seagoing vessel of 500 GT or more, 

subject to the STCW Convention 

(incorporated by reference, see 

§ 15.103), must hold an STCW 

endorsement attesting to their 

qualifications to perform the 

navigational function at the support 

level. 

(b) Able Seafarer. Each person serving 

as a rating as Able Seafarer on a U.S.- 

flagged vessel must hold an MMC 

endorsed as Able Seafarer, except that 

no credential as Able Seafarer is 

required of any person employed on any 

tug or towboat on the bays and sounds 

connected directly with the seas, or on 

any barges except seagoing barges or 

tank barges. Each person serving as an 

Able Seafarer on a seagoing vessel 

subject to the STCW Convention must 

also hold an STCW endorsement as 

Able Seafarer-Deck. 

(c) Ratings Forming Part of an 

Engineering Watch (RFPEW). Each 

person serving as an RFPEW in a 

manned engineroom or designated to 

perform duties in a periodically 

unmanned engineroom, on a seagoing 


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vessel driven by main propulsion 

machinery of 1,000 HP/750 kW 

propulsion power or more, must hold an 

STCW endorsement attesting to their 

qualifications to perform the marineengineering function at the support 

level. 

(d) Qualified Member of the Engine 

Department (QMED). (1) The holder of 

an MMC endorsed with one or more 

QMED ratings may serve in any 

unqualified rating in the engine 

department without obtaining an 

additional endorsement. 

(2) A QMED may serve as a qualified 

rating in the engine department only in 

the specific ratings endorsed on their 

MMC. 

(3) Persons serving on vessels subject 

to the STCW Convention as Junior 

Engineer, Pump Technician/Machinist, 

or Electrician/Refrigeration Engineer 

must also hold an STCW endorsement 

as Able Seafarer-Engine. 

(e) Lifeboat Operator. Every person 

assigned duties as a Lifeboat Operator 

must hold a credential attesting to such 

proficiency. Persons serving on vessels 

subject to the STCW Convention must 

also hold an STCW endorsement in 

Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue 

Boats other than Fast Rescue Boats 

(PSC). 

(f) Lifeboat Operator-Limited. Every 

person assigned duties onboard a vessel 

that is not required to carry lifeboats 

and is required to employ a Lifeboat 

Operator must hold an endorsement as 

either Lifeboat Operator or Lifeboat 

Operator-Limited. Persons serving on 

vessels subject to the STCW Convention 

must also hold an STCW endorsement 

in Proficiency in Survival Craft and 

Rescue Boats other than Lifeboats and 

Fast Rescue Boats-Limited (PSCLimited). 

(g) Fast Rescue Boats. Every person 

engaged or employed in a position 

requiring Proficiency in Fast Rescue 

Boats must hold an endorsement 

attesting to such proficiency. 

(h) Entry level. Every person 

employed in a rating other than Able 

Seafarer or QMED on a U.S. flagged 

vessel on which MMCs are required 

must hold an MMC endorsed as Wiper, 

Ordinary Seafarer, Steward’s 

Department, or Steward’s Department 

Food Handler (F.H.). 

(i) Person in Charge of Medical Care. 

Every person designated to take charge 

of medical care onboard vessels subject 

to the STCW Convention must hold an 

MMC endorsed as Person in Charge of 

Medical Care. 

(j) Medical First-aid Provider. Every 

person designated to provide medical 

first aid onboard vessels subject to the 

STCW Convention must hold an MMC 

endorsed as Medical First-aid Provider 

or a deck or engineer officer 

endorsement. 

(k) GMDSS Radio Operator or 

Maintainer. Every person responsible 

for the operation or shipboard 

maintenance of GMDSS radio 

equipment onboard vessels subject to 

the STCW Convention must hold an 

MMC endorsed as GMDSS Radio 

Operator or GMDSS Radio Maintainer, 

as appropriate. 

§ 15.405 Familiarity with vessel 

characteristics. 

Each credentialed crewmember must 

become familiar with the relevant 

characteristics of the vessel appropriate 

to their duties and responsibilities prior 

to assuming those duties and 

responsibilities. As appropriate, these 

may include, but are not limited to, 

general arrangement of the vessel, 

maneuvering characteristics, proper 

operation of the installed navigation 

equipment, proper operation of 

firefighting and lifesaving equipment, 

stability and loading characteristics, 

emergency duties, and main propulsion 

and auxiliary machinery, including 

steering gear systems and controls. 

§ 15.410 Credentialed individuals for 

assistance towing vessels. 

Every assistance towing vessel must 

be under the direction and control of an 

individual holding a License or MMC 

authorizing them to engage in assistance 

towing under the provisions of § 11.482 

of this subchapter. 

§ 15.415 [Reserved] 

Subpart E—Manning Requirements; 

Inspected Vessels 

§ 15.501 Certificate of inspection. 

(a) The certificate of inspection (COI) 

issued by an Officer in Charge, Marine 

Inspection (OCMI), to a vessel required 

to be inspected under 46 U.S.C. 3301 

specifies the minimum complement of 

officers and crew necessary for the safe 

operation of the vessel. 

(b) The manning requirements for a 

particular vessel are determined by the 

OCMI after consideration of the 

applicable laws, the regulations in this 

part, and all other factors involved, such 

as: emergency situations, size and type 

of vessel, installed equipment, proposed 

routes of operation including frequency 

of port calls, cargo carried, type of 

service in which employed, degree of 

automation, use of labor saving devices, 

and the organizational structure of the 

vessel. 

§ 15.505 Changes in the certificate of 

inspection. 

All requests for changes in manning 

as indicated on the COI must be sent 

to— 

(a) The Officer in Charge, Marine 

Inspection (OCMI) who last issued the 

COI; or 

(b) The OCMI conducting the 

inspection, if the request is made in 

conjunction with an inspection for 

certification. 

§ 15.510 Right of appeal. 

Any person directly affected by a 

decision or action taken under this part, 

by or on behalf of the Coast Guard, may 

appeal in accordance with subpart 1.03 

of this chapter. 

§ 15.515 Compliance with certificate of 

inspection. 

(a) Except as provided by § 15.725, no 

vessel may be navigated unless it has in 

its service and onboard the crew 

complement required by the COI. 

(b) Any time passengers are embarked 

on a passenger vessel, the vessel must 

have the crew complement required by 

the COI, whether the vessel is 

underway, at anchor, made fast to shore, 

or aground. However, the Master may 

allow reduced crew for limited or 

special operating conditions subject to 

the approval of the OCMI. 

(c) No vessel subject to inspection 

under 46 U.S.C. 3301 will be navigated 

unless it is under the direction and 

control of an individual who holds an 

appropriate License or officer 

endorsement on their MMC. 

§ 15.520 Mobile offshore drilling units 

(MODUs). 

(a) The requirements in this section 

for MODUs supplement other 

requirements in this part. 

(b) The OCMI determines the 

minimum number of officers and crew 

(including Lifeboat Operators) required 

for the safe operation of inspected 

MODUs. In addition to other factors 

listed in this part, the specialized nature 

of the MODU is considered in 

determining the specific manning 

levels. 

(c) A License or officer endorsement 

on an MMC as Offshore Installation 

Manager (OIM), Barge Supervisor (BS), 

or Ballast Control Operator (BCO) 

authorizes service only on MODUs. A 

License or endorsement as OIM is 

restricted to the MODU type and mode 

of operation specified on the credential. 

(d) When underway, a self-propelled 

MODU, other than a drillship, must be 

under the command of an individual 

who holds a License as Master endorsed 

as OIM, or an MMC endorsed as Master 


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and OIM. When not underway, such a 

vessel must be under the command of 

an individual holding the appropriate 

OIM credential. 

(e) A drillship must be under the 

command of an individual who holds a 

License or MMC officer endorsement as 

Master. When a drillship is on location, 

or is maintaining its position with a 

dynamic positioning system, the 

individual in command must hold a 

License as Master endorsed as OIM or 

an MMC with Master and OIM officer 

endorsements. 

(f) A non-self-propelled MODU must 

be under the command of an individual 

who holds a License or MMC officer 

endorsement as OIM. 

(g) An individual serving as Mate on 

a self-propelled surface unit when 

underway, other than a drillship, must 

hold an appropriate License, or an MMC 

endorsed as Mate and BS or BCO. When 

not underway, such a vessel may 

substitute an individual holding the 

appropriate BS or BCO endorsement for 

the Mate, if permitted by the cognizant 

OCMI. 

(h) An individual holding a License or 

MMC officer endorsement as BS is 

required on a non-self-propelled surface 

unit other than a drillship. 

(i) An individual holding a License or 

MMC officer endorsement as BS may 

serve as BCO. 

(j) The OCMI issuing the MODU’s COI 

may authorize the substitution of Chief 

or Assistant Engineer-MODU for Chief 

or Assistant Engineer, respectively, on 

self-propelled or propulsion-assisted 

surface units, except drillships. The 

OCMI may also authorize the 

substitution of Assistant EngineerMODU for Assistant Engineer on 

drillships. 

(k) Requirements in this part 

concerning Radar Observers do not 

apply to non-self-propelled MODUs. 

(l) A surface MODU underway or on 

location, when afloat and equipped with 

a ballast control room, must have that 

ballast control room manned by an 

individual holding a License or MMC 

officer endorsement authorizing service 

as BCO. 

§ 15.525 Additional manning requirements 

for tank vessels. 

Parts 31 and 35 of this subchapter 

contain additional manning 

requirements applicable to tank vessels. 

§ 15.530 Large passenger vessels. 

(a) The owner or operator of a U.S.- 

flagged large passenger vessel must 

ensure that any non-resident alien 

holding a Coast Guard-issued MMC 

described in part 12, subpart H of this 

subchapter is provided the rights, 

protections, and benefits of the 

International Labor Organization’s 

Merchant Shipping (Minimum 

Standards) Convention of 1976. 

(b) On U.S-flagged large passenger 

vessels, non-resident aliens holding a 

Coast Guard-issued MMC described in 

part 12, subpart H of this subchapter— 

(1) May only be employed in the 

steward’s department on the vessel(s) 

specified on the MMC or accompanying 

Coast Guard letter under § 12.811 of this 

subchapter; 

(2) May only be employed for an 

aggregate period of 36 months of actual 

service on all authorized U.S.-flagged 

large passenger vessels combined, under 

§ 12.811 of this subchapter; 

(3) May not perform watchstanding, 

engine room duty watch, or vessel 

navigation functions, under § 12.811 of 

this subchapter; and 

(4) May perform emergency-related 

duties only if, under § 12.811 of this 

subchapter— 

(i) The emergency-related duties do 

not require any other rating or 

endorsement, except Lifeboat Operator 

as specified in § 12.811 of this 

subchapter; 

(ii) The non-resident alien has 

completed familiarization and Basic 

Training, as required in § 15.1105; 

(iii) The non-resident alien, if serving 

as a Lifeboat Operator, has the necessary 

Lifeboat Operator’s endorsement; and 

(iv) The non-resident alien has 

completed the training for crewmembers 

on passenger ships performing duties 

involving safety or care for passengers, 

as required in part 12, subpart I of this 

subchapter. 

(c) No more than 25 percent of the 

total number of ratings on a U.S.-flagged 

large passenger vessel may be aliens, 

whether admitted to the United States 

for permanent residence or authorized 

for employment in the United States as 

non-resident aliens. 

(d) The owner or operator of a U.S.- 

flagged large passenger vessel 

employing non-resident aliens holding 

Coast Guard-issued MMCs described in 

part 12, subpart H of this subchapter 

must— 

(1) Retain custody of all non-resident 

alien MMCs for the duration of 

employment, under § 12.811 of this 

subchapter; and 

(2) Return all non-resident alien 

MMCs to the Coast Guard upon 

termination of employment, under 

§ 12.811 of this subchapter. 

(e) The owner or operator of a U.S.- 

flagged large passenger vessel 

employing non-resident aliens holding 

Coast Guard-issued MMCs described in 

part 12, subpart H of this subchapter is 

subject to the civil penalty provisions 

specified in 46 U.S.C. 8103(f), for any 

violation of this section. 

§ 15.535 Towing vessels. 

(a) Applicability. Except as provided 

in this paragraph (a), the requirements 

in this section apply to a towing vessel 

subject to subchapter M of this chapter. 

Vessels subject to this section must also 

meet the requirements in § 15.515(c). A 

towing vessel at least 8 meters (26 feet) 

in length, measured from end to end 

over the deck (excluding sheer), that is 

not subject to subchapter M must meet 

the requirements in paragraph (b) of this 

section if it is— 

(1) A seagoing towing vessel of 300 

gross tons or more subject to the 

provisions of subchapter I of this 

chapter; 

(2) A vessel inspected under other 

subchapters of this chapter that may 

perform occasional towing; or 

(3) A public vessel as defined in 46 

U.S.C. 2101. 

(b) Towing vessels 8 meters or more in 

length. Every towing vessel of at least 8 

meters (26 feet) in length, measured 

from end to end over the deck 

(excluding sheer), must be under the 

direction and control of a person 

holding a MMC endorsed as Master or 

Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels or as 

Master or Mate of vessels of greater than 

200 gross register tons, holding a 

completed Towing Officer Assessment 

Record signed by a designated examiner 

indicating that the officer is proficient 

in the operation of towing vessels upon 

the appropriate route. 

(c) Towing Vessels of Any Length on 

the Lower Mississippi River. In addition 

to the requirements of paragraph (b) of 

this section, any towing vessel operating 

in the pilotage waters of the Lower 

Mississippi River must be under the 

control of an officer who holds either a 

First-Class Pilot’s endorsement for that 

route, or MMC officer endorsement for 

the Western Rivers, or who meets the 

requirements of either paragraph (c)(1) 

or (2) of this section, as applicable. 

(1) Moving tank or hazardous material 

barges. To operate a towing vessel with 

tank barges or a tow of barges carrying 

hazardous material regulated under 

subchapter N or O of this chapter, the 

officer in charge of the towing vessel 

must have completed at least 12 round 

trips over this route as an observer, with 

at least 3 of those trips during hours of 

darkness, and must provide evidence to 

the Coast Guard upon request that at 

least 1 of the 12 round trips occurred 

within the last 5 years. 

(2) Moving uninspected barges or no 

barges. To operate a towing vessel 

without barges or a tow of uninspected 

barges, the officer in charge of the 


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towing vessel must have completed at 

least 4 round trips over this route as an 

observer, with at least 1 of those trips 

during hours of darkness, and must 

provide evidence to the Coast Guard 

upon request that at least 1 of the 4 

round trips occurred within the last 5 

years. 

Subpart F—Manning Requirements; 

Uninspected Vessels 

§ 15.601 General. 

The following sections of subparts F, 

G, and H of this part contain provisions 

concerning manning of uninspected 

vessels; §§ 15.701, 15.705, 15.710, 

15.720, 15.730, 15.801, 15.805, 15.810, 

15.820, 15.825, 15.840, 15.850, 15.855, 

15.905, 15.910, and 15.915. 

§ 15.605 Credentialed operators for 

uninspected passenger vessels. 

Each uninspected passenger vessel 

(UPV) must be under the direction and 

control of an individual credentialed by 

the Coast Guard, as follows: 

(a) Every UPV of 100 GRT or more, as 

defined by 46 U.S.C. 2101(53)(A), must 

be under the command of an individual 

holding a License or MMC endorsed as 

Master. When navigated, it must be 

under the direction and control of a 

credentialed Master, Pilot, or Mate. 

(b) Every self-propelled UPV as 

defined by 46 U.S.C. 2101(53)(B) must 

be under the direction and control of an 

individual holding a License or MMC 

endorsed as or equivalent to an Operator 

of an Uninspected Passenger Vessel 

(OUPV). 

(c) Personnel serving on UPVs 

engaged on international voyages must 

meet the requirements of subpart K of 

this part. 

§ 15.610 Master and Mate (Pilot) of 

uninspected towing vessels. 

(a) The requirements in this section 

apply to towing vessels, except for— 

(1) Towing vessels that are subject to 

subchapter M in accordance with 

§ 136.105 of this subchapter; 

(2) Towing vessels that are seagoing 

and 300 gross or more tons subject to 

the provisions of subchapter I of this 

chapter; 

(3) Towing vessels that are inspected 

under other subchapters of this chapter 

that may perform occasional towing; 

and 

(4) Towing vessels that are public 

vessels as defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101. 

(b) Except as provided in this 

paragraph, every towing vessel of at 

least 8 meters (26 feet) in length, 

measured from end to end over the deck 

(excluding sheer), must be under the 

direction and control of a person 

holding a License or MMC officer 

endorsement as Master or Mate (Pilot) of 

Towing Vessels, or as Master or Mate of 

vessels of greater than 200 GRT, holding 

either an endorsement on their License 

or MMC for towing vessels or a 

completed Towing Officer Assessment 

Record (TOAR) signed by a designated 

examiner indicating that the officer is 

proficient in the operation of towing 

vessels. This requirement does not 

apply to any vessel engaged in 

assistance towing. 

(c) Any towing vessel operating in the 

pilotage waters of the Lower Mississippi 

River must be under the control of an 

officer meeting the requirements of 

paragraph (b) of this section who holds 

either a First-Class Pilot’s endorsement 

for that route or MMC officer 

endorsement for the Western Rivers, or 

who meets the requirements of 

paragraph (b) of this section and meets 

the requirements of either paragraph 

(c)(1) or (2) of this section as applicable: 

(1) To operate a towing vessel with 

tank barges, or a tow of barges carrying 

hazardous materials regulated under 

subchapters N or O of this chapter, an 

officer in charge of the towing vessel 

must have completed 12 roundtrips over 

this route as an observer, with at least 

three of those trips during hours of 

darkness, and provide evidence to the 

Coast Guard that at least one of the 12 

roundtrips was completed within the 

last 5 years. 

(2) To operate a towing vessel without 

barges, or a tow of uninspected barges, 

an officer in charge of the towing vessel 

must have completed at least four round 

trips over this route as an observer, with 

at least one of those trips during hours 

of darkness, and provide evidence to the 

Coast Guard that at least one of the four 

roundtrips was within the last 5 years. 

Subpart G—Limitations and Qualifying 

Factors 

§ 15.701 Officers Competency Certificates 

Convention, 1936. 

(a) This section implements the 

Officers Competency Certificates 

Convention, 1936 (see 46 U.S.C. 8304), 

and applies to each vessel documented 

under the laws of the United States 

navigating seaward of the Boundary 

Lines in part 7 of this chapter, except: 

(1) A public vessel; 

(2) A wooden vessel of primitive 

build, such as a dhow or junk; 

(3) A barge; or 

(4) A vessel of less than 200 gross 

tons. 

(b) The Master, Mates and engineers 

on any vessel to which this section 

applies must hold a License or MMC 

officer endorsement to serve in that 

capacity issued by the Coast Guard 

under parts 10 and 11 of this 

subchapter. 

(c) A vessel to which this section 

applies, or a foreign flagged vessel to 

which the Officers Competency 

Certificates Convention applies, may be 

detained by a designated official until 

that official is satisfied that the vessel is 

in compliance with the Convention. 

Designated official includes Coast 

Guard officers, Coast Guard petty 

officers and officers or employees of the 

Customs and Border Protection Service. 

(d) Whenever a vessel is detained, the 

owner, charterer, managing operator, 

agent, Master, or individual in charge 

may appeal the detention within 5 days 

under the provisions of § 2.01–70 of this 

chapter. 

§ 15.705 Watches. 

(a) 46 U.S.C. 8104 applies to the 

establishment of watches aboard certain 

U.S. vessels. The establishment of 

adequate watches is the responsibility of 

the vessel’s Master. The Coast Guard 

interprets the term ‘‘watch’’ to be the 

direct performance of vessel operations, 

whether deck or engine, where such 

operations would routinely be 

controlled and performed in a 

scheduled and fixed rotation. The 

performance of maintenance or work 

necessary to the vessel’s safe operation 

on a daily basis does not in itself 

constitute the establishment of a watch. 

The minimum safe manning levels 

specified in a vessel’s COI or other safe 

manning document take into 

consideration routine maintenance 

requirements and ability of the crew to 

perform all operational evolutions, 

including emergencies, as well as those 

functions which may be assigned to 

persons in watches. 

(b) Subject to exceptions, 46 U.S.C. 

8104 requires that when a Master of a 

seagoing vessel of more than 100 GRT 

establishes watches for the officers, 

sailors, and Oilers, ‘‘the personnel shall 

be divided, when at sea, into at least 

three watches and shall be kept on duty 

successively to perform ordinary work 

incidental to the operation and 

management of the vessel.’’ Solely for 

the purposes of this part, the Coast 

Guard interprets ‘‘sailors’’ to mean those 

members of the deck department other 

than officers, whose duties involve the 

mechanics of conducting the ship on its 

voyage, such as helmsman (wheelsman), 

lookout, etc., and which are necessary to 

the maintenance of a continuous watch. 

The term ‘‘sailors’’ is not interpreted to 

include Able Seafarers and Ordinary 

Seafarers not performing these duties. 

(c)(1) Subject to exceptions, 46 U.S.C. 

8104(g) permits the officers and crew 

members to be divided into two watches 


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when at sea and engaged on a voyage of 

less than 600 miles on the following 

categories of vessels— 

(i) Towing vessel; 

(ii) Offshore supply vessel, except as 

provided by paragraph (c)(2) of this 

section; or 

(iii) Barge. 

(2) Paragraph (c)(1) of this section 

applies to an OSV of at least 6,000 GT 

ITC (500 GRT if GT ITC is not assigned), 

as defined in § 125.160 of this 

subchapter, if the individuals engaged 

on the vessel are in compliance with the 

work hours and rest period 

requirements in § 15.1111. 

(d) Subject to exceptions, 46 U.S.C. 

8104(h) permits a Master or Mate (Pilot) 

operating a towing vessel that is at least 

8 meters (26 feet) in length measured 

from end to end over the deck 

(excluding sheer) to work not more than 

12 hours in a consecutive 24-hour 

period except in an emergency. The 

Coast Guard interprets this, in 

conjunction with other provisions of the 

law, to permit Masters or Mates (Pilots) 

serving as operators of towing vessels 

that are not subject to the provisions of 

the Officers’ Competency Certificates 

Convention, 1936 (see 46 U.S.C. 8304), 

to be divided into two watches 

regardless of the length of the voyage. 

(e) Fish processing vessels are subject 

to various provisions of 46 U.S.C. 8104 

concerning watches, including— 

(1) For fish processing vessels that 

entered into service before January 1, 

1988, the following watch requirements 

apply to the officers and deck crew: 

(i) If more than 5,000 GRT—three 

watches. 

(ii) If more than 1,600 GRT and not 

more than 5,000 GRT—two watches. 

(iii) If not more than 1,600 GRT—no 

watch division specified; or 

(2) For fish processing vessels that 

entered into service after December 31, 

1987, the following watch requirements 

apply to the officers and deck crew: 

(i) If more than 5,000 GRT—three 

watches. 

(ii) If not more than 5,000 GRT and 

having more than 16 individuals 

onboard, primarily employed in the 

preparation of fish or fish products— 

two watches. 

(iii) If not more than 5,000 GRT and 

having not more than 16 individuals 

onboard, primarily employed in the 

preparation of fish or fish products—no 

watch division specified. 

(f) Properly manned uninspected 

passenger vessels of at least 100 GRT— 

(1) Which are underway for no more 

than 12 hours in any 24-hour period, 

and which are adequately moored, 

anchored, or otherwise secured in a 

harbor of safe refuge for the remainder 

of that 24-hour period, may operate with 

one navigational watch; 

(2) Which are underway more than 12 

hours in any 24-hour period, must 

provide a minimum of a two-watch 

system; 

(3) In no case may the crew of any 

watch work more than 12 hours in any 

24-hour period, except in an emergency. 

§ 15.710 Working hours. 

In addition to prescribing watch 

requirements, 46 U.S.C. 8104 sets 

limitations on the working hours of 

credentialed officers and crew members, 

prescribes certain rest periods, and 

prohibits unnecessary work on Sundays 

and certain holidays when the vessel is 

in a safe harbor. It is the responsibility 

of the Master or Person in Charge to 

ensure that these limitations are met. 

However, under 46 U.S.C. 8104(f), the 

Master or other credentialed officer can 

require any part of the crew to work 

when, in their judgment, they are 

needed for: 

(a) Maneuvering, shifting berth, 

mooring, unmooring; 

(b) Performing work necessary for the 

safety of the vessel, or the vessel’s 

passengers, crew, or cargo; 

(c) Saving of life onboard another 

vessel in jeopardy; or, 

(d) Performing fire, lifeboat, or other 

drills in port or at sea. 

§ 15.715 Automated vessels. 

(a) Coast Guard acceptance of 

automated systems to replace specific 

personnel or to reduce overall crew 

requirements is predicated upon the 

capabilities of the system, the system’s 

demonstrated and continuing reliability, 

and a planned maintenance program 

that ensures continued safe operation of 

the vessel. 

(b) The OCMI considers the 

capabilities of an automated system in 

establishing initial manning levels; 

however, until the system is proven 

reliable, a manning level adequate to 

operate in a continuously attended 

mode will be specified on a vessel’s 

COI. It remains the responsibility of the 

vessel’s Master to determine when a 

continuous watch is necessary. 

§ 15.720 Use of non-U.S.-credentialed 

personnel. 

(a) United States vessels which need 

to replace one or more persons while on 

a foreign voyage and outside the 

jurisdiction of the United States, in 

order to meet manning requirements, 

may use non-U.S. credentialed 

personnel without a TWIC, except for 

the positions of Master and Radio 

Officer, until the vessel returns to a port 

at which in the most expeditious 

manner replacements who are citizens 

of the United States can be obtained. 

(b) The citizenship requirements of 46 

U.S.C. 8103(a) and (b) and the TWIC 

requirement of 46 U.S.C. 70105 are 

waived, except for the requirement that 

the Master must be a U.S. citizen 

holding a TWIC, with respect to the 

following vessels: 

(1) A U.S.-documented offshore 

supply vessel (OSV) (as that term is 

defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(19)) that is 

operating from a foreign port; and 

(2) A U.S.-documented mobile 

offshore drilling unit (MODU) (as that 

term is defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(15a)) 

that is operating beyond the water above 

the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. 

(c) The waiver provided in paragraph 

(b) of this section does not apply to any 

vessel operating in water above the U.S. 

Outer Continental Shelf (as that term is 

defined in 43 U.S.C. 1331(a)). 

(d) The Master must assure that any 

replacements of crewmembers by nonU.S. citizens made in accordance with 

this section will be with an individual 

who holds a credential that required 

experience, training, and other 

qualifications equivalent to the U.S. 

credential required for the position and 

that the person possesses or will possess 

the training required to communicate to 

the extent required by § 15.730. 

(e) Non-U.S.-credentialed officers 

serving onboard vessels subject to 

STCW must hold a ‘‘Certificate attesting 

recognition’’ in accordance with part 11, 

subpart J of this subchapter. A mariner 

may serve for a period not to exceed 3 

months onboard the vessel while the 

Coast Guard is processing their 

application for such a certificate. 

§ 15.725 Sailing short. 

Whenever a vessel is deprived of the 

service of a member of its complement, 

and the Master or Person in Charge is 

unable to find appropriate credentialed 

personnel to man the vessel, the Master 

or Person in Charge may proceed on the 

voyage, having determined the vessel is 

sufficiently manned for the voyage. A 

report of sailing short must be filed with 

the OCMI having cognizance for 

inspection in the area in which the 

vessel is operating, or the OCMI within 

whose jurisdiction the voyage is 

completed. The report must explain the 

cause of each deficiency and be 

submitted within 12 hours after arrival 

at the next port. The actions of the 

Master or Person in Charge in such 

instances are subject to review and it 

must be shown the vacancy was not due 

to the consent, fault or collusion of the 

Master or other individuals specified in 

46 U.S.C. 8101(e). A civil penalty may 

be assessed against the Master or Person 


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in Charge for failure to submit the 

report. 

§ 15.730 Language requirements. 

(a) The provisions of 46 U.S.C. 8702 

relating to language apply generally to 

vessels of at least 100 GRT except: 

(1) Vessels operating on rivers and 

lakes except the Great Lakes; 

(2) A manned barge except a seagoing 

barge or a barge to which chapter 37 of 

46 U.S.C. applies; 

(3) A fishing vessel, fish tender vessel, 

whaling vessel, or yacht; 

(4) A sailing school vessel with 

respect to sailing school instructors and 

sailing school students; 

(5) An oceanographic research vessel 

with respect to scientific personnel; 

(6) A fish processing vessel which 

entered into service before January 1, 

1988, and is not more than 1,600 GRT 

or which entered into service after 

December 31, 1987, and has not more 

than 16 individuals onboard primarily 

employed in the preparation of fish or 

fish products; and 

(7) All fish processing vessels with 

respect to those personnel primarily 

employed in the preparation of fish or 

fish products or in a support position 

not related to navigation. 

(b) 46 U.S.C. 8702(b) requires that 

onboard vessels departing U.S. ports 75 

percent of the crew in each department 

onboard is able to understand any order 

spoken by the officers. 

(c) The words able to understand any 

order spoken by the officers relates to 

any order to a member of the crew when 

directing the performance of that 

person’s duties and orders relating to 

emergency situations such as used for 

response to a fire or in using lifesaving 

equipment. It is not expected that a 

member of the deck department 

understand terminology normally used 

only in the engineroom or vice versa. 

(d) Whenever information is 

presented to the Coast Guard that a 

vessel fails to comply with the specified 

language requirements the Coast Guard 

investigates the allegation to determine 

its validity. In determining if an 

allegation is factual, the Coast Guard 

may require a demonstration by the 

officers and crew that appropriate 

orders are understood. The 

demonstration will require that orders 

be spoken to the individual members of 

the crew by the officers in the language 

ordinarily and customarily used by the 

officers. The orders must be spoken 

directly by the officer to the crew 

member and not through an interpreter. 

Signs, gestures, or signals may not be 

used in the test. The Coast Guard 

representative will specify the orders to 

be given and will include not only daily 

routine but orders involving 

emergencies, either of a departmental or 

of a general nature. This test will be 

conducted, if possible, at a time 

reasonably in advance of the vessel’s 

departure, to avoid delays. 

Subpart H—Computations 

§ 15.801 General. 

The OCMI will determine the specific 

manning levels for vessels required to 

have certificates of inspection by part B 

of subtitle II of title 46 U.S.C. The 

Masters or individuals in command of 

all vessels, whether required to be 

inspected under 46 U.S.C. 3301 or not, 

are responsible for properly manning 

vessels in accordance with the 

applicable laws, regulations, and 

international conventions. 

§ 15.805 Master. 

(a) There must be an individual 

holding an appropriate License as or a 

valid MMC with endorsement as Master 

in command of each of the following 

vessels: 

(1) Every self-propelled, seagoing 

documented vessel of 200 GRT and 

over. 

(2) Every self-propelled inspected 

vessel; 

(3) Every inspected passenger vessel; 

(4) Every inspected small passenger 

vessel; and 

(5) Every towing vessel of at least 8 

meters (26 feet) or more in length must 

be in command of a Master of Towing 

Vessels, or a mariner holding a License 

or MMC endorsed as Master of 

inspected, self-propelled vessels greater 

than 200 GRT holding either— 

(i) A completed Towing Officer’s 

Assessment Record (TOAR), bearing the 

signature of a Designated Examiner and 

stating that the Examiner found the 

candidate proficient; or 

(ii) A License or MMC endorsed for 

Master of Towing Vessels. 

(6) Every uninspected passenger 

vessel of at least 100 GRT. 

(7) Every uninspected passenger 

vessel engaged on an international 

voyage. 

(b) On vessels subject to STCW, the 

individual meeting the requirement of 

this section must also hold an STCW 

endorsement as Master with the 

appropriate tonnage for the vessel 

which he or she is operating, except as 

noted in § 15.105(g) for vessels on 

domestic near-coastal voyages. 

(c) Every vessel documented under 

the laws of the United States, other than 

a vessel with only a recreational 

endorsement, must be under the 

command of a U.S. citizen. 

§ 15.810 Mates. 

(a) The OCMI determines the 

minimum number of Mates required for 

the safe operation of inspected vessels. 

(b) The minimum number of mariners 

holding a License or MMC officer 

endorsement as Mate required to be 

carried on every inspected, selfpropelled, seagoing and Great Lakes 

vessel, and every inspected, seagoing, 

passenger vessel must not be less than 

the following, except when reductions 

are authorized under paragraph (e) of 

this section: 

(1) Vessels of 1,000 GRT or more 

(except MODUs)—three Mates (except 

when on a voyage of less than 400 miles 

from port of departure to port of final 

destination—two Mates). 

(2) MODUs of 1,000 GRT or more: 

(i) Three Mates when on a voyage of 

more than 72 hours. 

(ii) Two Mates when on a voyage of 

more than 16 but not more than 72 

hours. 

(iii) One Mate when on a voyage of 

not more than 16 hours. 

(3) Vessels of 100 GRT or more but 

less than 1,000 GRT—two Mates (except 

vessels of at least 100 but less than 200 

GRT on voyages which do not exceed 24 

hours in duration—one Mate). 

(4) All vessels of less than 100 GRT— 

one Mate (except vessels on voyages not 

exceeding 12 hours in duration may, if 

the OCMI determines it to be safe, be 

operated without Mates). 

(5) An offshore supply vessel of 100 

GRT (100 GT ITC if GRT is not assigned) 

or more, but less than 6,000 GT ITC (500 

GRT if GT ITC is not assigned) as 

defined in § 125.160 of this 

subchapter—one credentialed Mate 

(except when on a voyage of at least 600 

miles—two credentialed Mates). A 

voyage includes the accrued distance 

from port of departure to port of arrival 

and does not include stops at offshore 

points. 

(6) An offshore supply vessel of at 

least 6,000 GT ITC (500 GRT if GT ITC 

is not assigned) as defined in § 125.160 

of this chapter—two credentialed Mates 

provided that the OSV meets the 

requirements in § 15.1111 (except when 

on a voyage of more than 600 miles— 

three credentialed Mates). A voyage 

includes the accrued distance from the 

vessel’s port of departure to the vessel’s 

port of arrival. Stops at offshore points 

or facilities do not constitute separate 

voyages; stops at offshore points or 

facilities are included in the total 

accrued distance between the vessel’s 

port of departure and the vessel’s port 

of arrival. 

(c) An individual in charge of the 

navigation or maneuvering of a selfpropelled, uninspected, documented, 


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seagoing vessel of 200 GRT or over must 

hold an appropriate License or MMC 

authorizing service as Mate. 

(d) Each Person in Charge of the 

navigation or maneuvering of a towing 

vessel of at least 8 meters (26 feet) in 

length must satisfy the requirements of 

§ 15.805(a)(5) or hold a License or MMC 

authorizing service as either— 

(1) Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels; or 

(2) Mate of inspected self-propelled 

vessels greater than 200 GRT within any 

other restrictions on the officer’s 

License or MMC, holding either— 

(i) A completed TOAR bearing the 

signature from a Designated Examiner 

(DE) and stating that the DE found the 

candidate proficient; or 

(ii) A License or MMC with officer 

endorsement for towing vessels. 

(e) The OCMI may increase the 

minimum number of Mates indicated in 

paragraph (b) of this section where they 

determine that the vessel’s 

characteristics, route, or other operating 

conditions create special circumstances 

warranting an increase. 

(f) The Commandant will consider 

reductions to the number of Mates 

required by this section when special 

circumstances allowing a vessel to be 

safely operated can be demonstrated. 

(g) On vessels subject to STCW, the 

individual meeting the requirement of 

this section must also hold an STCW 

endorsement as Officer in Charge of a 

Navigational Watch with the 

appropriate tonnage for the vessel 

which they are operating, except as 

noted in § 15.105 (g) for vessels on 

domestic near-coastal voyages. 

§ 15.812 Pilots. 

(a) Except as specified in paragraph (f) 

of this section, the following vessels, not 

sailing on register, when underway on 

the navigable waters of the United 

States, must be under the direction and 

control of an individual qualified to 

serve as Pilot under paragraph (b) or (c) 

of this section, as appropriate: 

(1) Coastwise seagoing vessels 

propelled by machinery and subject to 

inspection under 46 U.S.C. Chapter 33, 

and coastwise seagoing tank barges 

subject to inspection under 46 U.S.C. 

Chapter 37. 

(2) Vessels that are not authorized by 

their COI to proceed beyond the 

Boundary Line established in part 7 of 

this chapter, are in excess of 1,600 GRT 

propelled by machinery, and are subject 

to inspection under 46 U.S.C. Chapter 

33. 

(3) Vessels operating on the Great 

Lakes, that are propelled by machinery 

and subject to inspection under 46 

U.S.C. Chapter 33, or are tank barges 

subject to inspection under 46 U.S.C. 

Chapter 37. 

(b) The following individuals may 

serve as a Pilot on a vessel subject to 

paragraph (a) of this section, when 

underway on the navigable waters of the 

United States that are designated areas: 

(1) An individual holding a valid 

First-Class Pilot’s License or MMC 

officer endorsement as First-Class Pilot, 

operating within the restrictions of their 

credential, may serve as Pilot on any 

vessel to which this section applies. 

(2) An individual holding a valid 

License or MMC officer endorsement as 

Master or Mate, employed aboard a 

vessel within the restrictions of their 

credential, may serve as Pilot on a 

vessel of not more than 1,600 GRT 

propelled by machinery, described in 

paragraphs (a)(1) and (3) of this section, 

provided they are— 

(i) At least 21 years old; 

(ii) Able to show current knowledge 

of the waters to be navigated, as 

required in § 11.713 of this subchapter; 

and 

(iii) Able to provide evidence of 

completing a minimum of four 

roundtrips over the route to be traversed 

while in the wheelhouse as 

watchstander or observer. At least one 

of the roundtrips must be made during 

the hours of darkness if the route is to 

be traversed during darkness. 

(3) An individual holding a valid 

License or MMC officer endorsement as 

Master, Mate, or operator employed 

aboard a vessel within the restrictions of 

their credential, may serve as Pilot on a 

tank barge or tank barges totaling not 

more than 10,000 GRT/GT, described in 

paragraphs (a)(1) and (3) of this section, 

provided they— 

(i) Are at least 21 years old 

(ii) Are able to show current 

knowledge of the waters to be navigated, 

as required in § 11.713 of this 

subchapter 

(iii) Have a current physical 

examination in accordance with the 

provisions of § 11.709 of this subchapter 

(iv) Have at least 6 months of service 

in the deck department on towing 

vessels engaged in towing operations; 

and 

(v) Provide evidence of completing a 

minimum of 12 roundtrips over the 

route to be traversed, as an observer or 

under instruction in the wheelhouse. At 

least three of the roundtrips must be 

made during the hours of darkness if the 

route is to be traversed during darkness 

(c) An individual holding a valid 

License or MMC officer endorsement as 

Master, Mate, or operator, employed 

aboard a vessel within the restrictions of 

their credential, may serve as a Pilot for 

a vessel subject to paragraphs (a)(1) and 

(2) of this section, when underway on 

the navigable waters of the United 

States that are not designated areas of 

pilotage waters, provided they— 

(1) Are at least 21 years old 

(2) Are able to show current 

knowledge of the waters to be navigated, 

as required in § 11.713 of this 

subchapter; and 

(3) Have a current physical 

examination in accordance with the 

provisions of § 11.709 of this subchapter 

(d) In any instance in which the 

qualifications of a person satisfying the 

requirements for pilotage through the 

provisions of this subpart are 

questioned by the Coast Guard, the 

individual must, within a reasonable 

time, provide the Coast Guard with 

documentation proving compliance 

with the applicable portions of 

paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section 

(e) Federal pilotage requirements 

contained in paragraphs (a) through (d) 

of this section are summarized in the 

following two quick reference tables 

(1) Table 1 to § 15.812(e)(1) provides 

a guide to the pilotage requirements for 

inspected, self-propelled vessels. 

TABLE 1 TO § 15.812(e)(1)—QUICK REFERENCE TABLE FOR FEDERAL PILOTAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S.-INSPECTED, 

SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS, NOT SAILING ON REGISTER

Designated areas of pilotage 

waters (routes for which FirstClass Pilot’s licenses or MMC 

officer endorsements are issued) 

Non-designated areas of 

pilotage waters (between 

the 3-mile line and the start 

of traditional pilotage routes) 

Inspected self-propelled vessels greater than 1,600 

GRT, authorized by their COI to proceed beyond 

the Boundary Line, or operating on the Great Lakes.

First-Class Pilot ............................................................ Master or Mate may serve as Pilot if they— 

1. Are at least 21 years old; 

2. Have an annual physical exam; and 

3. Maintain current knowledge of the waters to be 

navigated.1


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TABLE 1 TO § 15.812(e)(1)—QUICK REFERENCE TABLE FOR FEDERAL PILOTAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S.-INSPECTED, 

SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS, NOT SAILING ON REGISTER—Continued 

Designated areas of pilotage 

waters (routes for which FirstClass Pilot’s licenses or MMC 

officer endorsements are issued) 

Non-designated areas of 

pilotage waters (between 

the 3-mile line and the start 

of traditional pilotage routes) 

Inspected self-propelled vessels not more than 1,600 

GRT, authorized by their COI to proceed beyond 

the Boundary Line, or operating on the Great Lakes.

First-Class Pilot, or Master or Mate may serve as 

Pilot if they— 

1. Are at least 21 years old; 

2. Maintain current knowledge of the waters to be 

navigated; and 1

3. Have four roundtrips over the route.2

Master or Mate may serve as Pilot if they— 

1. Are at least 21 years old; and 

2. Maintain current knowledge of the waters to be 

navigated.1

Inspected self-propelled vessels greater than 1,600 

GRT, not authorized by their COI to proceed beyond the Boundary Line (inland route vessels); 

other than vessels operating on the Great Lakes.

First-Class Pilot ............................................................ Master or Mate may serve as Pilot if they— 

1. Are at least 21 years old; 

2. Have an annual physical exam; and 

3. Maintain current knowledge of the waters to be 

navigated.1

Inspected self-propelled vessels not more than 1,600 

GRT, not authorized by their COI to proceed beyond the Boundary Line (inland route vessels); 

other than vessels operating on the Great Lakes.

No pilotage requirement .............................................. No pilotage requirement. 

1One roundtrip within the past 60 months. 

2 If the route is to be traversed during darkness, one of the four roundtrips must be made during darkness. 

(2) Table 2 to § 15.812(e)(2) provides 

a guide to the pilotage requirements for 

tank barges. 

TABLE 2 TO § 15.812(e)(2)—QUICK REFERENCE TABLE FOR FEDERAL PILOTAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S.-INSPECTED

TANK BARGES, NOT SAILING ON REGISTER

Designated areas of pilotage 

waters (routes for which FirstClass Pilot’s Licenses or MMC 

officer endorsements are issued) 

Non-designated areas of 

pilotage waters (between 

the 3-mile line and the start 

of traditional pilotage routes) 

Tank Barges greater than 10,000 GRT/GT, authorized 

by their COI to proceed beyond the Boundary Line, 

or operating on the Great Lakes.

First-Class Pilot ............................................................ Master, Mate, or Master, Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels may serve as Pilot if they: 

1. Are at least 21 years old; 

2. Have an annual physical exam; 2

3. Maintain current knowledge of the waters to be 

navigated; 1 and 

4. Have at least 6 months’ service in the deck department on towing vessels engaged in towing operations. 

Tank Barges 10,000 GRT/GT or less, authorized by 

their COI to proceed beyond the Boundary Line, or 

operating on the Great Lakes.

First-Class Pilot, or Master, Mate, or Master, Mate 

(Pilot) of Towing Vessels may serve as Pilot if 

they: 

1. Are at least 21 years old; 

2. Have an annual physical exam; 2

3. Maintain current knowledge of the waters to be 

navigated; 1

4. Have at least 6 months’ service in the deck department on towing vessels engaged in towing operations; and 

5. Have 12 roundtrips over the route.3

Tank Barges authorized by their COI for inland routes 

only (lakes, bays, and sounds/rivers); other than 

vessels operating on the Great Lakes.

No pilotage requirement .............................................. No pilotage requirement. 

1One roundtrip within the past 60 months. 

2Annual physical exam does not apply to an individual who will serve as a Pilot of a tank barge of less than 1,600 GRT. 

3 If the route is to be traversed during darkness, three of the 12 roundtrips must be made during darkness. 

(f) In Prince William Sound, Alaska, 

coastwise seagoing vessels over 1,600 

GRT and propelled by machinery and 

subject to inspection under 46 U.S.C. 

Chapter 37 must— 

(1) When operating from 60°49′ north 

latitude to the Port of Valdez, be under 

the direction and control of an 

individual holding a valid License or 

MMC endorsed as Pilot who— 

(i) Is operating under the authority of 

a License or MMC; 

(ii) Holds a License issued by the 

State of Alaska; and 

(iii) Is not a crewmember of the 

vessel; and 

(2) Navigate with either two 

credentialed deck officers on the bridge 

or an individual holding a valid License 

or MMC endorsed as Pilot, when 

operating south of 60°49′ north latitude 

and in the approaches through 

Hinchinbrook Entrance and in the area 

bounded— 

(i) On the West by a line 1 mile west 

of the western boundary of the Traffic 

Separation Scheme 

(ii) On the East by 146°00′ West 

longitude; 

(iii) On the North by 60°49′ North 

latitude; and 

(iv) On the South by that area of 

Hinchinbrook Entrance within the 

territorial sea bounded by 60°07′ North 

latitude and 146°31.5′ West longitude 


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§ 15.815 Radar Observers. 

(a) Each person in the required 

complement of deck officers, including 

the Master, on inspected vessels of 300 

GRT or over which are radar equipped, 

must hold an endorsement as Radar 

Observer. 

(b) Each person who is employed or 

serves as Pilot in accordance with 

Federal law onboard radar-equipped 

vessels of 300 GRT or over must hold an 

endorsement as Radar Observer. 

(c) Each person having to hold a 

License or MMC officer endorsement 

under 46 U.S.C. 8904(a) for employment 

or service as Master or Mate onboard a 

towing vessel of 8 meters (26 feet) or 

more in length must, if the vessel is 

equipped with radar, hold an 

endorsement as Radar Observer. 

(d) Until July 22, 2024, a person may 

satisfy the requirements in paragraph 

(a), (b), or (c) by having immediately 

available a valid course completion 

certificate from an appropriate Coast 

Guard-approved or accepted radar 

course that was issued within the 

previous 5 years. 

§ 15.816 Automatic radar plotting aids 

(ARPA). 

Every person in the required 

complement of deck officers, including 

the Master, on seagoing vessels 

equipped with automatic radar plotting 

aids (ARPA), except those vessels listed 

in § 15.105(f) and (g), must hold an 

appropriate STCW endorsement valid 

for vessels equipped with ARPA. 

§ 15.817 Global Maritime Distress and 

Safety System (GMDSS) Radio Operator. 

Every person in the required 

complement of deck officers, including 

the Master, on seagoing vessels 

equipped with a GMDSS, except those 

vessels listed in § 15.105(f) and (g), must 

provide evidence of a valid STCW 

endorsement as GMDSS Radio Operator. 

§ 15.818 Global Maritime Distress and 

Safety System (GMDSS) At-sea Maintainer. 

Every person employed or engaged to 

maintain GMDSS equipment at sea, 

when the service of a person so 

designated is used to meet the 

maintenance requirements of SOLAS 

Regulation IV/15 (incorporated by 

reference, see § 15.103), must provide 

documentary evidence that they are 

competent to maintain GMDSS 

equipment at sea. 

§ 15.820 Chief Engineer. 

(a) There must be an individual 

holding an MMC or License endorsed as 

Chief Engineer or other credential 

authorizing service as Chief Engineer 

employed onboard the following 

mechanically propelled inspected 

vessels: 

(1) Seagoing or Great Lakes vessels of 

200 GRT and over; 

(2) Offshore supply vessels of more 

than 200 GRT; 

(3) Inland (other than Great Lakes) 

vessels of 300 GRT or more, if the OCMI 

determines that an individual with a 

license or the appropriate MMC officer 

endorsement responsible for the vessel’s 

mechanical propulsion is necessary. 

(b) On vessels subject to STCW, the 

individual meeting the requirement of 

this section must also hold an STCW 

endorsement as Chief Engineer with the 

appropriate propulsion power for the 

vessel upon which they are operating, 

except as noted in § 15.105(g) for vessels 

on domestic near-coastal voyages. 

(c) An individual engaged or 

employed to perform the duties of Chief 

Engineer on a mechanically propelled, 

uninspected, seagoing, documented 

vessel of 200 GRT or more must hold an 

appropriately endorsed License or MMC 

authorizing service as a Chief Engineer. 

§ 15.825 Engineers. 

(a) An individual in charge of an 

engineering watch on a mechanically 

propelled, seagoing, documented vessel 

of 200 GRT or more, other than an 

individual described in § 15.820, must 

hold an appropriately endorsed License 

or MMC authorizing service as an 

Assistant Engineer. 

(b) On vessels subject to STCW, the 

individual meeting the requirement of 

this section must also hold an STCW 

endorsement as Officer in Charge of an 

Engineering Watch with the appropriate 

propulsion power for the vessel upon 

which they are operating, except as 

noted in § 15.105(g) for vessels on 

domestic near-coastal voyages. 

(c) An offshore supply vessel of at 

least 6,000 GT ITC (500 GRT if GT ITC 

is not assigned) as defined in § 125.160 

of this chapter, for which the Coast 

Guard has accepted the use of 

automated systems to replace specific 

personnel pursuant to subpart 62.50 of 

this chapter, must carry at least one 

credentialed Assistant Engineer, in 

addition to the individual described in 

§ 15.820. 

(d) The OCMI determines the 

minimum number of credentialed 

engineers required for the safe operation 

of inspected vessels. 

§ 15.830 Radio Officers. 

Radio Officers are required on certain 

merchant vessels of the United States. 

The determination of when a Radio 

Officer is required is based on the 

Federal Communications Commission 

requirements as found in 47 CFR parts 

13 and 80. 

§ 15.835 Staff officers. 

Staff officers, when carried, must be 

registered as specified in part 11 of this 

subchapter. 

§ 15.840 Able Seafarers. 

(a) With certain exceptions, 46 U.S.C. 

8702 applies to all vessels of at least 100 

GRT. At least 65 percent of the deck 

crew of these vessels, excluding 

individuals serving as officers, must be 

Able Seafarers. For vessels permitted to 

maintain a two-watch system, the 

percentage of Able Seafarers may be 

reduced to 50 percent. 

(b) Able Seafarers are rated as: 

Unlimited, Limited, Special, OSV, Sail, 

and Fishing Industry, under the 

provisions of part 12 of this subchapter. 

46 U.S.C. 7312 specifies the categories 

of Able Seafarers (i.e., Unlimited, 

Limited, etc.) necessary to meet the 

requirements of 46 U.S.C. 8702. 

(c) On vessels subject to STCW, the 

individual meeting the requirement of 

this section must also hold an STCW 

endorsement as Rating Forming Part of 

a Navigational Watch (RFPNW) or Able 

Seafarer-Deck (according to § 15.404(a) 

and (b)), except as noted in § 15.105 (g) 

for vessels on domestic near-coastal 

voyages. 

(d) It is the responsibility of the 

Master or Person in Charge (PIC) to 

ensure that the Able Seafarers in the 

service of the vessel meet the 

requirements of 46 U.S.C. 7312 and 

8702. 

§ 15.845 Lifeboat Operators. 

(a) The number of Lifeboat Operators 

required for a vessel is specified in part 

199 of this chapter; however, on vessels 

not equipped with lifeboats, a Lifeboat 

Operator may be replaced by a Lifeboat 

Operator-Limited. 

(b) On vessels subject to STCW, the 

individual meeting the requirement of 

this section must also hold an STCW 

endorsement for Proficiency in Survival 

Craft, except as noted in § 15.105 (g) for 

vessels on domestic near-coastal 

voyages. 

§ 15.850 Lookouts. 

(a) The requirements for the 

maintenance of a proper lookout are 

specified in Rule 5 of the International 

Regulations for Preventing Collisions at 

Sea, 1972 (33 U.S.C. 1602(c)), and Rule 

5 of the Inland Navigational Rules Act 

of 1980 (33 CFR part 83). Lookout is a 

function to be performed by a member 

of a navigational watch. 

(b) On vessels subject to STCW, the 

individual meeting the requirement of 


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this section must also hold at least an 

STCW deck endorsement as Rating 

Forming Part of a Navigational Watch 

(RFPNW), except as noted in § 15.105(g) 

for vessels on domestic near-coastal 

voyages. 

§ 15.855 Cabin watchmen and fire 

patrolmen. 

(a) On vessels carrying passengers at 

night, the Master or Person in Charge 

must ensure that a suitable number of 

watchmen are in the vicinity of the 

cabins or staterooms and on each deck, 

to guard against and give alarm in case 

of fire or other danger. 

(b) On a fish processing vessel of more 

than 100 GRT, there must be a suitable 

number of watchmen trained in 

firefighting onboard when hot work is 

being done, to guard against and give 

alarm in case of a fire. 

(c) For the watchmen described in 

paragraph (a) of this section, the owner 

or operator of an uninspected passenger 

vessel not more than 300 GRT may 

substitute the use of fire detectors, heat 

detectors, smoke detectors, and highwater alarms with audible- and visualwarning indicators, in addition to other 

required safety alarms, only when each 

of the following conditions are met: 

(1) Fire detectors are located in each 

space containing machinery or fuel 

tanks per § 181.400(c) of this chapter. 

(2) All grills, broilers, and deep-fat 

fryers are fitted with a grease extraction 

hood per § 181.425 of this chapter. 

(3) Heat and/or smoke detectors are 

located in each galley, public 

accommodation space, enclosed 

passageway, berthing space, and all 

crew spaces. 

(4) High-water alarms are located in 

each space with a through hull fitting 

below the deepest load waterline, a 

machinery space bilge, bilge well, shaft 

alley bilge, or other space subject to 

flooding from sea water piping within 

the space, and a space below the 

waterline with non-watertight closure 

such as a space with a non-watertight 

hatch on the main deck. 

(5) Each alarm has an audible- and 

visual-alarm indicator located at the 

normal operating station and, if the 

normal operating position is not 

continually manned and not navigating 

underway, in an alternate location that 

must provide the crew, and may at all 

times provide the passengers, 

immediate warning of a hazardous 

condition. 

(6) The vessel is underway for no 

more than 12 hours in any 24-hour 

period, and the Master of the vessel has 

chosen to operate with less than a threewatch system in accordance with 

§ 15.705. 

§ 15.860 Tank vessel endorsements. 

(a) The OCMI enters on the COI 

issued to each manned tank vessel 

subject to the regulations in this chapter 

the number of crewmembers required to 

hold valid MMCs with the proper tank 

vessel endorsement. Table 1 to 

§ 15.860(a) of this section provides the 

minimum requirements for manned 

tank vessels. Table 2 to § 15.860(a) of 

this section provides the tank vessel 

endorsements required for personnel 

aboard tankships. 

TABLE 1 TO § 15.860(a)—MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR MANNED TANK VESSELS

Tank vessels Tank vesselPIC 

Tank Vesselassistant Tank Vesselengineer 

Tank VesselPIC or tank 

barge-PIC 

Tankship Certified for Voyages Beyond Boundary Line: 

Over 5,000 GRT ....................................................................................... 2 3 2 

5,000 GRT or less .................................................................................... 2 ........................ 1 2 

Tankship Not Certified for Voyages Beyond Boundary Line ........................... 2 2 

Tank Barge ........................................................................................ ........................ ........................ ........................ 2 2 

1 If only one engineer is required, then only one Tank Vessel-Engineer is required. 

2 If the total crew complement is one or two persons, then only one Tank Vessel-PIC is required. 

3 If the total crew complement is one or two persons, then only one Tank Vessel-PIC or Tank Barge-PIC is required. 

TABLE 2 TO § 15.860(a)—TANK VESSEL ENDORSEMENTS REQUIRED FOR PERSONNEL ABOARD TANKSHIPS

[Endorsement for the classification of the bulk liquid cargo or residues carried] 

Tankship certified for voyages beyond boundary line Tank vesselPIC 

Tank vesselengineer Tank vesselassistant 

Master .............................................................................................................................. X 

Chief Mate ....................................................................................................................... X 

Chief Engineer ................................................................................................................. X or X 

First Assistant Engineer ................................................................................................... X or X 

Cargo Engineer ................................................................................................................ X or X 

Credentialed officer Acting as PIC of Transfer of Liquid Cargo in Bulk ......................... X 

Credentialed Officer or Crewmember Not Directly Supervised by PIC .......................... ........................ ........ ........................ X 

(b) For each tankship of more than 

5,000 GRT certified for voyages beyond 

the boundary line as described in part 

7 of this chapter— 

(1) At least two Tank Vessel-PICs or 

Restricted Tank Vessel-PICs must be 

carried; 

(2) At least three Tank VesselAssistants must be carried; and 

(3) At least two Tank Vessel-Engineers 

must be carried. 

(c) For each tankship of 5,000 GRT or 

less certified for voyages beyond the 

boundary line, as described in part 7 of 

this chapter 

(1) At least two Tank Vessel-PICs or 

Restricted Tank Vessel-PICs must be 

carried; and 

(2) At least two Tank Vessel-Engineers 

must be carried, unless only one 

engineer is required, in which case at 

least one Tank Vessel-Engineer must be 

carried. 

(d) For each tankship not certified for 

voyages beyond the boundary line, as 

described in part 7 of this chapter, if the 

total crew complement is— 

(1) One or two, at least one Tank 

Vessel-PIC or Restricted Tank VesselPIC must be carried; or 


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(2) More than two, at least two Tank 

Vessel-PICs or Restricted Tank VesselPICs must be carried. 

(e) For each Tank Barge-PIC manned 

under § 31.15–5 of this chapter, if the 

total crew complement is— 

(1) One or two, at least one Tank 

Vessel-PIC, restricted Tank Vessel-PIC, 

Tank Barge-PIC, or Restricted Tank 

Barge-PIC must be carried; or 

(2) More than two, at least two Tank 

Vessel-PICs, Restricted Tank VesselPICs, Tank Barge-PICs, or Restricted 

Tank Barge-PICs must be carried. 

(f) The following personnel aboard 

each tankship certified for voyages 

beyond the boundary line, as described 

in part 7 of this chapter, must hold valid 

MMCs, endorsed as follows: 

(1) The Master and Chief Mate must 

each hold a Tank Vessel-PIC or 

Restricted Tank Vessel-PIC 

endorsement. 

(2) The Chief, First Assistant, and 

cargo engineers must each hold a Tank 

Vessel-Engineer or Tank Vessel-PIC 

endorsement. 

(3) Each credentialed officer acting as 

the PIC of a transfer of liquid cargo in 

bulk must hold a Tank Vessel-PIC or 

Restricted Tank Vessel-PIC 

endorsement. 

(4) Each officer or crewmember who 

is assigned by the PIC duties and 

responsibilities related to the cargo or 

cargo-handling equipment during a 

transfer of liquid cargo in bulk, but is 

not directly supervised by the PIC, must 

hold a Tank Vessel-Assistant 

endorsement. 

(g) The endorsements required by this 

section must be for the classification of 

the liquid cargo in bulk or of the cargo 

residue being carried. 

(h) All individuals serving on 

tankships certified for voyages beyond 

the boundary line, as described in part 

7 of this chapter, must hold an 

appropriate STCW endorsement, as 

follows: 

(1) For Tank Vessel-PIC, an STCW 

endorsement as Advanced Oil Tanker 

Cargo Operations, Advanced Chemical 

Tanker Cargo Operations, or Advanced 

Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations, 

as appropriate. 

(2) For Tank Vessel-Assistant, an 

STCW endorsement as Basic Oil and 

Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations, or 

Basic Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo 

Operations, as appropriate. 

(3) For a Tank Barge-PIC, an STCW 

endorsement as Advanced Oil Tanker 

Cargo Operations, Advanced Chemical 

Tanker Cargo Operations, or Advanced 

Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations, 

as appropriate, including endorsements 

with a limitation for non-self-propelled 

vessels. 

(4) For a Tank Vessel-Engineer, an 

STCW endorsement as Advanced Oil 

Tanker Cargo Operations, or Advanced 

Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations, as 

appropriate, including endorsements 

with a limitation to maintenance and 

repair of cargo equipment. 

§ 15.865 Qualified Member of the Engine 

Department. 

(a) Every person serving under the 

authority of a rating endorsement as 

Qualified Member of the Engine 

Department (QMED) on any United 

States vessel requiring QMED must hold 

an endorsement as QMED. 

(b) On vessels subject to STCW, 

certain seafarers meeting the 

requirement of this section must also 

hold either an STCW endorsement as 

Able Seafarer-Engine or Rating Forming 

Part of an Engineering Watch (RFPEW) 

or designated to perform duties in a 

periodically unmanned engineroom 

(according to § 15.404(c) and (d)), except 

as noted in § 15.105(g) for vessels on 

domestic near-coastal voyages. 

Subpart I—Equivalents 

§ 15.901 Inspected vessels of less than 

100 GRT. 

(a) An individual holding a License or 

MMC endorsed as Mate or Pilot of 

inspected, self-propelled vessels of 200 

GRT or more is authorized to serve as 

Master on inspected vessels of less than 

100 GRT within any restrictions on the 

individual’s License or MMC, without 

further endorsement. 

(b) An individual holding a License or 

MMC endorsed as Master or Mate of 

inspected self-propelled vessels is 

authorized to serve as Master or Mate, 

respectively, of non-self-propelled 

vessels other than sail vessels, within 

any restrictions on the individual’s 

License or MMC, without further 

endorsement. 

(c) An individual holding a License or 

MMC endorsed as Master or Mate of 

inspected sail vessels is authorized to 

serve as Master or Mate, respectively, of 

other non-self-propelled vessels, within 

any restrictions on the individual’s 

License or MMC, without further 

endorsement. 

(d) An individual holding a License or 

MMC endorsed as Master or Mate of 

inspected auxiliary sail vessels, is 

authorized to serve as Master or Mate, 

respectively, of self-propelled and nonself-propelled vessels, within any 

restrictions on the individual’s License 

or MMC, without further endorsement. 

§ 15.905 Uninspected passenger vessels. 

(a) An individual holding a License or 

MMC endorsed as Master or Pilot of an 

inspected self-propelled vessel is 

authorized to serve as operator of an 

uninspected passenger vessel of less 

than 100 GRT within any restrictions, 

other than tonnage limitations, on the 

individual’s License or MMC. 

(b) An individual holding a License or 

MMC endorsed as a Master or Pilot of 

an inspected self-propelled vessel is 

authorized to serve as Master, as 

required by 46 CFR 15.805(a)(6), of an 

uninspected passenger vessel of 100 

GRT or more within any restrictions, 

including gross tonnage and route, on 

the individual’s License or MMC. 

(c) An individual holding a License or 

MMC endorsed as Mate of an inspected 

self-propelled vessel (other than Great 

Lakes, inland, or river vessels of less 

than 200 GRT) is authorized to serve as 

Operator of Uninspected Passenger 

Vessels (OUPV) of less than 100 GRT 

within any restrictions, other than 

tonnage limitations, on the individual’s 

License or MMC. 

§ 15.910 Towing vessels. 

No person may serve as a Master or 

Mate (Pilot) of any towing vessel 

without meeting the requirements of 

§ 15.805(a)(5) or 15.810(d). 

§ 15.915 Engineer officer endorsements. 

The following Licenses and MMC 

officer endorsements authorize the 

holder to serve as noted, within any 

restrictions on the License or MMC, and 

as provided by § 15.401: 

(a) A Designated Duty Engineer (DDE) 

License or endorsement authorizes 

service as Chief or Assistant Engineer on 

vessels of less than 500 GT in the 

following manners: 

(1) A DDE limited to vessels of less 

than 1,000 horsepower or less than 

4,000 horsepower may serve only on 

near-coastal, Great Lakes, or inland 

waters. 

(2) A DDE with no horsepower 

limitations may serve on any waters. 

(3) When serving on a vessel to which 

STCW applies, the appropriate STCW 

endorsement must also be held. 

(b) A Chief Engineer-Limited License 

or endorsement authorizes service as 

Chief or Assistant Engineer on vessels of 

any gross tons on inland waters and of 

less than 1,600 GRT on ocean, nearcoastal, or Great Lakes waters. 

(c) An Assistant Engineer-Limited 

License or endorsement authorizes 

service on vessels of any gross tons on 

inland waters and of less than 1,600 

GRT on ocean, near-coastal, or Great 

Lakes waters. 

Subpart J—Vessels in Foreign Trade 

§ 15.1001 General. 

Self-propelled vessels engaged in 

foreign commerce are required to use a 


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Pilot holding a valid MMC or License 

with appropriate endorsement as a FirstClass Pilot when operating in the 

navigable waters of the United States 

specified in this subpart. 

§ 15.1010 California. 

The following offshore marine oil 

terminals located within U.S. navigable 

waters of the State of California: 

(a) Carlsbad, CA. The waters 

including the San Diego Gas and 

Electric, Encina Power Plant, lying 

within an area bounded by a line 

beginning at latitude 33°10′06′′ N, 

longitude 117°21′42′′ W, thence 

southwesterly to latitude 33°08′54′′ N, 

longitude 117°24′36′′ W, thence 

southwesterly to latitude 33°04′30′′ N, 

longitude 117°21′42′′ W, thence 

northeasterly to latitude 33°05′36′′ N, 

longitude 117°18′54′′ W, thence 

northwesterly along the shoreline to 

latitude 33°10′06′′ N, longitude 

117°21′42′′ W. 

(b) Huntington Beach, CA. The waters 

including the Golden West Refining 

Company, Huntington Beach Marine 

Terminal, lying within an area bounded 

by a line beginning at latitude 33°39′06′′ 

N, longitude 118°00′0′′ W, thence 

westerly to latitude 33°39′18′′ N, 

longitude 118°05′12′′ W, thence 

southeasterly along a line drawn three 

nautical miles from the baseline to 

latitude 33°35′30′′ N, longitude 

118°00′00′′ W, thence easterly to latitude 

33°35′30′′ N, longitude 117°52′30′′ W, 

thence northwesterly along the 

shoreline to latitude 33°39′06′′ N, 

longitude 118°00′00′′ W. 

(c) El Segundo, CA. The waters 

including the Chevron USA, El Segundo 

Marine Terminal, lying within an area 

bounded by a line beginning at latitude 

33°56′18′′ N, longitude 118°26′18′′ W, 

thence westerly to latitude 33°56′18′′ N, 

longitude 118°30′48′′ W, thence 

southeasterly along a line drawn three 

nautical miles from the baseline to 

latitude 33°51′48′′ N, longitude 

118°27′54′′ W, thence easterly to latitude 

33°51′48′′ N, longitude 118°24′00′′ W, 

thence northwesterly along the 

shoreline to latitude 33°56′18′′ N, 

longitude 118°26′18′′ W. 

(d) Oxnard, CA. The waters including 

the Southern California Edison 

Company, Mandalay Generating Station, 

lying within an area bounded by a line 

beginning at latitude 34°14′12′′ N, 

longitude 119°16′00′′ W, thence westerly 

to latitude 34°14′12′′ N, longitude 

119°19′36′′ W, thence southeasterly 

along a line drawn three nautical miles 

from the baseline to latitude 34°09′24′′ 

N, longitude 119°17′20′′ W, thence 

easterly to latitude 34°09′24′′ N, 

longitude 119°13′24′′ W, thence 

northwesterly along the shoreline to 

latitude 34°14′24′′ N, longitude 

119°16′00′′ W. 

(e) Goleta, CA. The waters including 

the ARCO, Ellwood Marine Terminal, 

lying within an area bounded by a line 

beginning at latitude 34°26′12′′ N, 

longitude 119°57′00′′ W, thence 

southerly to latitude 34°22′48′′ N, 

longitude 119°57′00′′ W, thence 

southeasterly along a line drawn three 

nautical miles from the baseline to 

latitude 34°21′06′′ N, longitude 

119°50′30.5′′ W, thence northerly to 

latitude 34°24′18′′ N, longitude 

119°50′30′′ W, thence northwesterly 

along the shoreline to latitude 34°26′12′′ 

N, longitude 119°57′00′′ W. 

(f) Gaviota, CA. The waters including 

the Texaco Trading and Transportation, 

Gaviota Marine Terminal, lying within 

an area bounded by a line beginning at 

latitude 34°28′06′′ N, longitude 

120°16′00′′ W, thence southerly to 

latitude 34°25′06′′ N, longitude 

120°16′00′′ W, thence easterly along a 

line drawn three nautical miles from the 

baseline to latitude 34°25′24′′ N, 

longitude 120°08′30′′ W, thence 

northerly to latitude 34°28′24′′ N, 

longitude 120°08′30′′ W, thence westerly 

along the shoreline to latitude 34°28′06′′ 

N, longitude 120°16′00′′ W. 

(g) Moss Landing, CA. The waters 

including the Pacific Gas and Electric 

Company Power Plant, lying within an 

area bounded by a line beginning at 

latitude 36°49′00′′ N, longitude 

121°47′42′′ W, thence westerly to 

latitude 36°49′00′′ N, longitude 

121°51′00′′ W, thence southerly to 

latitude 36°47′00′′ N, longitude 

121°51′00′′ W thence easterly to latitude 

36°47′00′′ N, longitude 121°47′54′′ W, 

thence northerly along the shoreline to 

latitude 36°49′00′′ N, longitude 

121°47′42′′ W. 

(h) Estero Bay, CA. The waters 

including various moorings, including 

the Pacific Gas and Electric Company 

mooring and the two Chevron Oil 

Company Terminals lying within an 

area bounded by a line beginning at 

latitude 36°25′00′′ N, longitude 

120°52′30′′ W, thence westerly to 

latitude 36°25′00′′ N, longitude 

120°56′00′′ W, thence southerly to 

latitude 36°22′00′′ N, longitude 

120°56′00′′ W, thence easterly to latitude 

36°22′00′′ N, longitude 120°52′12′′ W, 

thence northerly along the shoreline to 

latitude 36°25′00′′ N, longitude 

120°52′30′′ W. 

(i) San Luis Obispo Bay, CA. The 

waters including the Unocal 

Corporation Avila Terminal and the 

approaches thereto, lying in an area 

bounded by a line beginning at latitude 

35°09′42′′ N, longitude 120°46′00′′ W, 

thence southerly to latitude 35°07′00′′ N, 

longitude 120°46′00′′ W, thence easterly 

to latitude 35°07′00′′ N, longitude 

120°43′00′′ W, thence northerly to 

latitude 35°10′24′′ N, longitude 

120°43′00′′ W, thence westerly along the 

shoreline to latitude 35°09′42′′ N, 

longitude 120°46′00′′ W. 

§ 15.1020 Hawaii. 

The following offshore marine oil 

terminals located within U.S. navigable 

waters of the State of Hawaii: Barbers 

Point, Island of Oahu. The waters 

including the Hawaiian Independent 

Refinery, Inc. and the Chevron moorings 

lying within an area bounded by a line 

bearing 180 degrees true from Barbers 

Point Light to latitude 21°14.8′N, 

longitude 158°06.4′W, thence easterly to 

latitude 21°14.8′N, longitude 

158°03.3′W, thence northeasterly to 

latitude 21°15.6′N, longitude 

158°01.1′W, thence northwesterly to 

latitude 21°18.5′N, longitude 

158°02.0′W, thence westerly along the 

shoreline to latitude 21°17.8′N, 

longitude 158°06.4′W. 

§ 15.1030 New York and New Jersey. 

The following U.S. navigable waters 

located within the States of New York 

and New Jersey when the vessel is 

making an intra-port transit, to include, 

but not limited to, a movement from a 

dock to a dock, from a dock to an 

anchorage, from an anchorage to a dock, 

or from an anchorage to an anchorage, 

within the following listed operating 

areas: 

(a) East River from Execution Rocks to 

New York Harbor, Upper Bay; 

(b) Hudson River from Yonkers, New 

York to New York Harbor, Upper Bay; 

(c) Raritan River from Grossman 

Dock/Arsenal to New York Harbor, 

Lower Bay; 

(d) Arthur Kill Channel; 

(e) Kill Van Kull Channel; 

(f) Newark Bay; 

(g) Passaic River from Point No Point 

to Newark Bay; 

(h) Hackensack River from the turning 

basin to Newark Bay; and 

(i) New York Harbor, Upper and 

Lower Bay. 

NOTE TO § 15.1030: ‘‘Intra-port transit’’ 

as used in this section includes the 

movement of a foreign-trade vessel 

inbound from sea from the point where 

a State-licensed Pilot ceases providing 

pilotage to another point within the 

identified areas (i.e., a dock or 

anchorage). Likewise, intra-port transit 

also includes the movement of a foreigntrade vessel outbound to sea from a 

point within the identified areas (i.e., a 

dock or anchorage) to the point where 

a State-licensed Pilot begins providing 

pilotage. 


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§ 15.1040 Massachusetts. 

The following U.S. navigable waters 

located within the State of 

Massachusetts when the vessel is in 

transit, but not bound to or departing 

from a port within the following listed 

operating areas: 

(a) Cape Cod Bay south of latitude 

41°48′54′′ N; 

(b) The Cape Cod Canal; and 

(c) Buzzards Bay east of a line 

extending from the southernmost point 

of Wilbur Point (latitude 41°34′55′′ N 

longitude 70°51′15′′ W) to the 

easternmost point of Pasque Island 

(latitude 41°26′55′′ N longitude 

70°50′30′′ W). 

§ 15.1050 North Carolina. 

(a) The following navigable waters of 

the United States within the State of 

North Carolina when the vessel is 

maneuvering while berthing or 

unberthing, is approaching or passing 

through a bridge, or is making any intraport transit, which transit may include 

but is not limited to movement from a 

dock to a dock, from a dock to an 

anchorage, from an anchorage to a dock, 

or from an anchorage to an anchorage, 

within either of the following areas: 

(1) The waters of the Cape Fear River 

from the boundary line established by 

46 CFR 7.60 to Latitude 34°16.5′ N. 

(2) The waters of the Northeast Cape 

Fear River from its confluence with the 

Cape Fear River at Point Peter to 

Latitude 34°17′ N. 

(b) This subpart does not apply to any 

vessel on the waters specified in 

paragraph (a) of this section if the laws 

of the State of North Carolina require a 

State-licensed Pilot on the vessel. 

Subpart K—Vessels Subject to 

Requirements of STCW 

§ 15.1101 General. 

(a) Except as noted in paragraphs 

(a)(1) and (2) of this section, the 

regulations in this subpart apply to 

seagoing vessels as defined in § 10.107 

of this subchapter. 

(1) The following vessels are exempt 

from application of the STCW 

Convention: 

(i) Fishing vessels as defined in 46 

U.S.C. 2101(11)(a). 

(ii) Fishing vessels used as fish-tender 

vessels as defined in 46 U.S.C. 

2101(11)(c). 

(iii) Barges as defined in 46 U.S.C. 

102, including non-self-propelled 

MODUs. 

(iv) Vessels operating exclusively on 

the Great Lakes or on the inland waters 

of the U.S., in the Straits of Juan de 

Fuca, or on the Inside Passage between 

Puget Sound and Cape Spencer. 

(v) Pilot vessels engaged on pilotage 

duty. 

(2) The following small vessels 

engaged exclusively on domestic, nearcoastal voyages are not subject to any 

obligation for the purposes of the STCW 

Convention: 

(i) Small passenger vessels subject to 

subchapter T or K of this chapter. 

(ii) Vessels of less than 200 GRT 

(other than passenger vessels subject to 

subchapter H of this chapter). 

(iii) Uninspected passenger vessels as 

defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(42)(B). 

(b) Masters, Mates, and engineers 

serving on vessels identified in 

paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (ii) of this 

section may be issued, without 

additional proof of qualification, an 

appropriate STCW endorsement when 

the Coast Guard determines that such a 

document is necessary to enable the 

vessel to engage on a single 

international voyage of a non-routine 

nature. The STCW endorsement will be 

expressly limited to service on the 

vessel or the class of vessels and will 

not establish qualification for any other 

purpose. 

§ 15.1103 Employment and service within 

the restrictions of an STCW endorsement or 

of a certificate of training. 

(a) Onboard a seagoing vessel of 500 

GT or more, driven by main propulsion 

machinery of 1,000 HP/750 kW 

propulsion power or more or on an 

international voyage beyond the 

boundary line as described in part 7 of 

this chapter, no person may employ or 

engage any person to serve, and no 

person may serve, in a position 

requiring a person to hold an STCW 

endorsement, including Master, Chief 

Mate, Chief Engineer Officer, Second 

Engineer Officer, Officer of the 

Navigational or Engineering Watch, or 

GMDSS Radio Operator, unless the 

person serving holds an appropriate, 

valid STCW endorsement issued in 

accordance with part 11 of this 

subchapter. 

(b) Onboard a seagoing vessel of 500 

GT or more, no person may employ or 

engage any person to serve, and no 

person may serve, as an RFPNW, except 

for training, unless the person serving 

holds an appropriate, valid STCW 

endorsement issued in accordance with 

part 12 of this subchapter. 

(c) As of January 1, 2017, onboard a 

seagoing vessel of 500 GT or more, no 

person may employ or engage any 

person to serve, and no person may 

serve, as an Able Seafarer-Deck, except 

for training, unless the person serving 

holds an appropriate, valid STCW 

endorsement issued in accordance with 

part 12 of this subchapter. 

(d) Onboard a seagoing vessel driven 

by main propulsion machinery of 1,000 

HP/750 kW propulsion power or more, 

no person may employ or engage any 

person to serve, and no person may 

serve as an RFPEW, nor may any person 

be designated to perform duties in a 

periodically unmanned engineroom, 

except for training or for the 

performance of duties of an unskilled 

nature, unless the person serving holds 

an appropriate, valid STCW 

endorsement issued in accordance with 

part 12 of this subchapter. 

(e) As of January 1, 2017, onboard a 

seagoing vessel driven by main 

propulsion machinery of 1,000 HP/750 

kW propulsion power or more, no 

person may employ or engage any 

person to serve, and no person may 

serve as an Able Seafarer-Engine, except 

for training, unless the person serving 

holds an appropriate valid STCW 

endorsement issued in accordance with 

part 12 of this subchapter. 

(f) Onboard a passenger ship, as 

defined by the Convention for the Safety 

of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended 

(SOLAS) (incorporated by reference, see 

§ 15.103), on an international voyage, 

any person serving as Master, Chief 

Mate, Mate, Chief Engineer, engineer 

officer, or any person holding an MMC 

and performing duties relating to safety, 

cargo handling, or care for passengers, 

must meet the appropriate requirements 

of Regulation V/2 of the STCW 

Convention (incorporated by reference, 

see § 15.103). These individuals must 

hold documentary evidence to show 

they meet these requirements. 

(g) Onboard a seagoing vessel required 

to comply with provisions of the 

GMDSS in Chapter IV of SOLAS, no 

person may employ or engage any 

person to serve, and no person may 

serve, as the person designated to 

maintain GMDSS equipment at sea, 

when the service of a person so 

designated is used to meet the 

maintenance requirements of SOLAS 

Regulation IV/15, which allows for 

capability of at-sea electronic 

maintenance to ensure that radio 

equipment is available for radio 

communication, unless the person so 

serving holds documentary evidence 

that they are competent to maintain 

GMDSS equipment at sea. 

(h) Medical certificate. (1) A person 

may not employ or engage an individual 

unless that individual maintains a 

current medical certificate. 

(2) After January 1, 2017, all persons 

employed or engaged onboard vessels to 

which STCW applies must hold a 

medical certificate valid for 2 years 

unless the mariner is under the age of 


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18, in which case the maximum period 

of validity will be 1 year. 

(3) If a mariner’s medical certificate 

expires during a voyage, it will remain 

valid until the next United States port 

of call, provided that the period after 

expiration does not exceed 90 days. 

§ 15.1105 Familiarization and Basic 

Training (BT). 

(a) Onboard a seagoing vessel to 

which this subpart applies, no person 

may assign any person to perform 

shipboard duties, and no person may 

perform those duties, unless the person 

performing them has received— 

(1) Training in personal survival 

techniques as set out in the standard of 

competence under Regulation VI/1 of 

the STCW Convention (incorporated by 

reference, see § 15.103); or 

(2) Sufficient familiarization training 

or instruction that they— 

(i) Can communicate with other 

persons onboard about elementary 

safety matters and understand 

informational symbols, signs, and alarm 

signals concerning safety; 

(ii) Know what to do if a person falls 

overboard; if fire or smoke is detected; 

or if the fire alarm or abandon-ship 

alarm sounds; 

(iii) Can identify stations for muster 

and embarkation, and emergency-escape 

routes; 

(iv) Can locate and don life jackets; 

(v) Can raise the alarm and knows the 

use of portable fire extinguishers; 

(vi) Can take immediate action upon 

encountering an accident or other 

medical emergency before seeking 

further medical assistance onboard; and 

(vii) Can close and open the fire 

doors, weather-tight doors, and 

watertight doors fitted in the vessel 

other than those for hull openings. 

(b) Onboard a seagoing vessel to 

which this subpart applies, no person 

may assign a shipboard duty or 

responsibility to any person who is 

serving in a position that must be filled 

as part of the required crew 

complement, and no person may 

perform any such duty or responsibility, 

unless they are familiar with it and with 

all of the vessel’s arrangements, 

installations, equipment, procedures, 

and characteristics relevant to their 

routine and emergency duties or 

responsibilities, in accordance with 

Regulation I/14 of the STCW 

Convention. 

(c) Onboard a seagoing vessel to 

which this subpart applies, no person 

may assign a shipboard duty or 

responsibility to any person who is 

serving in a position that must be filled 

as part of the required crew complement 

or who is assigned a responsibility on 

the muster list, and no person may 

perform any such duty or responsibility, 

unless the person performing it can 

produce evidence of having— 

(1) Received appropriate approved 

Basic Training or instruction as set out 

in the standards of competence under 

Regulation VI/1 of the STCW 

Convention, with respect to personal 

survival techniques, fire prevention and 

fire-fighting, elementary first aid, and 

personal safety and social 

responsibilities; and 

(2) Maintained the standard of 

competence under Regulation VI/1 of 

the STCW Convention, with respect to 

personal survival techniques, fire 

prevention and fire-fighting, elementary 

first aid, and personal safety and social 

responsibilities, every 5 years. 

(d) Fish-processing vessels in 

compliance with the provisions of part 

28 of this chapter on instructions, drills, 

and safety orientation are deemed to be 

in compliance with the requirements of 

this section on familiarization and Basic 

Training. 

§ 15.1107 Maintenance of merchant 

mariners’ records by owner or operator. 

For every credentialed mariner 

employed on a U.S.-documented 

seagoing vessel, the owner or operator 

must ensure that the following 

information is maintained and readily 

accessible to those in management 

positions, including the Master of the 

vessel, who are responsible for the 

safety of the vessel, compliance with 

laws and regulations, and for the 

prevention of marine pollution: 

(a) Experience and training relevant to 

assigned shipboard duties (i.e., record of 

training completed, ship-specific 

familiarization and of relevant on-thejob experience acquired). 

(b) Copies of the mariner’s current 

credentials. 

§ 15.1109 Watches. 

Except those serving on vessels listed 

in § 15.105(f) and (g), each Master of a 

vessel that operates beyond the 

boundary line, as described in part 7 of 

this chapter, must ensure observance of 

the principles concerning watchkeeping 

set out in Regulation VIII/2 of the STCW 

Convention and section A–VIII/2 of the 

STCW Code (both incorporated by 

reference, see § 15.103). 

§ 15.1111 Work hours and rest periods. 

(a) Every person assigned duty as 

Officer in Charge of a Navigational or 

Engineering Watch, or duty as Ratings 

Forming Part of a Navigational or 

Engineering Watch, or designated safety, 

prevention of pollution, and security 

duties onboard any vessel that operates 

beyond the boundary line, as described 

in part 7 of this chapter, must receive— 

(1) A minimum of 10 hours of rest in 

any 24-hour period; and 

(2) 77 hours of rest in any 7-day 

period. 

(b) The hours of rest required under 

paragraph (a) of this section may be 

divided into no more than two periods 

in any 24-hour period, one of which 

must be at least 6 hours in length, and 

the interval between consecutive 

periods of rest must not exceed 14 

hours. 

(c) The requirements of paragraphs (a) 

and (b) of this section need not be 

maintained in the case of an emergency 

or drill or in other overriding 

operational conditions. 

(d) The minimum period of rest 

required under paragraph (a) of this 

section may not be devoted to 

watchkeeping or other duties. 

(e) Watchkeeping personnel remain 

subject to the work-hour limits in 46 

U.S.C. 8104 and to the conditions under 

which crewmembers may be required to 

work. 

(f) The Master must post watch 

schedules where they are easily 

accessible. They must cover each 

affected person under paragraph (a) of 

this section, and must take into account 

the rest requirements of this section as 

well as port rotations and changes in the 

vessel’s itinerary. 

(g) Records of daily hours of rest must 

be maintained onboard the vessel. Each 

affected person under paragraph (a) of 

this section must receive a copy of the 

records pertaining to them, which will 

be endorsed by the Master or by a 

person authorized by the Master and by 

the seafarer. 

(h) For every seafarer on call, such as 

when a machinery space is unattended, 

the seafarer must have an adequate 

compensatory rest period if the normal 

period of rest is disturbed by call-outs 

to work. 

(i) The Master of the vessel may 

suspend the schedule of hours of rest 

and require a seafarer to perform any 

hours of work necessary for the 

immediate safety of the ship, persons 

onboard, or cargo, or for the purpose of 

giving assistance to other ships or 

persons in distress at sea. As soon as 

practicable after the situation has been 

restored, the Master must ensure that 

any seafarer who has performed work in 

a scheduled rest period is provided with 

an adequate period of rest. 

(j) In exceptional circumstances, the 

Master may authorize exceptions from 

the hours of rest required under 

paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section 

provided that: 


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(1) The hours of rest provided for in 

paragraph (a)(1) of this section may be 

divided into no more than three periods, 

one of which must be at least 6 hours 

in length, and neither of the other two 

periods are permitted to be less than one 

hour in length. 

(i) Exceptions to paragraph (a)(1) of 

this section must not extend beyond two 

24-hour periods in any 7-day period; 

and, 

(ii) The intervals between consecutive 

periods of rest must not exceed 14 

hours. 

(2) Exceptions to paragraphs (a)(2) 

and (b) of this section must not be less 

than 70 hours of rest in any 7-day 

period. 

(3) Exceptions to paragraph (a)(2) of 

this section are not allowed for more 

than two consecutive weeks, and the 

intervals between two periods of 

exceptions to paragraph (a)(2) must not 

be less than twice the duration of the 

longer exception. 

§ 15.1113 Security personnel. 

(a) Onboard a seagoing vessel of 500 

GT or more to which the International 

Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) 

Code applies, all persons performing 

duties as Vessel Security Officer (VSO) 

must hold a valid endorsement as VSO. 

(b) Persons who hold an endorsement 

as VSO will be deemed to satisfy the 

requirements for vessel personnel with 

designated security duties in paragraph 

(c) of this section. 

(c) After March 24, 2014, onboard a 

seagoing vessel of 500 GT or more to 

which the ISPS Code applies, all 

personnel with designated security 

duties must hold a valid endorsement as 

vessel personnel with designated 

security duties, or a certificate of course 

completion or documentary evidence of 

onboard training from an appropriate 

Coast Guard-accepted or Coast Guardapproved course meeting the 

requirements of 33 CFR 104.220. 

(d) Persons who hold an endorsement 

as vessel personnel with designated 

security duties, or a certificate of course 

completion or documentary evidence of 

onboard training from an appropriate 

Coast Guard-accepted or Coast Guardapproved course for vessel personnel 

with designated security duties, will be 

deemed to satisfy the requirements for 

all other vessel personnel in paragraph 

(e) of this section. 

(e) After March 24, 2014, onboard a 

seagoing vessel of 500 GT or more to 

which the ISPS Code applies, all other 

vessel personnel must hold a valid 

endorsement in security awareness, or a 

certificate of course completion from an 

appropriate Coast Guard-accepted or 

Coast Guard-approved course, or 

documentary evidence of onboard 

training meeting the requirements of 33 

CFR 104.225. 

(f) After March 24, 2014, onboard a 

seagoing vessel of 500 GT or more to 

which the ISPS Code applies, all 

contractors, whether part-time, fulltime, temporary, or permanent, must 

have knowledge of the requirements in 

33 CFR 104.225, through training or 

equivalent job experience. Vessel 

owners and operators must maintain 

records documenting this requirement 

and produce those records to the Coast 

Guard upon request. 

PART 16—CHEMICAL TESTING 

■ 174. The authority citation for part 16 

is revised to read as follows: 

Authority: 46 U.S.C. 2103, 3306, 7101, 

7301, and 7701; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, 

Revision No. 01.4. 

■ 175. Amend § 16.105 by revising the 

definitions for the terms ‘‘Credential’’ 

and ‘‘Marine employer’’ to read as 

follows: 

§ 16.105 Definitions of terms used in this 

part. 

* * * * * 

Credential is a term used to refer to 

any or all of the following: 

(1) Merchant Mariner’s Document 

(MMD). 

(2) Merchant Mariner’s License. 

(3) STCW endorsement. 

(4) Certificate of Registry (COR). 

(5) Merchant Mariner Credential 

(MMC). 

* * * * * 

Marine employer means the owner, 

managing operator, charterer, agent, 

Master, or Person in Charge of a vessel, 

other than a recreational vessel. 

* * * * * 

■ 176. Revise and republish subpart B, 

consisting of §§ 16.201 through 16.260, 

to read as follows: 

Subpart B—Required Chemical Testing 

§ 16.201 Application. 

(a) Chemical testing of personnel must 

be conducted as required by this subpart 

and in accordance with the procedures 

detailed in 49 CFR part 40. 

(b) If an individual fails a chemical 

test for dangerous drugs under this part, 

the individual will be presumed to be a 

user of dangerous drugs. 

(c) If an individual holding a 

credential fails a chemical test for 

dangerous drugs, the individual’s 

employer, prospective employer, or 

sponsoring organization must report the 

test results in writing to the nearest 

Coast Guard Officer in Charge, Marine 

Inspection (OCMI). The individual must 

be denied employment as a 

crewmember or must be removed from 

duties which directly affect the safe 

operation of the vessel as soon as 

practicable and is subject to suspension 

and revocation proceedings against their 

credential under part 5 of this chapter. 

(d) If an individual who does not hold 

a credential fails a chemical test for 

dangerous drugs, the individual will be 

denied employment as a crewmember or 

removed from duties that directly affect 

the safe operation of the vessel, as soon 

as possible. 

(e) An individual who has failed a 

required chemical test for dangerous 

drugs may not be re-employed aboard a 

vessel until the requirements of 

paragraph (f) of this section and part 5 

of this chapter, if applicable, have been 

satisfied. 

(f) Before an individual who has 

failed a required chemical test for 

dangerous drugs may return to work 

aboard a vessel, the MRO must 

determine that the individual is drugfree and the risk of subsequent use of 

dangerous drugs by that person is 

sufficiently low to justify their return to 

work. In addition, the individual must 

agree to be subject to increased 

unannounced testing— 

(1) For a minimum of six (6) tests in 

the first year after the individual returns 

to work as required in 49 CFR part 40; 

and 

(2) For any additional period as 

determined by the MRO up to a total of 

60 months. 

§ 16.203 Employer, MRO, and SAP 

responsibilities. 

(a) Employers. (1) Employers must 

ensure that they and their crewmembers 

meet the requirements of this part. 

(2) Employers are responsible for all 

the actions of their officials, 

representatives, and agents in carrying 

out the requirements of this part. 

(3) All agreements and arrangements, 

written or unwritten, between and 

among employers and service agents 

concerning the implementation of DOT 

drug testing requirements are deemed, 

as a matter of law, to require compliance 

with all applicable provisions of this 

part and DOT agency drug testing 

regulations. Compliance with these 

provisions is a material term of all such 

agreements and arrangements. 

(b) Medical Review Officer (MRO). (1) 

Individuals performing MRO functions 

must meet the training requirements 

and follow the procedures in 49 CFR 

part 40. 

(2) MROs may report chemical drug 

test results to the Coast Guard for 

unemployed, self-employed, or 

individual mariners. 


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(c) Substance Abuse Professional 

(SAP). Individuals performing SAP 

functions must meet the training 

requirements and follow the procedures 

in 49 CFR part 40. 

§ 16.205 Implementation of chemical 

testing programs. 

(a) When a vessel owned in the 

United States is operating in waters that 

are not subject to the jurisdiction of the 

United States, the testing requirements 

of §§ 16.210 and 16.230 do not apply to 

a citizen of a foreign country engaged or 

employed as Pilot in accordance with 

the laws or customs of that foreign 

country. 

(b) Upon written request of an 

employer, Commandant (CG–INV) will 

review the employer’s chemical testing 

program to determine compliance with 

the provisions of this part. 

§ 16.210 Pre-employment testing 

requirements. 

(a) No marine employer may engage 

or employ any individual to serve as a 

crewmember unless the individual 

passes a chemical test for dangerous 

drugs for that employer. 

(b) An employer may waive a preemployment test required for a job 

applicant by paragraph (a) of this 

section if the individual provides 

satisfactory evidence that they have: 

(1) Passed a chemical test for 

dangerous drugs, required by this part, 

within the previous six months with no 

subsequent positive drug tests during 

the remainder of the six-month period; 

or 

(2) During the previous 185 days been 

subject to a random testing program 

required by § 16.230 for at least 60 days 

and did not fail or refuse to participate 

in a chemical test for dangerous drugs 

required by this part. 

§ 16.220 Periodic testing requirements. 

(a) Except as provided by paragraph 

(c) of this section and § 10.227(g) of this 

subchapter, an applicant must pass a 

chemical test for dangerous drugs for— 

(1) An original issuance of a License, 

Certificate of Registry (COR), MMD, or 

Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC); 

(2) The first issuance, raise of grade, 

or renewal of an officer endorsement on 

an MMC; 

(3) A raise of grade of a License or 

COR; 

(4) The first endorsement as an Able 

Seafarer, Lifeboat Operator, Qualified 

Member of the Engine Department 

(QMED), or a tank vessel endorsement; 

or 

(5) A reissuance of a credential with 

a new expiration date. The applicant 

must provide the results of the test to 

the Coast Guard Regional Examination 

Center (REC) at the time of submitting 

an application. The test results must be 

completed and dated not more than 185 

days before submission of the 

application. 

(b) Unless excepted under paragraph 

(c) of this section, each Pilot required by 

this subchapter to receive an annual 

physical examination must pass a 

chemical test for dangerous drugs as a 

part of that examination, and provide 

the results to the Coast Guard. 

Applicants need not submit additional 

copies of their annual chemical test for 

dangerous drugs pursuant to paragraph 

(a) of this section if the applicant 

submitted passing results of a chemical 

test for dangerous drugs to the Coast 

Guard within 12 months of the date of 

application. 

(c) An applicant need not submit 

evidence of passing a chemical test for 

dangerous drugs required by paragraph 

(a) or (b) of this section if they provide 

satisfactory evidence that they have— 

(1) Passed a chemical test for 

dangerous drugs required by this part 

within the previous 6 months with no 

subsequent positive chemical tests 

during the remainder of the 6-month 

period; or 

(2) During the previous 185 days been 

subject to a random testing program 

required by § 16.230 for at least 60 days 

and did not fail or refuse to participate 

in a chemical test for dangerous drugs 

required by this part. 

(d) Except as provided by paragraph 

(b) of this section, an applicant is 

required to provide the results of only 

one chemical test for dangerous drugs 

when multiple transactions are covered 

by or requested in a single application. 

§ 16.230 Random testing requirements. 

(a) Marine employers must establish 

programs for the chemical testing for 

dangerous drugs on a random basis of 

crewmembers on inspected vessels who: 

(1) Occupy a position, or perform the 

duties and functions of a position, 

required by the vessel’s Certificate of 

Inspection; 

(2) Perform the duties and functions 

of patrolmen or watchmen required by 

this chapter; or, 

(3) Are specifically assigned the 

duties of warning, mustering, 

assembling, assisting, or controlling the 

movement of passengers during 

emergencies. 

(b) Marine employers must establish 

programs for the chemical testing for 

dangerous drugs on a random basis of 

crewmembers on uninspected vessels 

who: 

(1) Are required by law or regulation 

to hold a License issued by the Coast 

Guard in order to perform their duties 

on the vessel; 

(2) Perform duties and functions 

directly related to the safe operation of 

the vessel; 

(3) Perform the duties and functions 

of patrolmen or watchmen required by 

this chapter; or, 

(4) Are specifically assigned the 

duties of warning, mustering, 

assembling, assisting, or controlling the 

movement of passengers during 

emergencies. 

(c) The selection of crewmembers for 

random drug testing must be made by a 

scientifically valid method, such as a 

random number table or a computerbased random number generator that is 

matched with crewmembers’ Social 

Security numbers, payroll identification 

numbers, or other comparable 

identifying numbers. Under the testing 

frequency and selection process used, 

each covered crewmember will have an 

equal chance of being tested each time 

selections are made and an employee’s 

chance of selection will continue to 

exist throughout their employment. As 

an alternative, random selection may be 

accomplished by periodically selecting 

one or more vessels and testing all 

crewmembers covered by this section, 

provided that each vessel subject to the 

marine employer’s test program remains 

equally subject to selection. 

(d) Marine employers may form or 

otherwise use sponsoring organizations, 

or may use contractors, to conduct the 

random chemical testing programs 

required by this part. 

(e) Except as provided in paragraph (f) 

of this section, the minimum annual 

percentage rate for random drug testing 

must be 50 percent of covered 

crewmembers. 

(f) The annual rate for random drug 

testing may be adjusted in accordance 

with this paragraph. 

(1) The Commandant’s decision to 

increase or decrease the minimum 

annual percentage rate for random drug 

testing is based on the reported random 

positive rate for the entire industry. All 

information used for this determination 

is drawn from the drug MIS reports 

required by this part. In order to ensure 

reliability of the data, the Commandant 

considers the quality and completeness 

of the reported data, may obtain 

additional information or reports from 

marine employers, and may make 

appropriate modifications in calculating 

the industry random positive rate. Each 

year, the Commandant will publish in 

the Federal Register the minimum 

annual percentage rate for random drug 

testing of covered crewmembers. The 

new minimum annual percentage rate 

for random drug testing will be 


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93136 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

applicable starting January 1 of the 

calendar year following publication. 

(2) When the minimum annual 

percentage rate for random drug testing 

is 50 percent, the Commandant may 

lower this rate to 25 percent of all 

covered crewmembers if the 

Commandant determines that the data 

received under the reporting 

requirements of 46 CFR 16.500 for two 

consecutive calendar years indicate that 

the positive rate is less than 1.0 percent. 

(3) When the minimum annual 

percentage rate for random drug testing 

is 25 percent, and the data received 

under the reporting requirements of 46 

CFR 16.500 for any calendar year 

indicate that the positive rate is equal to 

or greater than 1.0 percent, the 

Commandant will increase the 

minimum annual percentage rate for 

random drug testing to 50 percent of all 

covered crewmembers. 

(g) Marine employers will randomly 

select a sufficient number of covered 

crewmembers for testing during each 

calendar year to equal an annual rate 

not less than the minimum annual 

percentage rate for random drug testing 

determined by the Commandant. If the 

marine employer conducts random drug 

testing through a consortium, the 

number of crewmembers to be tested 

may be calculated for each individual 

marine employer or may be based on the 

total number of covered crewmembers 

covered by the consortium who are 

subject to random drug testing at the 

same minimum annual percentage rate 

under this part or any DOT drug testing 

rule. 

(h) Each marine employer must 

ensure that random drug tests 

conducted under this part are 

unannounced and that the dates for 

administering random tests are spread 

reasonably throughout the calendar 

year. 

(i) If a given covered crewmember is 

subject to random drug testing under the 

drug testing rules of more than one DOT 

agency for the same marine employer, 

the crewmember will be subject to 

random drug testing at the percentage 

rate established for the calendar year by 

the DOT agency regulating more than 50 

percent of the crewmember’s function. 

(j) If a marine employer is required to 

conduct random drug testing under the 

drug testing rules of more than one DOT 

agency, the marine employer may— 

(1) Establish separate pools for 

random selection, with each pool 

containing the covered crewmembers 

who are subject to testing at the same 

required rate; or 

(2) Randomly select such 

crewmembers for testing at the highest 

percentage rate established for the 

calendar year by any DOT agency to 

which the marine employer is subject. 

(k) An individual may not be engaged 

or employed, including selfemployment, on a vessel in a position 

as Master, operator, or Person in Charge 

for which a credential is required by law 

or regulation unless all crewmembers 

covered by this section are subject to the 

random testing requirements of this 

section. 

§ 16.240 Serious marine incident testing 

requirements. 

The marine employer must ensure 

that all persons directly involved in a 

serious marine incident are chemically 

tested for evidence of dangerous drugs 

and alcohol in accordance with the 

requirements of subpart 4.06 of this 

chapter. 

§ 16.250 Reasonable cause testing 

requirements. 

(a) The marine employer must require 

any crewmember engaged or employed 

on board a vessel owned in the United 

States that is required by law or 

regulation to engage, employ or be 

operated by an individual holding a 

credential issued under this subchapter, 

who is reasonably suspected of using a 

dangerous drug to be chemically tested 

for dangerous drugs. 

(b) The marine employer’s decision to 

test must be based on a reasonable and 

articulable belief that the individual has 

used a dangerous drug based on direct 

observation of specific, 

contemporaneous physical, behavioral, 

or performance indicators of probable 

use. Where practicable, this belief 

should be based on the observation of 

the individual by two persons in 

supervisory positions. 

(c) When the marine employer 

requires testing of an individual under 

the provisions of this section, the 

individual must be informed of that fact 

and directed to provide a urine 

specimen as soon as practicable. This 

fact will be entered in the vessel’s 

official logbook, if one is required. 

(d) If an individual refuses to provide 

a urine specimen when directed to do 

so by the employer under the provisions 

of this section, this fact will be entered 

in the vessel’s official logbook, if one is 

required. 

§ 16.260 Records. 

(a) Employers must maintain records 

of chemical tests as provided in 49 CFR 

40.333 and must make these records 

available to Coast Guard officials upon 

request. 

(b) The records must be sufficient to: 

(1) Satisfy the requirements of 

§§ 16.210(b) and 16.220(c). 

(2) Identify the total number of 

individuals chemically tested annually 

for dangerous drugs in each of the 

categories of testing required by this 

part including the annual number of 

individuals failing chemical tests and 

the number and types of drugs for 

which individuals tested positive. 

PART 30—GENERAL PROVISIONS 

■ 177. The authority citation for part 30 

is revised to read as follows: 

Authority: 46 U.S.C. 2103, 3306, 3703; 

DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 

01.4. 

■ 178. Revise § 30.10–7 to read as 

follows: 

§ 30.10–7 Certificated—TB/ALL. 

The term certificated when applied to 

tank vessels refers to a vessel covered by 

a certificate of inspection issued by the 

Coast Guard; when applied to mariners 

employed on tank vessels, the term 

refers to a certificate of ability issued by 

the Coast Guard. 

■ 179. Revise § 30.10–71 to read as 

follows: 

§ 30.10–71 Tank vessel endorsements— 

TB/ALL. 

The following ratings are established 

in part 13 of this chapter. The terms for 

the ratings identify persons holding 

valid endorsements for service in the 

ratings issued under that part: 

(a) Tank Vessel-PIC. 

(b) Tank Barge-PIC. 

(c) Restricted Tank Vessel-PIC. 

(d) Restricted Tank Barge-PIC. 

(e) Tank Vessel-Assistant. 

(f) Tank Vessel-Engineer. 

PART 35—OPERATIONS 

■ 180. The authority citation for part 35 

is revised to read as follows: 

Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1321(j); 46 U.S.C. 

3306, 3703, 6101, 70011, 70034; 49 U.S.C. 

5103, 5106; Executive Order 12234, 45 FR 

58801, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 277; Executive 

Order 12777, 56 FR 54757, 3 CFR, 1991 

Comp., p. 351; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, 

Revision No. 01.4. 

■ 181. Revise § 35.01–3 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.01–3 Incorporation by reference. 

(a) Certain material is incorporated by 

reference into this part with the 

approval of the Director of the Federal 

Register under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 

CFR part 51. All approved incorporation 

by reference material (IBR) is available 

for inspection at the Coast Guard and 

the National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). Contact Coast 

Guard at: Office of Merchant Mariner 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 93137 

Credentialing (CG–MMC), U.S. Coast 

Guard, Stop 7509, 2703 Martin Luther 

King Jr. Avenue SE, Washington, DC 

20593–7509; phone: 202–372–1492; 

website: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/ 

merchant_mariner_credential/. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at NARA, visit 

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@

nara.gov. The material may be obtained 

from: 

(b) ASTM, International (ASTM), 100 

Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, 

PA 19428–2959; phone 610–832–9500; 

website: https://www.astm.org/contact. 

(1) ASTM F1014–92, Standard 

Specification for Flashlights on Vessels, 

1992;§ 35.30–20(c). 

(2) ASTM Adjunct F1626, Symbols for 

Use in Accordance with Regulation II– 

2/20 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, 

PCN 12–616260–01, 1996; § 35.10–3. 

(3) ASTM D 93–97, Standard Test 

Methods for Flash-Point by PenskyMartens Closed Cup Tester, 1997; 

§ 35.25–10. 

(c) International Maritime 

Organization (IMO), Publications 

Section, 4 Albert Embankment, London, 

SE1 7SR United Kingdom; phone: +44 

(0)20 7735 7611; website: www.imo.org. 

(1) Resolution A.654(16), Graphical 

Symbols for Fire Control Plans, 19 

October, 1989; § 35.10–3. 

(2) Reserved 

■ 182. Revise § 35.01–5 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.01–5 Sanitary condition and crew 

quarters—T/ALL. 

It is the duty of the Master and Chief 

Engineer of every tankship to see that 

such vessel and crew’s quarters are kept 

in a sanitary condition. 

■ 183. Revise § 35.01–10 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.01–10 Shipping papers—TB/ALL. 

Each loaded tank vessel must have on 

board a bill of lading, manifest, or 

shipping document giving the name of 

the consignee and the location of the 

delivery point, the kind, grades, and 

approximate quantity of each kind and 

grade of cargo, and for whose account 

the cargo is being handled. The tank 

vessel must not be delayed in order to 

secure exact quantities of cargo. Such 

manifests or bills of lading may be made 

out by the Master, Master of the towing 

vessel, owner, or agent of the owner. In 

the case of unmanned barges where 

shipping papers are not available, an 

entry in the logbook of the towing vessel 

giving the name of the shipper and 

location of shipping point, the name of 

the consignee and location of delivery 

point, the approximate kind, grade, and 

quantity of cargo in each barge of the 

tow, and for whose account the cargo is 

being handled, will be considered as 

complying with the requirements of this 

section. 

■ 184. Amend § 35.01–45 by revising 

paragraphs (b) through (d) to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.01–45 Open hopper type barges—B/ 

ALL. 

* * * * * 

(b) All open hopper type barges, while 

carrying in bulk any of the cargoes 

described in paragraph (a) of this 

section, must be operated in 

conformance with the provisions in this 

section. However, the provisions in this 

section are not applicable to such barges 

when empty (not necessarily cleaned or 

gas-freed). 

(c)(1) Except as otherwise provided in 

this section, no such open hopper type 

barge must be placed as a lead barge in 

any tow. Such barges must be placed in 

protected positions within the tow so 

that the danger from diving or 

swamping will be minimized. Where, 

due to operating conditions, compliance 

with this paragraph is impossible, the 

provisions of paragraph (c)(3) of this 

section apply. The Person in Charge of 

the towing vessels is responsible for 

compliance with this paragraph. 

(2) No such open hopper type barge 

may be moved from a loading facility 

unless all void spaces and bilges are 

substantially free of water. Periodic 

inspections and necessary pumping 

must be carried out to ensure the 

maintenance of such water-free 

conditions, in order to minimize the free 

surface effect in both the longitudinal 

and transverse directions. Except when 

otherwise considered necessary for 

inspection or pumping, all hatch covers 

and other hull closure devices for void 

spaces and hull compartments must be 

closed and secured at all times. In the 

case of unmanned barges, the Person in 

Charge of the towing vessel is deemed 

to be in charge of the barge, and all 

requirements to be carried out on the 

barge will be carried out by or under the 

direction of such person. 

(3) When an open hopper type barge 

is in an exposed position, such that 

protection from swamping provided by 

adjoining barges cannot be obtained 

from location within the two alone, it is 

the responsibility of the Person in 

Charge of the towing vessel to control 

speed so as to ensure protection against 

diving and swamping of the barge, 

having due regard to its design and 

freeboard, and to the operating 

conditions. 

(d) To show that special operating 

requirements apply to a specific open 

hopper type barge, additional placards 

or signs must be displayed in at least 

four different locations on the barge 

when the cargoes described in 

paragraph (a) of this section are carried 

in any form in the cargo tanks. The 

placards or signs must be posted on the 

barge approximately amidships on each 

side and near the centerline of each end, 

facing outboard. Racks, or other suitable 

means, for mounting such placards or 

signs must be so arranged as to provide 

clear visibility and shall be protected 

from becoming readily damaged or 

obscured. The placards or signs must be 

at least equal in dimensions to the DOT 

standard tank car ‘‘Dangerous’’ placard 

(103⁄4 inches square or larger), and must 

display a circle (10 inches in diameter 

or larger) with alternating quadrants of 

white and red, and so mounted that the 

red quadrants are centered on the 

vertical axis. The shipper and/or owner 

of the barge will be responsible for the 

installation of the required placards or 

signs, including maintenance of them 

while such barge is in temporary storage 

with cargo aboard. The Person in Charge 

of the towing vessel is responsible for 

the continued maintenance of the 

placards or signs while such barge is in 

transit. 

■ 185. Amend § 35.01–50 by revising 

paragraph (a) introductory text and 

paragraphs (c) through (g) to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.01–50 Special operating requirements 

for tank barges carrying certain dangerous 

bulk cargoes—B/ALL. 

(a) The requirements of this section 

apply to all tank barges carrying those 

cargoes listed on table 30.25–1, of this 

subchapter, which are defined as: 

* * * * * 

(c) When it is necessary to operate box 

or square-end barges as lead barges of 

tows, the Person in Charge of the towing 

vessel must control the speed to ensure 

protection against diving and swamping 

of such barges, having due regard to 

their design and freeboard, and to the 

operating conditions. 

(d) All barges, while carrying in bulk 

any of the cargoes described in 

paragraph (a) of this section, must be 

operated in conformance with the 

provisions of this section. However, the 

provisions of this section are not 

applicable to such barges when empty 

and gas-freed. 

(e) Barges must not be moved from a 

loading facility unless all bilges and 

void spaces (except those used for 

ballasting) are substantially free of 

water. Periodic inspections and 

necessary pumping must be carried out 

to ensure maintenance of such waterfree condition in order to minimize the 


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free surface effects, both in the 

longitudinal and transverse directions. 

Except when otherwise considered 

necessary for inspection or pumping, all 

hatch covers and other hull closure 

devices for void spaces and hull 

compartments other than cargo spaces 

must be closed and secured at all times. 

(f) During the time the cargo tanks 

contain dangerous cargoes described in 

paragraph (a) of this section in any 

amount, in the liquid or gaseous state, 

the barge must be under constant 

surveillance. 

(1) A strict watch of each unmanned 

barge in tow must be maintained from 

the towing vessel while underway. 

(2) A towing vessel engaged in 

transporting such unmanned barges 

must not leave them unattended. When 

a barge is moored, but not gas free, it 

must be under the observation of a 

watchman who may be a member of the 

complement of the towing vessel, or a 

terminal employee, or other person. 

Such person will be responsible for the 

security of the barge and for keeping 

unauthorized persons off the barge. 

(g) The owner, operator, Master, or 

Person in Charge of any barge carrying 

dangerous cargoes described in 

paragraph (a) of this section must ensure 

that, while the barge is being towed, and 

during cargo transfer operations, the 

persons as required by § 31.15–5 of this 

subchapter and § 35.35–1 are provided. 

■ 186. Amend § 35.01–55 by revising 

paragraph (a) introductory text, 

paragraph (b) introductory text, and 

paragraph (b)(4) to read as follows: 

§ 35.01–55 Pilot boarding operation. 

(a) The Master must ensure that pilot 

boarding equipment is maintained as 

follows: 

* * * * * 

(b) The Master must ensure 

compliance with the following during 

Pilot boarding operations: 

* * * * * 

(4) Rigging of the equipment and 

embarkation/debarkation of a Pilot must 

be supervised in person by a deck 

officer. 

* * * * * 

■ 187. Revise § 35.01–60 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.01–60 Person excluded. 

Masters and Pilots must exclude from 

the pilothouse and navigation bridge, 

while underway, all persons not 

connected with the navigation of the 

vessel. However, licensed officers of 

vessels, persons regularly engaged in 

training, regulating, evaluating, or 

learning the profession of Pilot, officials 

of the United States Coast Guard, United 

States Navy, United States Coast and 

Geodetic Survey, United States Army 

Corps of Engineers, Maritime 

Administration, and National 

Transportation Safety Board may be 

allowed in the pilothouse or upon the 

navigation bridge upon the 

responsibility of the Master or Pilot. 

■ 188. Revise § 35.05–1 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.05–1 Officers and crews of 

tankships—T/ALL. 

No tankship of the United States may 

be navigated unless it has in its service 

and on board such complement of 

officers and crew, including Lifeboat 

Operators and those who hold the 

proper tank vessel endorsements where 

required by the regulations in this 

subchapter, separately stated, as called 

for in its certificate of inspection. 

■ 189. Amend § 35.05–15 by revising 

paragraph (a) and paragraph (b)(1) 

introductory text to read as follows: 

§ 35.05–15 Tank vessel security—TB/ALL. 

(a) Manned tank vessel. At least one 

member of the crew of a manned tank 

vessel must be on board at all times 

except when the vessel is gas free or is 

moored at a dock or terminal at which 

watchman service is provided. 

(b) * * * 

(1) The owner, managing operator, 

Master, and Person in Charge of a vessel 

towing a tank barge that need not be 

manned, and each of them is 

responsible for monitoring the security 

and integrity of the tank barge and for 

ensuring adherence to proper safety 

precautions. These responsibilities 

include, but are not limited to— 

* * * * * 

■ 190. Revise § 35.07–1 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.07–1 Application—TB/ALL. 

Except as specifically noted, the 

provisions of this subpart apply to all 

tank vessels. 

■ 191. Revise § 35.07–5 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.07–5 Logbooks and records—TB/ALL. 

(a) The Master or Person in Charge of 

a vessel that is required by 46 U.S.C. 

11301 to have an official logbook must 

maintain the logbook on form CG–706. 

The official logbook is available free to 

Masters of U.S.-flagged vessels from the 

Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, as 

form CG–706B or CG–706C, depending 

on the number of persons employed in 

the crew. When the voyage is 

completed, the Master or Person in 

Charge must file the logbook with the 

Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection. 

(b) The Master or Person in Charge of 

a vessel that is not required by 46 U.S.C. 

11301 to have an official logbook, must 

maintain, on board, an unofficial 

logbook or record in any form desired 

for the purposes of making entries 

therein as required by law or regulations 

in this subchapter. Such logs or records 

are not filed with the Officer in Charge, 

Marine Inspection, but must be kept 

available for review by a marine 

inspector for a period of 1 year after the 

date to which the records refer. Separate 

records of tests and inspections of 

firefighting equipment must be 

maintained with the vessel’s logs for the 

period of validity of the vessel’s 

certificate of inspection. 

■ 192. Revise § 35.10–15 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.10–15 Emergency lighting and power 

systems—T/ALL. 

(a) Where fitted, it is the duty of the 

Master to see that the emergency 

lighting and power systems are tested 

and inspected at least once in each week 

that the vessel is navigated to be assured 

that the system is in proper operating 

condition. 

(b) Internal combustion engine driven 

emergency generators must be tested 

under load for at least 2 hours, at least 

once in each month that the vessel is 

navigated. 

(c) Storage batteries for emergency 

lighting and power systems must be 

tested at least once in each 6-month 

period that the vessel is navigated to 

demonstrate the ability of the storage 

battery to supply the emergency loads 

for the period of time specified in table 

112.05–5(a) of this subchapter. 

(d) The date of the tests required by 

this section and the condition and 

performance of the apparatus must be 

noted in the vessel’s official logbook or 

in logs or records considered to take the 

place of the official logbook. 

■ 193. Revise § 35.20–5 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.20–5 Draft of tankships—T/OC. 

The Master of every tankship must, 

whenever leaving port, enter the 

maximum draft of the vessel in the 

logbook. 

■ 194. Amend § 35.20–7 by revising 

paragraphs (a) and (c) to read as follows: 

§ 35.20–7 Verification of vessel 

compliance with applicable stability 

requirements—TB/ALL. 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph 

(d) of this section, after loading and 

prior to departure and at all other times 

necessary to assure the safety of the 

vessel, the Master or Person in Charge 

must determine that the vessel complies 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 93139 

with all applicable stability 

requirements in the vessel’s trim and 

stability book, stability letter, Certificate 

of Inspection, and Load Line Certificate, 

as the case may be. The vessel may not 

depart until it is in compliance with 

these requirements. 

* * * * * 

(c) If a logbook is required by § 35.07– 

5, then the Master or Person in Charge 

must enter an attestation statement 

verifying that the vessel complies with 

the applicable stability requirements at 

the times specified in paragraph (a) and 

any stability calculations made in 

support of the determination must be 

retained on board the vessel for the 

duration of the voyage. 

* * * * * 

■ 195. Revise § 35.20–20 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.20–20 Master’s and officer’s 

responsibility—TB/ALL. 

Nothing in this part exonerates any 

Master or officer in command from the 

consequences of any neglect to keep a 

proper lookout or the neglect of any 

precaution which may be required by 

the ordinary practice of seafarers or by 

the special circumstances of the case. 

■ 196. Revise § 35.25–1 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.25–1 Examination of boilers and 

machinery by engineer—T/ALL. 

It is the duty of an engineer when 

assuming charge of the boilers to 

examine the same forthwith and 

thoroughly. If any part thereof is found 

in bad condition, the engineer must 

immediately report the facts to the 

Master, owner, or agent, and to the 

nearest Officer in Charge, Marine 

Inspection. 

■ 197. Revise § 35.25–5 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.25–5 Repairs of boilers and unfired 

pressure vessels and reports of repairs or 

accidents by Chief Engineer—TB/ALL. 

(a) Before making any repairs to 

boilers or unfired pressure vessels, the 

Chief Engineer must submit a report 

covering the nature of the repairs to the 

Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, at 

or nearest to the port where the repairs 

are to be made. 

(b) In the event of an accident to a 

boiler, unfired pressure vessel, or 

machinery tending to render the further 

use of the item itself unsafe until repairs 

are made, or if by ordinary wear such 

items become unsafe, a report must be 

made by the Chief Engineer 

immediately to the Officer in Charge, 

Marine Inspection, or, if at sea, 

immediately upon arrival at port. 

■ 198. Revise § 35.25–10 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.25–10 Requirements for fuel oil—T/ 

ALL. 

(a) Oil to be used as fuel to be burned 

under boilers on tankships must have a 

flashpoint of not less than 140 °F. 

(Pensky-Martens Closed Cup Method, 

ASTM D 93) (incorporated by reference, 

see § 35.01–3). 

(b) It is the duty of the Chief Engineer 

to make an entry in the log of each 

supply of fuel oil received on board, 

stating the quantity received, the name 

of the vendor, the name of the oil 

producer, and the flashpoint (PenskyMartens Closed Cup Method, ASTM 

D93) (incorporated by reference, see 

§ 35.01–3) for which it is certified by the 

producer. 

(c) It is the further duty of the Chief 

Engineer to draw and seal at the time 

the supply is received on board, a halfpint sample of each lot of fuel oil, such 

sample to be preserved until that 

particular supply of oil is exhausted. 

■ 199. Revise § 35.25–15 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.25–15 Carrying of excess steam—TB/ 

ALL. 

It is the duty of the Chief Engineer of 

any tank vessel to see that a steam 

pressure is not carried in excess of that 

allowed by the certificate of inspection, 

and to see that the safety valves, once 

set by the inspector, are in no way 

tampered with or made inoperative. 

■ 200. Amend § 35.30–5 by revising 

paragraphs (a) through (c) to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.30–5 Fires, matches, and smoking— 

TB/ALL. 

(a) General. In making the 

determinations required under 

paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this 

section, the senior deck officer on duty, 

who must be a licensed officer or hold 

the proper tank vessel endorsements, 

must exercise skill and experience with 

due regard to attendant conditions and 

circumstances, including consideration 

for location of shoreside facilities, 

maintenance of mobility, provision for 

fire protection, state or change of winds, 

tides, sea, weather conditions, forces of 

nature and other circumstances 

generally beyond human control. 

(b) Boiler fires. Boiler fires are 

permitted during cargo transfer 

operations if and only if prior to loading 

Grades A, B, and C cargoes, the senior 

deck officer on duty, who must be a 

licensed officer or hold the proper tank 

vessel endorsements, must make an 

inspection to determine whether, in 

their judgment, boiler fires may be 

maintained with reasonable safety 

during the loading operation. 

(c) Smoking. Smoking is prohibited 

on the weather decks of tank vessels 

when they are not gas free or are 

alongside docks. At other times and 

places, the senior deck officer on duty, 

who must be a licensed officer or hold 

the proper tank vessel endorsements, 

must designate when and where the 

crew may smoke: Provided, That prior 

to loading Grade A, B, or C cargo the 

Master or senior deck officer on duty 

must make an inspection to determine 

if and where, in their judgment, 

smoking may be permitted with 

reasonable safety during the loading 

operation. 

* * * * * 

■ 201. Revise § 35.35–1 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.35–1 Persons on duty—TB/ALL. 

(a) On each tankship required to be 

documented under the laws of the 

United States, the owner, managing 

operator, Master, and Person in Charge 

of the vessel, and each of them, must 

ensure that— 

(1) Enough Tank Vessel-PICs or 

Restricted Tank Vessel-PICs and Tank 

Vessel-Assistants authorized for the 

classification of cargo carried are on 

duty to safely transfer liquid cargo in 

bulk or safely clean cargo tanks; and 

(2) Each transfer of liquid cargo in 

bulk and each cleaning of a cargo tank 

is supervised by a person qualified to be 

the Person in Charge of the transfer or 

the cleaning under subpart C of 33 CFR 

part 155. 

(b) On each United States tank barge 

subject to inspection— 

(1) The owner, managing operator, 

Master, and Person in Charge of the 

vessel, and each of them, must ensure 

that no transfer of liquid cargo in bulk 

or cleaning of a cargo tank takes place 

unless under the supervision of a 

qualified person designated as the 

Person in Charge of the transfer or the 

cleaning under subpart C of 33 CFR part 

155; and 

(2) The person designated as the 

Person in Charge of the transfer must 

ensure that— 

(i) Enough qualified personnel are on 

duty to safely transfer liquid cargo in 

bulk or safely clean cargo tanks; and 

(ii) The approved portable 

extinguishers required by table 34.50– 

10(a) of this subchapter are aboard and 

readily available before any transfer of 

liquid cargo in bulk or any operation of 

barge machinery or boilers. 

(c) On each foreign tankship, the 

owner, managing operator, Master, and 

Person in Charge of the vessel, and each 

of them, must ensure that— 


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(1) Enough personnel, qualified for 

the classification of cargo carried, are on 

duty to safely transfer liquid cargo in 

bulk or safely clean cargo tanks; and 

(2) Each transfer of liquid cargo in 

bulk and each cleaning of a cargo tank 

is supervised by a qualified person 

designated as a Person in Charge of the 

transfer or the cleaning under subpart C 

of 33 CFR part 155. 

(d) On each foreign tank barge— 

(1) The owner, managing operator, 

Master, and Person in Charge of the 

vessel, and each of them, must ensure 

that no transfer of liquid cargo in bulk 

or cleaning of a cargo tank takes place 

unless under the supervision of a 

qualified person designated as the 

Person in Charge of the transfer or the 

cleaning under subpart C of 33 CFR part 

155. 

(2) The person designated as the 

Person in Charge of the transfer must 

ensure that enough qualified personnel 

are on duty to safely transfer liquid 

cargo in bulk or safely clean cargo tanks. 

(e) The Person in Charge of the 

transfer of liquid cargo in bulk on the 

tank vessel will be responsible for the 

safe loading and discharge of the liquid 

cargo in bulk. 

(f) The Person in Charge of the 

transfer of liquid cargo in bulk on each 

United States tank vessel, when 

lightering to or from a foreign tank 

vessel, must ensure that the Person in 

Charge on the foreign tank vessel, or 

their interpreter, is capable of reading, 

speaking, and understanding the 

English language well enough to allow 

a safe transfer. 

■ 202. Revise § 35.35–10 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.35–10 Closing of freeing-ports, 

scuppers, and sea valves—TB/ALL. 

The Person in Charge of each transfer 

of liquid cargo in bulk must ensure that 

all freeing-ports and scuppers are 

properly plugged during the transfer 

except on tank vessels using water for 

cooling decks. Although under no 

circumstances may sea valves be 

secured by locks, the valves must be 

closed, and lashed or sealed, to indicate 

that they should not be opened during 

the transfer. 

■ 203. Amend § 35.35–20 by revising 

the introductory text to read as follows: 

§ 35.35–20 Inspection before transfer of 

cargo—TB/ALL. 

Before the transfer of liquid cargo in 

bulk, the Person in Charge of the 

transfer must inspect the vessel to 

ensure the following: 

* * * * * 

■ 204. Revise § 35.35–25 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.35–25 Approval to start transfer of 

cargo—TB/ALL. 

When the Person in Charge of the 

transfer of liquid cargo in bulk has 

ensured that the requirements of 

§§ 35.35–20 and 35.35–30 have been 

met, they may give approval to start the 

transfer. 

§ 35.35–30 [Amended] 

■ 205. Amend § 35.35–30 by removing 

the words ‘‘person in charge’’ wherever 

they appear in the section and adding, 

in their place, the words ‘‘Person in 

Charge’’. 

■ 206. Amend § 35.35–35 by revising 

the section heading and introductory 

text to read as follows: 

§ 35.35–35 Duties of Person in Charge of 

transfer—TB/ALL. 

The Person in Charge of the transfer 

of liquid cargo in bulk, fuel oil in bulk, 

or bunkers in bulk must control the 

transfer as follows: 

* * * * * 

■ 207. Revise § 35.35–42 to read as 

follows: 

§ 35.35–42 Restrictions on vessels 

alongside a tank vessel loading or 

unloading cargo of Grade A, B, or C—TB/ 

ALL. 

(a) No vessel may come alongside or 

remain alongside a tank vessel in way 

of its cargo tanks while it is loading or 

unloading cargo of Grade A, B, or C 

without permission of the Person in 

Charge of the transfer on the tank vessel. 

(b) No vessel may come alongside or 

remain alongside a tank vessel in way 

of its cargo tanks while it is loading or 

unloading cargo of Grade A, B, or C 

unless the conditions then prevailing 

are acceptable to the Persons in Charge 

of cargo handling on both vessels. 

■ 208. Amend § 35.35–55 by revising 

paragraph (a) to read as follows: 

§ 35.35–55 Transfer of other cargo or 

stores on tank vessels—TB/ALL. 

(a) No packaged goods, freight, or 

ship’s stores may be loaded or unloaded 

during the loading or unloading of cargo 

of Grade A, B, or C except by permission 

of the Person in Charge of the transfer 

of liquid cargo in bulk. No explosives 

may be loaded, unloaded, or carried as 

cargo on any tank vessel containing 

cargo of Grade A, B, or C. 

* * * * * 

PART 39—VAPOR CONTROL 

SYSTEMS 

■ 209. The authority citation for part 39 

is revised to read as follows: 

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7511b(f)(2); 46 U.S.C. 

3306, 3703, 3715(b), 70011, 70034; Executive 

Order 12234, 45 FR 58801, 3 CFR, 1980 

Comp., p. 277; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, 

Revision No. 01.4. 

■ 210. Amend § 39.5003 by revising 

paragraph (c) to read as follows: 

§ 39.5003 Additional requirements for 

multi-breasted loading using an inboard 

barge vapor collection system—B/CLBR. 

* * * * * 

(c) Persons holding an appropriate 

tank vessel endorsement trained in and 

familiar with multi-breasted loading 

operations, must be onboard each barge 

during transfer operations. The Tank 

Barge-PIC serves as the barge Person in 

Charge (PIC). During transfer operations, 

the barge PICs must maintain constant 

communication with each other as well 

as with the facility PIC. 

* * * * * 

Dated: October 15, 2024. 

W.R. Arguin, 

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant 

Commandant for Prevention Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2024–24271 Filed 11–22–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–04–P 


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