The US Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing has published changes to three Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circulars (NVICs) regarding qualification for certain Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) STCW endorsements.
Specifically, NVICs 04-14, 08-14, and 09-14 have been revised to provide guidance on renewal of STCW endorsements for Proficiency in Survival Craft, Proficiency in Survival Craft-Limited, Basic Training, and Advanced Firefighting for mariners serving on vessels in reduced operating status and on other vessels that that are in operation that do not get underway.
NVIC 04-14
This Change Notice revises the guidance found in reference to:
- Remove grandfathering provisions that expired on January 1, 2017;
- Clarify whether mariners serving on vessels that do not get underway may use their service to establish having maintained the standard of competence for PSC and PSC-Limited;
- Add an explanation of the requirement in 46 CFR 11.201(a)(1) that mariners must hold an appropriate national endorsement to qualify for an STCW endorsement;
- Reflect previously published policy extending the date for acceptance of assessments that were not signed by a Coast Guard approved Qualified Assessor, and to add additional information concerning assessments that are performed on military vessels;
- Revise the Record of Assessment in Enclosure (3) to remove tasks that are assessed by a mariner’s completion of a written examination or an approved or accepted course for their endorsement. This change notice revises the Record of Assessment in Enclosure (3) to include only the tasks that must be completed by a practical demonstration;
- Correct typographical errors in Enclosure (3) concerning the applicability of assessments 1.4.A, 1.4.B, and 1.5.B to endorsements for PSC or PSC-Limited. This change notice corrects those errors and makes the relevant parts of Enclosures (2) and (3) consistent. The relevant parts of Enclosure (2) did not have errors and are not changed.
NVIC 08-14
This Commandant Change Notice revises the guidance found in Enclosure of NVIC 8-14 to:
- Remove grandfathering provisions that expired on January 1, 2017;
- Clarify whether mariners serving on vessels that do not get underway may use their service to establish having maintained the standard of competence for in BT;
- Correct an error concerning the type of required training for mariners who cannot meet the requirement for one year of service within the previous five years. These mariners need to complete an approved or accepted Basic Training Refresher course.
NVIC 09-14
This Commandant Change Notice revises the guidance found in Enclosure of reference to:
- Remove grandfathering provisions that expired on January 1, 2017;
- Clarify whether mariners serving on vessels that do not get underway may use their service to establish having maintained the standard of competence for in AFF;
- Clarify the type of renewal training required for mariners with at least one year of relevant service in the past five years, and for those without sufficient recent service.
