Just recieved an e-mail from NMC stating that they won’t put an ITC tonnage on either of my 2000 GRT 3rd mate tickets. Neither the domestic, nor the international. Seems to me that the " International" part of International Tonnage Certificate should be considered when issuing at least the international endorsement. Does anyone know of a policy or precedent regarding this?
Policy letter 11-12 states that they are supposed to calculate the restriction for both GRT and ITC and that the restriction shall not be less than 2000GRT or 4000GT (ITC). I am working with a mate right now who is trying to figure out why they will not put an ITC tonnage on his restricted 3rd Mate license. All they will tell him is that they are not doing that. It appears to me to be another fine example of the NMC’s ineptitude regarding mariner licensing and documentation. I don’t think he has received an email though. Policy Letter? What Policy Letter?
Yup. I just read though some of the other post and forwarded a copy of the policy letter to my evaluator. I also retained the woman who wet signed my first issue asy licensing consultant,so I will keep you posted. I could gave sworn their mission sstatement had something in there about helping us get the highest license possible, and helping the mariners. Think I’ll look it up again
Yup. I just read though some of the other post and forwarded a copy of the policy letter to my evaluator. I also retained the woman who wet signed my first issue asy licensing consultant,so I will keep you posted. I could gave sworn their mission sstatement had something in there about helping us get the highest license possible, and helping the mariners. Think I’ll look it up again
why cant you just align your tickets with the rest of the world, upto 3000 and over 3000?
Stop the vessel owner/operators from colluding with the USCG and shafting you.
The system is in place for mariners to earn these licenses with tonnage restrictions. So any mariner working towards said license should be able to expect the correct application of the laws, administrative laws, and policies that govern such a system. How is a mariner supposed to work on some of the newer vessels that are measured only under ITC if the NMC won’t follow their own policy and calculate the restriction for GRT and ITC?
Align with the rest of the world? I applied and was told 2000 GRT. Didn’t go to the academy like the rest of the world . Gotta crawl up this hawsepipe the old-fashioned way and however I can 
[QUOTE=powerabout;82267]why cant you just align your tickets with the rest of the world, upto 3000 and over 3000?
Stop the vessel owner/operators from colluding with the USCG and shafting you.[/QUOTE]
Excellent point.
The Brits give seatime credit toward an unlimited license for service on vessels over 25 meters (80 feet). The Canadians count seatime on vessels over 25 tons toward an unlimited license. Australia is about he same. None of them have all these absurd “unlimited” licenses with tonnage restrictions that we do. Most of the fully STCW compliant countries just have 500, 3000, and unlimited licenses. But they use real exams (including oral exams), not a publicly released question bank that can be memorized.
The licensing system we have based upon all these multiple levels of a meaningless tonnage measurement system that is designed to allow the outrageous manipulation of a vessel’s tonnage is absurd. Our system blocks our most experienced boathandlers from getting an entry level unlimited 3rd mate’s license. Apparently, we are the only country in the world that does anything like this.
I have heard people in the USCG say that STCW is raising the US up to world standards, but a Transport Canada inspector recently told me that STCW is trying to dumb-down Canadian licensing standards (that are based on the UK) to the same level as the Philippines. That’s quite a difference in perspective. (Being Canadian, he was too polite to say "dumb-down to US standards.)
Some of the British academies have training programs (about six months long) for hawsepipers with seatime, These programs include all the required STCW courses and preparation for the oral exams. The cost is typically around $12,000. The UK will issue licenses to foreigners, including Americans.
We in the US need to smarten up, if we want to compete on the world stage, and adopt a sensible licensing system (without limited unlimited licenses, withouit a phony tonnage measurement system, without publicly released multiple choice questions that are 50 years behind the times) that is something like the systems in the UK and Canada.
I am a big supporter of someone taking the hawse pipe route with sea time on relevant vessels to have access to the courses and oral exams to end up in the same place as a college grad.
In the UK if you feel game to sit for an oral you can go ahead, with correct sea time you get the same ticket as the grad.
Years ago I did some engineering orals for limited chief, 2 hours of grilling. Only the guys that knew there stuff passed 80% failed
Australia has a similar situation to the US with big fish/charter/ferry operations in small boats so hence they had a local trade ticket system called Master 5,4,3 etc nto aligned to STCW95 and you cant migrate up or do a foreign voyage. Its clear to everyone.
Confusing in the US as you have USCG 6 pack, 100t cut off the corn flakes packet that now goes to 1600 3000itc ( if I am correct?) with multiple choice questions
I hear of guys running 240’ DP1 crew boats that are 99grt, so no inspection, no rules, no CoC required…
who wins there…vessel owner
I had a US mate of mine in the megayacht industry, lived on diving anchored barge in OZ for a few years that got him 100t license, does sextant course, gets 500t a few more years on 110’ private speed boat they send him 1600t he laughed more about it than we did. ( that was 15 years ago)
I can get the restriction lifted in 4 more months w my master 1600. Its just 20 years and on vessels up to 1550 grt. Makes it frustrating to not be able to qualify. I’ll get it, I’m not worried. I’m just hoping to streamline the process. Never did the test bank. Got all my answers from the colregs, cfr’s, coast pilot, light list, Bowditch, USC . Etc… where for you think the test bank questions home from 20 years of OJT payed off. I didn’t even go to school to study for my third. Just knew most off it from working on the sea and from my master 1600 studues
Even under 100 grt the vessels are all inspected. No rules? And there are no crew boats at 240’.
You can’t go from 100 to 1600 master. You have to have time over 100 grt so you would need to get to 200 or master 500 then 1600 with appropriate time and tonnage.
As for getting the 100 of a cornflakes box, it’s really not that different than the 1600 test except for terrestrial nav module and the sad fact is most GoM mariners never use most of those skills. The typical voyage is far too short to bother with most fuel burn, slippage, ect. Most of us haven’t crossed a time zone difference in decades unless it’s involved in getting to/from work.
If you meant CoD then your information regarding the average US mariner in the GoM is very poor.
Called nmc and was informed thstvmy request was going to a review board. I’ll keep you guys posted. Trying for every toe hold I can get on ny way up. Thanks again for the Input
Got it.!!! Both intl and domestic !!!
Congratulations! So your license is 2000GRT and 4000ITC? What hoops did you have to jump through? PM me details if you don’t mind I am working with a guy who is in the same situation and I’d like to point him in the right direction to get ITC on his license.
Congratulations Capt.!!
I quoted policy letter 1-12 and attached a copy of it to the email. I explained how silly it was to have an " international " endorsement , and not be allowed an ITC. That it defeats the purpose of an " international" endorsement if they don’t allow " international " tonnage. Took about 4 weeks of " review " but they granted it and are also sending me a new one for my existing domestic ticket. 2000 grt and 4000 itc on my 3rd mate. Its not much. But climbing up the hawsepipe ill take whatever i can get on the way up. Thanks to everyone who helped