3rd mate unlimited to 2nd mate limited

So I served onboard a 1590 gross tonnage ship for several years as a mate. I’d like to upgrade my license to 2nd mate unlimited but according to the silly laws, I’d get a tonnage limitation. Does anyone have any experience where you didn’t get a limitation in this kind of situation? The ship was 310 feet, didn’t have operating DP and had “tonnage doors” from when the OSV couldn’t be over 1600 because the oilfield couldn’t get unlimited licenses. My point is that the ship was obviously unlimited but technically limited. So needless to say I’m feeling taken advantage of in this particular situation.

Thanks from Brazil,
Jeff

[QUOTE=Snoopy;106676]So I served onboard a 1590 gross tonnage ship for several years as a mate. I’d like to upgrade my license to 2nd mate unlimited but according to the silly laws, I’d get a tonnage limitation. Does anyone have any experience where you didn’t get a limitation in this kind of situation? The ship was 310 feet, didn’t have operating DP and had “tonnage doors” from when the OSV couldn’t be over 1600 because the oilfield couldn’t get unlimited licenses. My point is that the ship was obviously unlimited but technically limited. So needless to say I’m feeling taken advantage of in this particular situation.

Thanks from Brazil,
Jeff[/QUOTE]

Those silly laws keeping you down… Bummer. Read the COI and weep. It doesn’t matter what it has, did or didn’t have, it’s what the COI says. Here’s a kleenex.

Submit the paperwork for the upgrade. When they deny the unlimited tonnage upgrade, send in a reconsideration letter stating why you should be granted the unlimited 2nd Mate. It can’t hurt to try. When they deny the reconsideration, send in an appeal and s.t.f.b…it may take a while…but so what. Grind them down to a nub with appeals. It worked for me. I was shy 1 ton…I served on two 199GRT tugs. I wrote a stellar letter and after a couple of months…they granted me the 3rd unlimited. The squeaky wheel gets the oil. Be polite and professional. Keep several copies of anything you send in to the NMC. I am sure you know the process, I’m not trying to insult your intelligence. Good luck.

[QUOTE=RubberRhib888;106686]Submit the paperwork for the upgrade. When they deny the unlimited tonnage upgrade, send in a reconsideration letter stating why you should be granted the unlimited 2nd Mate. It can’t hurt to try. [/QUOTE]

But don’t have serious expectations of prevailing with an argument of being close but not quite. 46 CFR 11.402(a) is very clear.

These licensing seatime tonnage upgrade traps (based upon phoney rule beater tonnage measurements) need to be changed.

[QUOTE=“jdcavo;106755”]

But don’t have serious expectations of prevailing with an argument of being close but not quite. 46 CFR 11.402(a) is very clear.[/QUOTE]

Rules are meant to be broken and in this case bent. There is nothing wrong with giving it a whirl and trying to get what you want. Believe it or not…there is actually a real live person looking at the paperwork. Not some USCG super computer A.I. droid. I am proof it works, Sir. My situation was “close” and I got what I wanted, deserved, sought, and fought for. To the op, it won’t take much of your time to submit and write some letters. 10 Tons shy of an unlimited license. …fuck it! get that license!

When did you receive you 1600 Mate? Why would you go straight to 2nd Mate? If you could be issued a 3rd Mate with a tonnage restriction without testing consider yourself very lucky.

[QUOTE=Captnstabn;106933]When did you receive you 1600 Mate? Why would you go straight to 2nd Mate? If you could be issued a 3rd Mate with a tonnage restriction without testing consider yourself very lucky.[/QUOTE]

I agree you would be lucky to achieve that but then, how lucky? Even if you get the 150% tonnage restriction (so 2200 tons starting at 1600) how do you climb any higher? This discussion has been had in other threads before but there are always different elements to be brought in every time. Once you have an unlimited 3rd mate (restricted to 2200 tons) you have the ability to upgrade to an unrestricted unlimited 2nd mate but where are you going to get a job as a third mate on a vessel between 1600 and 2200 tons? You could probably find that easily enough in Europe but there aren’t too many fitting that description over here…

Does having a duel rated tonnage on the COI help? The old Margaret B. Chouest (now Akira) COI read something like 1539GRT 3850GT ITC. An old copy of the C-Champion’s COI reads 2106GT ITC (only)

[QUOTE=Captnstabn;106933]When did you receive you 1600 Mate? Why would you go straight to 2nd Mate? If you could be issued a 3rd Mate with a tonnage restriction without testing consider yourself very lucky.[/QUOTE]

Because I had a 3rd Mate Unlimited to begin with. I am upgrading to a limited [U]2nd[/U] mate and getting my 1600 ton master as well. So I’d still have the unlimited 3rd with a limited 2nd.

I don’t remember what the ITC tonnage was on the Kellie, but if the C-Champion was over (and does that ITC count as unlimited?) then the Kellie is much larger than her.