Thanks for the dialog. My question how is the cg treating 11.402 (b) specify the tonnage limitation for persons on training vessels that are not >= to 10,000itc under the part (b) calculations. I see first hand people being issued 3rd mates without restrictions is this going to be the new norm.
It ought to be.
If the USCG is saying that someone is qualified to be master of a 6000 ton vessels, then it stands to reason that they sure as hell ought to also be qualified as a third mate at a much higher tonnage too. Currently we have the absurd situation of mariners sailing as master on OVS’s that are 6000 tons while only qualifying for a 3000 ton third mates license. Since the USCG thinks that 22 year old kids with a college degree from an academy and about six months of actual seatime are qualified to be third mates, then the USCG should be able to figure out that someone with years of seatime and who is sailing as master on a 6000 ton vessel is also qualified to be a third mate unlimited.
The fact that there are very few ships left except in the oil patch, and that most third mates will be working in the oil patch anyway makes this less relevant that it use to be. Probably the truth of that matter is, that its more trouble than its worth for the USCG to waste so much time on mariners seeking incremental tonnage increases on third mate’s licenses — when the incident rate does never justified the tonnage limitations in the first place.
As far as I have been able to find out, no other STCW country places any incremental tonnage limits on unlimited licenses above 3000 tons I.T.C. Maybe the USCG is just trying to harmonize US practice with STCW requirements. They should.
Thanks for the post, well said…
[QUOTE=tugsailor;77705]It ought to be.
If the USCG is saying that someone is qualified to be master of a 6000 ton vessels, then it stands to reason that they sure as hell ought to also be qualified as a third mate at a much higher tonnage too. Currently we have the absurd situation of mariners sailing as master on OVS’s that are 6000 tons while only qualifying for a 3000 ton third mates license. Since the USCG thinks that 22 year old kids with a college degree from an academy and about six months of actual seatime are qualified to be third mates, then the USCG should be able to figure out that someone with years of seatime and who is sailing as master on a 6000 ton vessel is also qualified to be a third mate unlimited.
The fact that there are very few ships left except in the oil patch, and that most third mates will be working in the oil patch anyway makes this less relevant that it use to be. Probably the truth of that matter is, that its more trouble than its worth for the USCG to waste so much time on mariners seeking incremental tonnage increases on third mate’s licenses — when the incident rate does never justified the tonnage limitations in the first place.
As far as I have been able to find out, no other STCW country places any incremental tonnage limits on unlimited licenses above 3000 tons I.T.C. Maybe the USCG is just trying to harmonize US practice with STCW requirements. They should.[/QUOTE]
The large OSV (6000 GT) endorsement requires 56 days on OSVs over 3000 GT (1600 GRT). This is less than the minimum needed to avoid the tonnage restriction in 46 CFR 11.402.
Can you send me a link to this bc our company states we still have to do 87 days to get our 6000itc. Thanks
Never mind. Found it on the Nmc website under checklists. They must have just added it. Thanks anyway
The company’s training program can require anything they want over the minimum.
Once someone with a 6000 ton license has worked on vessels over 3000 gt itc for 12 months then the restriction is lifted.
The vessel does not need to be over 10,000 gt, only 1600grt/3000gt. That cfr is saying once the tonnage limit calculated for your license gets over 10,000 gt then it is lifted. I can’t imagine it is possible to get a limit that high without having enough time on unlimited vessels to lift it regardless of the calculated tonnage.