Hello, this is my first time posting on this forum. I’ve been lurking around here for a bit and reading on this topic but don’t feel I have come away with definitive and up-to-date answers.
I recently finished my assessments for Able Seafarer-Deck but I seek clarification regarding the sea service requirements. Am I correct in understanding that the 540 days is completely exclusive of any sea service in the deck department acquired before the date on which I completed all of the requirements for RFPNW? Or is the actual practice at the NMC to give credit to all deck sea service to date? The former is my understanding based on reading the relevant documents, but I have heard both the former and the latter from various people.
I am confused about the national crossover table. What exactly is its purpose and meaning? I have also heard different things about this from people that are conflicting. For example, if I have my AB-Limited, am I required to have 540 days of deck service as a RFPNW of which 180 days are as an AB? Or am I interpreting this section incorrectly?
Respecting sea service, I have questions regarding how it is credited. One involves shipyard service. On my current company’s letters it indicates when a period of service was in the yard and what the watch hours are for the yard (used to be 8, now it’s 12). I have heard different things from different desk officers at the REC, to include that no credit is given for such service, that credit is given on a three for one basis, and that credit is day for day. I have also gotten conflicting information about the significance of 12 versus 8 hour watches with respect to credit. Does anyone know what is the actual official policy regarding such service?
As far as credit for sea service goes, what wording should be on a letter or accompany an application to ensure day and a half credit for working 12 hours a day on an approved two-watch system?
I used to work on bunker barges and my letter from the company stated I only get three for one credit. Is this the actual USCG policy? If the routes for the barges are not listed on the letter, but are listed on USCG data on various barges in the country that I found on their website (some of the barges I’ve worked on are listed by the USCG, respectively, as having ocean, near coastal, or inland routes), do they go by what information they have on these vessels or in this case does it even matter?
Is there any way to know how my sea service has been credited in-practice by the Coast Guard, such as an audit of my sea service credit or anything like that?
Sorry for a lot of questions, but I’ve been wondering about these for some time now and I have had a heck of a time getting consistent and definitive answers, even from people affiliated with the USCG.
Thanks for any help you guys can provide!
