Continuing the discussion from New MMC Format:
Never really paid attention to the exact wording until now… But I just realized, nowhere in that does it say that a photocopy of it is acceptable (which is what I’m sure a lot of ships have been doing, myself included). How the heck are folks that read the regulation better than I did “displaying” their MMC’s?
Would love to see some pics if you’ve got some sort of rack on your vessel.
It was discussed on here a while back. There’s this memo from the USCG:
Especially noticed the last sentence…
Found clear plastic sleeves that are the same size as the MMC opened up. Put in with the first page that displayed the qualifications on it. Put in rack. Nobody ever looked at it.
Dear lord… I need to start taking Ginko I think. That was in reply to me and I didn’t even remember that thread. Thanks bud!
Yes I was fairly surprised to read this as many ships are not displaying at all anymore.
After the passport style came out we stopped displaying them in the rack. Nobody ever said anything including the USCG
Anytime a PSC inspector asked to see the crew MMCs they wanted to see all of them, both licensed and unlicensed
That’s been my experience too. It’s been long enough now that I don’t remember how it was before the changeover other than them glancing at the rack to check expiration dates briefly.
We kept photocopies of the MMCs in the old display case.
We did that at TECO. The Masters on several Patriot vessels hung the printable certs only, not sure why or if that suffices so long as the MMC is on hand and scanned into his computer at sign on (I always assumed it was purely for display purposes only, as in the home or office.) Visiting SUNY recently I also saw their officers hang the certificates instead of photocopies of the MMC pages.
A Chief Mate told me that one time a new Third stuck his actual license in the rack and the vessel experienced a casualty resulting in an investigation. When they came aboard they took whatever was on display out of the racks as part of the investigation and since his wasn’t a copy — he had a bit of an issue getting it back. Never was too sure if that was just a sea story or if there was any truth to it.
The first unlimited ship I worked on did that, all the others have just used photocopies of the MMC.
I had one instructor at MMA advise us specifically to get a really good color photocopy of our license (before the MMC) and post that, essentially for this exact reason.
When I first got my unlimited master’s license I took it into Staples to make a color copy. There was an old-timer working at the counter. I handed him my license and told him I wanted some color copies.
He took it and just before he stuck it in the copy machine he looked at it to see which side was which.
Instead of sticking it in the machine he walked back over with it and said “This is an unlimited master’s license.” I said, yes I know. Then he said “These are real hard to get”. I told him 'Yeah, tell me about it."
