Hi there, I am also a foreign marine professional, from Australia, holding an MCA and Australian engineers license. I have recently become a US citizen and also applied for my USCG credentials. After a long wait and a few changes to my application I was approved to test for the following.
3rd Assistant Engineer AHP.
DDE Motor AHP.
CE OSV Motor AHP.
On completion of exams I will also be issued QMED any rating.
Afternoon Capt_Phoenix,
So I had 18 months as 2nd and have just over 2 years on my Chiefās ticket, last 18 months sailing as Staff Chief (Chief Engineer License required). Reading through the rules, I should think that my time should be sufficient, but then comes the interpretation as to what First Assistant and Assistant would be with regards to my sea time. I sailed as 2nd Engineer for give or take 4 years, 1st Engineer for give or take 4 years and Staff Chief for the last 18 months. If they would take 2nd as Assistant and 1st as First Assistant, or if they would take 1st Engineer as Assistant and Staff Chief as First Assistant, if that makes sense?
I would expect them to look into my Sea Time a little closer than they did with my QMED, but Iāve more than met the requirements for the UK MCGA and NSI (Netherlands Shipping Inspectorate) with regards to documenting Sea Service, so hopefully thatāll be good.
What license do you hold from the MCGA and Aus?
When you say after a long wait, how long roughly did it take for them to come back and let you know you were able to test? And what changes did you have to make with your application? Just curious to see what I might have in store for me.
Youāre using terminology I canāt translate. You need a year as what the USCG calls ā1st Assistant Engineerā, known as ā2nd Engineerā by STCW standards, to sit for Chief Unlimited. The second in command of the engine room.
And this is what I was meaning. One of the things I need to check is how the terminology the USCG uses would translate across to what Iām actually sailing as, or have sailed as, onboard.
For example, here onboard the Staff Chief Engineer is second in command of the Engine Room. With other companies it would be 1st Engineer or 2nd Engineer depending on the company, type of vessel and so on. But these are normally company specific positions and not related to the flag requirements or STCW. And of course, trying to get a clear answer from NMC regarding this is about as easy as finding henās teethā¦
Thatās because cruise ships are fucking weird with their āstaff captainā who is actually the chief mate and their Chief Mate who is actually a second mate. (The same goes for the engineers.)
You should be good, youāll just need to explain everything to them. Push hard for Chief but the worst case scenario that I can see is you only getting approved for First Assistant Engineer and Chief Limited.
Well, yes we are weird, but this is the norm for us and a way to increase the manning levels based off the safe manning documents. Youāre right, we donāt have Chief Mate anymore but their function is now the Staff Captain. We have a 1st Mate, but they are a Safety day work function and donāt work as a typical Chief Mate would.
Likewise for the Engineers, the Staff Chief fulfills the function that a 1st Engineer would elsewhere and the 1st Engineer is pretty much just a āSeniorā 2nd Engineer function. With the manned machinery spaces, we do need additional personnel and this was one way to make sure we got them. And to make everyone feel more important.
Will go for trying to explain everything to them and hope that they understand it sufficiently to allow me to test for Chief Engineer. But if they donāt then at least it would be a step in the right direction.
Was this on a cruise ship or normal commercial vessel? Were you, as 2nd engineer, actually second in command of the engine room? (Even if not, submit your time as āsecond engineerā and the USCG will probably assume it was.)
As 2nd Engineer, I was the Senior Watch Keeper for a six hour watch every day. As 1st Engineer, same thing but with Supervision of the Engine Room Maintenance team. Now as Staff Chief, this is more like second in command of the Engine Room.
Will submit as is and see what comes back when the time comes.
Iāve seen staff chief in charge of all hotel mechanical aspects and nothing to do with engine room (except fire pumps, sewage, etc). Now, if you can explain what a staff captain does (besides warning sessions and blab about dumb procedures), that would solve a mystery for thousands of people.
1 Like
Well that sounds like a small percentage of what itās like to be a Captain in the non cruise ship side of the industry so I would gladly accept a āstaff captainā with open arms. Oh and they can also handle the sign ons, payroll, personnel issues, HSQE horseshit, etc. Iāll focus on keeping the operations moving in the right direction, big picture ISM, documents in proper order, and ensure that the navigation is on point.
2 Likes
For us at least the Staff Chief Engineer is in charge of, and oversees, all day to day Technical Operations, Engine Room and Hotel.
I for one am very different to most Staff Chiefs I know in that I am hands on and prefer to be in the Engine Room rather than at my desk. Good example would be me overhauling a Provision Compressor over the last couple of days. Normally would be handled by the 1st Engineer, but the knowledge is quite frankly not there, so I stepped in and am doing it. Thatās the stuff that I became an Engineer for.
2 Likes
I have MCA (Y3), Now called (SV) >9,000kW & 3,000GT and my Aussie licence is an MED1 (Marine Engine Driver Grade 1)
It took about 5 weeks to hear back from the USCG after my original application was sent, this included STCW OICEW, I realised I didnāt have enough time to complete all of the courses required, I then changed my application to a national licence only, and that also took about 4 weeks. Not too bad I guess!
Yeah, I would say thatās not too bad in the grand scheme of things. Once I get Citizenship, Iām going to be looking into getting my Engineerās licenses sorted out in more depth, but am hoping that I get a similar response time as you had. With my QMED, that didnāt really take that long at all but I did send some stuff in via email and got the address wrong so when I finally realised that had cost me a couple of weeks.
Somebody else does the navigation planning. The personal department handles all the sign on/off. Finance dept handles payroll. HR handles all the complaints and all that jazz. Which leads back to my original pointā¦
You would have a nice suite with a balconyā¦and since you arenāt the real captain, nobody wants to take their picture with you. Sounds like it may be the perfect gig.
1 Like
I thought that was the point of the staff captain, to shmooze with the cargo so the captain doesnāt have to.
My only experience with Cruise/Passenger ships was a week long survey I did on one for ABS. It was my understanding that the Staff Captain and Safety Officer carried out the function of Chief Mate, and I worked with both of them very closely. The Captain was the one who schmoozed with the cargo. . . and had his own table with a rotation of guests, especially at dinner. In fact, I donāt ever recall seeing the captain out of uniform the entire week. I would visit his cabin before dinner and drink the scotch that was offered, though. . . .
1 Like
And then the same folks look at the Staff Chief weird because heās in a boilersuit and not his khakis on a daily basisā¦!
1 Like
Hello everyone,
First of all, Iād like to thank all the information about QMED ratings.
Iām a Brazilian STCW Chief Engineer and Iām applying for the green card. As soon as I get it, Iāll apply for the QMED rating, canāt wait.
I Would like to know more about how it works, work schedule (28x28; or every day at home), best cities for a first opportunity, average salary? thank you very much.
Hey all!
I know itās been a while and this thread was pretty much dead but wanted to see if I can get some more advice and questions answered.
So after leaving the cruise industry, Iāve moved full time into the US tug sector, having been taken on as Engineer with a tug company.
Iām still looking to get my USCG Engineers license(s) and now citizenship seems to be a whole bunch closer to being available, Iām trying to get my ducks in a row for this round of licensing.
So I know i have to get my STCW safety training from a USCG recognized training facility, but will I also have to redo my HELM courses and High Voltage certificates and all that? Iām really hoping not but have a feeling that I will as my current certificates were not obtained in the USA. Does anyone know which certificates, if any, will be accepted?
Another question is, is there any way to get in touch with the USCG licensing section and actually speak to someone thatās not on the NMC chat or phone centre? Feel if I could plead my case with someone who actually knows whatās what, I might be able to get somewhere.
Cheers!