Interpreting Unlimited Mate Checklist and Career Qs

Professional Mariner Forum
1

Hi, I work on OSVs over 1600grt as AB with Harvey Gulf, I want to move over to tug and barges and work as an AB tankerman mainly and get up in pay. I have AB special(working on getting limited and ASD soon), my tankerman PIC, RFPNW, lifeboatman, PSC and other capacities. My question is, what percent of 12 hour days worked on these vessels count towards 3rd mate unlimited and does seatime typically count for unlimited tonnage when the vessel is connected to a barge? Could I expect it to take longer to get to a unlimited 3rd mate’s license if I switch to working tug and barge?

P.S - are there companies out there looking for unlicensed DPOs and if so is it worth getting DPO certifications without a mate’s license?

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Straight off the national maritime website.
Looks like you need 50 percent of days over 1600, then the rest over 100 tons.

Recency – 90 days in the past 3 years on vessels over 100 GRT to include 45

days on vessels over 1,600 GRT.

11.201

MSM

3rd MATE 46 CFR

1080 days of service in the deck department on Ocean/NC or Great Lakes self-

propelled vessels, OF WHICH

  1. 180 days of bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the

master or a qualified officer.

11.407

Experience gained in the engine department on vessels of appropriate tonnage

may be creditable for up to 90 days of the service requirements OR

11.407

Graduation from a maritime academy:

USMMA (deck curriculum),

USCGA / USNA (with qualification as DWO or OOD),

Deck class of:

California Maritime Academy, Maine Maritime Academy, State

University of NY Maritime College, Texas Maritime Academy of

Texas A&M University of Galveston, Massachusetts Maritime

Academy or GLMA w/ocean option program (GLMA w/o ocean

service will be allowed to test for NC); OR

11.407

Satisfactory completion of a comprehensive apprentice mate training program

approved by the Coast Guard, OR

11.407

360 days as master on vessels of more than 200 GRT upon Ocean/NC waters

while holding an Officer endorsement as Master less than 1600 GRT

Ocean/NC (tonnage limitation WILL apply)

11.407

NOTE: Service towards an Oceans, NC endorsement will be credited as

follows:

      1. Service on GL will be credited day for day.

Service on inland waters, other than GL, may substitute for up to 50%

of the total required service.

Service on vessels to which STCW applies (inland or NC) will be

credited day for day.

11.401

A Master or Mate of GL &/or Inland of AGT, may obtain this endorsement by

completing the prescribed examination.

11.407

Unlimited Tonnage 46 CFR

All required service is on vessels of 100 GRT or more AND 11.402

50% of the required service is on vessels 1600 GRT or more or a tonnage

limitation may apply (see Tonnage Limitation below).

Any sea service on ATB’s, dual or push mode ITB’s or any towing vessel with

barges, refer to 46 CFR 11.211 (d) and NVIC 2-81 for tonnage calculation.

3

My question is, if you wanna be a tug/barge tanker man, why do you want a 3rd mate license? It won’t help you achieve your goals.

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4

I want the license to have the flexibility to work as a mate on larger vessels in the future, but as long as that license is a ways away I would prefer to work as a tankerman and make more money in the meantime. Preferably somewhere where the seatime will get me to a bigger license faster based on waters, tonnage & 12hr days.

5

I dont remember the verbiage, but i believe you need a license to go through the DP schema (i could be completely wrong on this, as i know cadets have gotten time towards their DPO).

But, becoming a DPO is a huge process, so unless that is your dream job, don’t bother. I’d say, its probably on average two years for someone to become a full DPO, i did it in a hair over a year, but got very lucky.

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6

Once you go down the Tankerman route, that’s about where you will likely stay.
I’ve never known anyone to make the switch to the wheelhouse once they start tanking, but you could be the exception.

How did you get a PIC-Barge while working at Harvey Gulf? Last I checked they only have OSV’s. Do you know how to tank a barge? If that’s something you want to do, there are other better options to work for that specialize in bunkering and lightering, will probably have to travel to either West coast or East though.

You can no longer take DP without the minimum license requirement, which I believe is 200t but could be 500t, I can’t recall exactly, but you’ll need to get the license first.

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7

And he will need the corresponding STCW officer license or OICNW for Nautical Institute recognition.

8

Realistically, if the goal is 3M, tanker man isn’t the best stepping stone. Yes, you’ll make more money in the interim, but I think you’d be better off going deep sea and getting that large tonnage sea time out of the way. That will be your biggest hurdle. While you’re doing that you can cry a larger tonnage license (200/500/1600) to qualify for DP.

There’s more than one way to skin a cat, but some are far more direct than others.