One of the people in the SIU hall and a mention online indicate that one can get an LNG credential online, instead of going to Piney Point.
But we can’t locate anything that looks legitimate.
Any pointers?
I did an online one a couple years ago, unless you have experience with LNG, I do not recommend it at all. Take the time and go to an actual class. The one I did was an “introduction” into it, and it was not. Communication with the teacher was basically non existent, the course material itself was clearly translated from another language and made zero sense, some of the lessons would take hours to complete. If you missed any video or practice quiz in the lesson, you could not finish that particular lesson and would have to go back to find what you missed, finish it and then you could take the practice test at the end. When doing the final exam, multiple questions had the wrong correct answer, they would not allow you to contest it even if you could prove it.
Technology has changed. Remote delivery of part-task simulation is possible, and COVID prompted changes and improvements in instructor involvement. It may not be “computer based training” (canned presentations with minimal instructor involvement). Your description sound like you had CBT. The course may now be remote delivery of the same training you’d get in a classroom.
I would investigate further rathe than dismiss it entirely.
I did a DL course a while back that felt the same.
Never did anything with it, it felt flaky.
Mariner Skills provides a class for Tankship Liquefied Gases, its USCG approved satisfies all CFR requirements. But on the other hand only satisfies STCW Section AV/1, Table A-V/1-2-1 of the STCW Code for Basic Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations. If you are taking a LNG class I believe it is more important to get your STCW International Endorsement rather than the USCG Domestic endorsement. Why? US has no Liquified Gas ships. If you are planning to work for international company they will look at your STCW endorsements, they do not care about USCG CFR stuff.
In the US, you need to hold a national (domestic) endorsement to get the associated STCW endorsement. See 46 CFR 11.201(a) and 12.201(a)(1). In the US, you cannot get the STCW endorsement alone. However, if you obtain the national endorsement by completing a course and have valid STCW basic training you will also qualify for the STCW endorsement. Since the US won’t issue the STCW alone, without the national endorsement there would be no US issued STCW credential for another flag to recognize.
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This is a guess, it’s likely the original poster is talking about LNG as a fuel endorsement, which I think is formally called “IGF Code Operations” (Basic or Advanced).
This is for working on the new LNG fueled US Flag ships. Since he mentioned SIU, I highly doubt the class if for Tankerman Assist/PIC Liquefied Gas…unless it’s for a LNG bunker barge?
Yep. Our local SIU person was pushing this at the last meeting.
Interesting, well understood thank you for your information.
The US schools have lobbied to prevent recognition of foreign STCW courses. This is unfortunate. I have no doubt that Northern European courses would be at least as good as US courses, and probably a lot better.
Moreover, I think that most US mariners would benefit a great deal from some international maritime exposure. The number of Americans that would take foreign courses would be quite small and it certainly wouldn’t do any harm.
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