Master of towing oceans

Can anyone help looking to upgrade my master of towing to Mate 500 I talked with nmc and they said Mate of tow to mate 500, should just be a request. No test required.
Does anyone know if that’s right. Any info would be nice my shipmate would like to upgrade soon

Don’t you already have a license higher than 500 ton?

Don’t you have Master of Towing?

I call bullshit.

So is this for you or someone else?


The answer to your question seems pretty obvious when you read the CFR…

46 CFR 11.418
(Requirements for Master 500)

(b) The holder of a license or MMC endorsement as master or mate (pilot) of towing vessels authorizing service on oceans or near-coastal routes is eligible for an endorsement as master of ocean or near-coastal self-propelled vessels of less than 500 GRT after both 1 year of service as master or mate of towing vessels on oceans or near-coastal routes and completion of a limited examination.

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I thought you were an unlimited master…

Sailed with a guy who about 6 or 7 years ago used his Master of Tow to crossover to Master 500t NC. He DEFINITELY took a limited exam…something like 3 modules instead of 5 or 6.

All the checklists are posted on the NMC website. Check em out

It’s not so obvious, I think you missed a few points in the question question. He was asking for someone else, and was asking about going to Mate 500. The NMC Exam Guide (see page 16) has no notes indicating that there is an exception for Mate TV to Mate 500, that usually means the full exam is required.

He wasn’t asking anything very coherently. See below the original question he asked:

Sadly it’s still possible to upgrade all the way to an unrestricted 1,600/3,000 ton license and a 10,000 ton OSV license with nothing more than a apprentice mate exam and this limited exam.

Don’t you have to be assessed for a towing license ?

Yes sorry it is for someone else one of my shipmates

Yes, you have to complete a Towing Officer Assessment Record (TOAR) in the presence of a Coast Guard approved Designated Examiner. See NVIC 3-16.

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He was working on one of the towing vessels in Cameron Louisiana but things got slow so they put him on as a deckhand on here with me so that’s why he was asking about moving up the 500 ton mate

What license(s) do they currently have?

He currently holds meet of towing up on oceans with STCW

Phone keeps messing up sorry it’s mate

Does he have any sea time as mate on towing vessels?

Yes he does

I think he is missing 26 days from upgrading to master

I think then that he’s sol. He’s going to need 720 days sea time, apply for 500 ton mate NC, and take the whole mate exam.

He should be good on sea time if he has Master of Towing Vessels. That requires over 720 days, and most or all of his time to get Master TV can be used for Mate 500, although NMC may want him to re-submit the documentation for it. He does probably has to take the full exam.

So is it possible for a limited exam I’ve looked for a hole but can’t find 1

I didn’t want to assume anything about the route or tonnage his towing time was on but I realize he probably has the sea time.