Anyone out there gone from Master OSV 10,000 to a Master Unlimited w/o testing again. I understand I’ll have to do the different assessments and adv ship handling. My vessel is above 3,000 ITC. Live Chat w/nmc said it’s evaluated on a case by case basis. Just curious to see if anyone else has tried this with any success.
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This will be interesting to find out about.
Not possible.
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But it is incredibly stupid that NMC makes you test again on almost the exact same subjects. Why on earth do they have so many different tests for masters and mates?
The OSV and other trade restricted licenses (fishing) need to be eliminated.
Grandfather the OSV (3000 GT or more) license holders into unlimited licenses and be done with it.
New entrants to the OSV (and fishing) 3000 GT or more worlds should follow the unlimited license track.
Then watch OSV wages go up as the grandfathers retire.
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Is it possible to go from Master OSV to Master Unlimited with an exam, and assessments?
Is Chief Mate time required?
Chief Mate time is required. But, see the definition of chief mate in 46 CFR 10.107.
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Straight from the unlimited checklist: “Service as Master on any vessel over 100 GRT, including trade restricted, will meet the requirement as C/M. The service must be within the scope of the MMC with regards to vessel type, and/or tonnage
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Experience as Master is better than experience as Chief Mate.
It only makes sense that seatime as Master should count towards the Chief Mate seatime requirement.
Please?
That’s for a National License and does not permit international service without the required STCW endorsements. .
Once you have the master OSV or unlimited, you are eligible for master 3000 GT or more with no additional sea service.
But possible training and assessments if the STCW endorsement was limited to OSVs.
Simplifying and clarifying the path from Master OSV to Unlimited Master would considerably reduce administrative burdens, consumption of staff time, and expense for the NMC.
it would also save mariners and maritime employers from a lot of unnecessary headaches, heartaches, time, and expense.
It would mean adding STCW requirements for OSVs. Some may not view that as “simplifying” and reducing expenses.
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Once upon a time, there was a need for OSV licenses for people from rural Louisiana with limited education and limited English. Similarly, there was a need for licenses for fishermen with limited education. However, that time has long passed, and there really isn’t any bona fide justification anymore for the OSV and fishing licenses.
Also, there are increasing numbers of vessels in the oil patch over 10,000 GRT that do require unlimited licenses.
The differences between what is required for an OSV license (or a fishing license) over 3000 GT and an unlimited license has shrunk to the point where it really isn’t such a big deal.
Particularly, if the existing OSV and fishing license holders are grandfathered into unlimited licenses. The advantages of this to the OSV industry would be substantial, but the new additional requirements would be for the next generation of OSV mariners.
The existing unlimited mariners, Academies, and feckless maritime unions will cry, but practically speaking, very few of the OSV or fishing mariners grandfathered into unlimited licenses would ever be able to make the transition to container ships, bulkers , or tankers, except maybe a 3rd Mates.
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