My Plan for License Advancement-- Is it the Right Way?

Hi All,

I’m currently an AB on an unlimited tonnage (5,289GT) IMR vessel. I am in the middle of completing my STCW courses for the 3rd mate unlimited license, and still need 360 or so days of unlimited tonnage sea time.

With the sea time I have now I could get my Mate OSV license and get a significant pay rise from my company while I still accrue the sea time for my 3rd mate license. Additionally, I could take DPO induction as a third mate trainee, and get my full DPO license under the mate OSV license, all before I’m eligible for 3rd unlimited.

My plan is as follows:

  • Take DP induction course as a third mate trainee
  • Apply to take the OSV mate exam, as well as 1600 mate NC exam
  • Take celestial course at MPT
  • Take exam for 1600 mate/mate OSV/3rd mate unlimited (I believe they’re all the same exam)
  • Upgrade to oceans
  • When I get the sea time for 3rd mate unlimited, upgrade to that with no additional testing

Does this seem like a viable plan to you guys? I don’t want to pigeonhole myself where I’m unable to upgrade to 3rd mate because I’m sailing as a mate OSV. If that won’t be an issue I will submit the application to test immediately.

That looks solid to me!

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My license consultant has advised me that I will need to test for both Mate OSV and 1600 NC. Is there any way to petition the coast guard to allow me to take one exam for both licenses? They appear to be identical exams.

Didn’t you say that was your plan?

That is my plan but I’ve been told taking two exams at once is quite a daunting task. Is it possible to take only one exam for both licenses?

Take the 1600 Mate NC. It is “non-trade restricted” whereas the OSV license is just that: OSV only.

Perhaps work towards and test for a National Near Coastal license to avoid the time and cost of STCW. I’ve encountered several hawse pipers that spend time and expense on STCW classes but cannot pass the license tests and never advance from their deck rating. Although, some STCW classes will help you prepare for tests. Once you pass the national endorsement you can go after the balance of STCW classes. This will also allow you to take celestial on it’s own at a later date to upgrade from NC Ocean endorsement. Good luck, it is a difficult uphill path for sure. Much respect.

My motivation for taking the OSV license is receiving a large pay bump from my company while still being able to accrue my 3rd mate unlimited sea time. Taking the 1600 NC at the same time will allow me to get testing out of the way, but give me no pay bump as I’m on an unlimited tonnage OSV.

I do fully back myself in my ability to pass the exams. I hold a 3000GT officer’s license from the MCA so much of the material I have seen before. I planned on only examining for 1600/3rd mate, but the prospect of a large pay rise before finishing up with my 3rd mate sea time is a very attractive option. I only have a handful of STCW classes left to take.

Your consultant is right (I assume you are paying them because they know more about the process than you do…). You need to take both examinations. See the list of endorsements that do not require an examination in 46 CFR 11.903(b).

You have the right to seek reconsideration and to appeal AFTER you apply and are approved to take the exams, but you will likely not prevail and it may only delay things.

I had a similar situation. Took the mate 1600 Oceans test. Pass it and ended up with a 3/M 6000 GRT as the vessel was under 6000 GRT. So I went to MSC which their vessels are above 10,000 GRT to get that tonnage restriction removed. Somewhere in the CFR’s says that anything above 10k GRT is considered unlimited. I was an AB while holding that 3/M restricted for so many days that the USCG required. Also lots of guys stay on OSV and get up to 10,000 GRT. Don’t know if that has changed, I currently working as C/M on OSV(SubChapter L)for the seatime. Need 8 more days for Master Unlimited.

If you are staying in the OSV sector you’ll need that DPO ticket. When I took it, it was 210 DP days total. Heard that now is just 120 days, so it is easier to get those DP days.

Last sentence of 46 CFR 11.402(b):
When the calculated limitation equals or exceeds 10,000 GRT, the applicant is issued an unlimited tonnage endorsement.

It hasn’t changed.

That doesn’t cover a lot of endorsements that don’t require an examination though. Like, upgrading to 3rd Mate from 1,600 ton Mate doesn’t require an examination. Upgrading to 1,600 ton Master from 500 ton Master doesn’t require an examination.

Upgrade to Mate OSV from 1,600 GRT Mate shouldn’t require an examination seeing as how you can go all the way to 2nd Mate Unlimited with the 1,600 ton Mate exam.

Seems viable. Apply for both and see what exams you get assigned. If they insist you take double exams then consider dropping the Mate 1,600 license and take rise exams in a year when you get your time for 3rd Mate. (Or just take all the exams at once, it’s all the same material so if you can pass one you can pass both.)

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Just take both exams. Thats no big deal.

A few years ago I took the exams for four licenses in four days. The Rules of the Road was the only thing that I only had to take once.

You should have no problem at all doing those two exams in the same week. After the first exam, you’ll be in the zone, and breeze right through the second exam.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. As much as I would love to only take the 1600 exam and upgrade to mate OSV, it seems like I will have to take both exams. I will be studying my ass off for the next few months. Even though it makes sense that I would only have to take the 1600 test, we all know that things that make sense and the coast guard rarely go hand in hand…

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The two exams will not require any extra study. They are basically the same. If you can pass one, you can pass the other.

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