Nautical Institute - Tips, tricks or recourse?

Professional Mariner Forum
1

Tomorrow marks the fifth month they have had my book without me being able to get any real answers. I have been told that i may not have completed Section C within my allotted time (30 days, hard to set up on DP etc. when you are drilling a well), but they need to check it again. This is the what one of the supervisors told me a month ago, and that it would be sorted out in a week or two. I called Tuesday, all of the DP department was in training. Go figure. Today, my contact was unavailable and they put me on with another supervisor who had the worst stammer I have ever heard. It took approximately half an hour for her to tell me that it would be another week or two (read never) for it to be checked out.

I sent the book off in August, and the oil field has since fallen on its face and I have been furloughed. Now I dont mind picking up and jumping on a ship, and i have already began exploring that option, but that certificate will certainly assist me in getting back to work in the gulf, with my company or another. I have already been passed over by one driller due to the lack of a DP certificate.

We pay the NI ~$150 to verify our books and issue our certificate, yet they do not seem to hold up their end of the bargain. I know this is a preaching to the choir situation, and others may be, or have been, in this situation, but I am at a loss for what to do now. I would pick up and fly over there to get i issued right now but that wont cut it.

If anyone has had to deal with these people in a situation like this, what did you do? Was there someone that you spoke with that could give you any actual answers or get anything done? If they would have told me what I needed to do to fix whatever discrepancy there was in this book, maybe I could have fixed it before half the boats in Fourchon were laid up. I cant believe I am saying this, but I can not wait for the USCG to be involved in the issuance of DP credentials. Is there anything that Mariners can do to bring action against the NI for practically holding our certficates hostage? Screw this organization.

Posted here because no one reads the Dynamic Positioning board.

2

NI received my logbook on Sept 17. My last two emails have gone unanswered.

3

The secret with the NI is dont be honest with the content of the book less you make sure the guy signing you off was on board with you and you were there for at least 30 days, the boat is in class and the owner and vessel name has stayed the same from when you were on board to now when the NI is checking it.
IMHO anything that is not perfect in your log book will create a massive delay due to the pile of bad applications being very large.
There are very clear instructions on the web site on how to fill it in and what supportting documentation you must supply.

4

all of my stuff is on the up and up, but inside of my 30 day familiarization period, i am not positive i was able to complete all of the sign offs, so some are outside of that. from the one person I have spoken with, this MAY be what is holding it up. If indeed it is what is holding it up, i will have to go back and redo the sign offs, which is not a big deial, if they would actually TELL ME THATS WHAT I NEED TO DO.

How much pay has been lost due to their ridiculous wait times and policies etc? I know i am not the only one. Also, I know people who have sent off and received their cert inside the time that mine has been in.

5

The other scary thing about the NI is that they are requiring a special sea time letter from the company to renew. I know that companies are required to give a sea time letter under the CFR’s for renewing your CG license. Are they required to give you a sea time letter showing DP days? Good luck with this if you leave on bad terms or go to the competition. I can’t wait for the USCG to start regulating this instead of NI