I’m having trouble understanding the requirements for OICNW. The national license requirements are quite clear. However, I have read through the checklists, as well as forums such as this, and have yet to find a definitive answer concerning STCW requirements.
NVIC 12-14, as I read it, suggests that completing onboard signoffs can count as the lion’s share of STCW based requirements. It seems that the 10+ courses are a secondary means of satisfying the proof of competency. That being said, and again, as I understand it, there are a few courses that are still required, including SAR and meteorology among possible others.
I suppose the purpose of this post is to see whether my understanding is correct concerning the assessor signoffs/course relationship, with the signoffs being used in lieu of taking all or most of the courses. Also, if so, is there a definitive list of classes that are not covered in the signoff and would still need to be taken?
You need BOTH the courses and assessments. See 46 CFR 11.309. The assessments are the way 46 CFR 11.309(a)(3) s met. Note the “and” at the end of the sub-paragraph. The assessments are in addition to the courses, not instead of them.
Some of the assessments are covered by just completing a course. Enclosure (2) notes which these are. You are responsible for ALL of the rest of them. Some courses MAY also meet an assessment, but that’s optional and the school is not required to include the assessment. They may, but they don’t have to.
As someone with an unlimited license and all my STCW needs taken care of, I’m all for it.
I think my limited tonnage colleagues would balk at the suggestion. All of our domestic industries have their own carve outs and loopholes to make it easier(cheaper). That’s why we have domestic licensing for fishing, OSV, Inland, MODU, AB-Special, and all sorts of other special situations. It would be good to force our domestic industries to raise the standards, but it would cost money, at least in terms of companies competing for a higher skilled labor market.
One way to simplify things for the great majority of US mariners (and the USCG) would be to make all vessels that only operate in the domestic Jones Act trade exempt from STCW.
All fishing vessels , and 90% of tugs (under 200 GRT), all Inland vessels, and all Great Lakes vessels are already exempt from STCW.
What harm would it do to make OSVs exempt? or the rest of the tugs? Or coastwise domestic ships?