QMED and engineer

Shane83zx · February 1, 2009, 7:19pm

I have a friend out here on the river tugs that is an unlicensed engineer looking to start getting himself some credentials. I believe he has to start with a QMED, but he is having difficulty finding any good info on where he take the courses for it and how long/how much it is. He has years of time out here as an unlicensed engineer, but I see the licenses require X time on the QMED.

If anyone has some useful info I can pass on and maybe a school local to Louisiana/Mississippi please let me know.

tengineer · February 1, 2009, 8:01pm

There used to be a clause in the USCG regs stating ‘equivalent supervisory experience’ which could be used in lieu of a QMED in order to obtain an engineering license. Unlicensed engineers used to be able to skip the QMED by this method, don’t know if it’s still being done but if so it’s an avenue worth looking into.

injunear · February 1, 2009, 8:40pm

That was done regularly in the 70’s with the uninspected licenses. I know of one DDE that’s done it. A friend of mine on MERPAC has been trying to get things going on these requirements but seems to be pushed to the back burner. Maybe Mr. Cavo can shed some light.

ConsultantG · February 3, 2009, 10:00am

There is an exception for qualifying for the DDE license without holding a QMED. The vessel your friend served on cannot require a licensed engineer (uninspected vessel). He must be the only engineer on duty (Unlicensed), provide a service letter that includes a [B]full description[/B] of duties performed to show compliance with the required job description. Also, keep in mind any applicant that passes an engineer exam over 2000 hp can ask for a QMED-All endorsements with no further tests.

If your friend has not had the service above, he will have to start with QMED with atleast one rating (Oiler, etc.)

seadog · March 19, 2009, 2:35am

Don’t know if it’s pertinent but Sea School has QMED-OILER and RFPEW classes for OSV.

One of the problems I ran into years ago was the “supervisory” experience, if you’re the ONLY Engineer, just who are you supervising?

jdcavo · March 19, 2009, 11:15am

http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/approved_courses.asp

KelLogGes · April 4, 2009, 1:10pm

tengineer I agree; they there are a lot of new code changes coming.
I am on my 4th issue of my lower level masters and 3 engineering licenses and MMD. (not patting myself on the back, just trying to let you know I know a bit about several variations between both Masters and Engineering Licenses and also MMDS Deck and Engine and it’s taken me over 20 years to learn and I like to share this knowledge with others when I can. But please know CFR’s are changing or some have changed,
When in doubt go verify by reading the latest version of the US Federal Code of Regulations for the sections that apply! This is United States LAW if you don’t know! The latest is always available online too (smile) and make sure you are looking at the Latest Codes, sometimes they change!
As far as I know the CFR’s have not changed for this? But you should check to be sure ONLINE or with the National Marine Center and ask them to be sure and explain and prove it to you, or go in person to to your local USCG (REC) “Regional Exam Center”; but make sure if you go to the REC " You Talk To Only A Licensed evaluator at the counter; and not someone lower; by stating specifically that you are respectfully requesting that you wish to speak to a licensed evaluator.
Don’t make a mistake to speak to anyone lower then a License Evaluator; you have the right to do this (and don’t worry about the look the person gives you when you say this just be very polite and respectful ! The people at the counter unless you get very lucky are low level people and do not know about many things they will tell you they do!!! Even at the National Marine Center verify you are talking to a a License Evaluator.
FYI, unless you are very new in the marine industry The best way to get a “QMED ANY” rating on your Merchant Mariners Document “MMD” Z-Card and includes “ANY Unlicensed rating in the engine room”, is to take the DDE exam and get a Designated Duty Engineers license; I know it works for a DDE 4000 that is 2 years sea time, not sure for a DDE 1000 which is only is only one year sea time.
I know that they give qualifying sea time for onboard engineering work (being at the dock counts too, engineers can get day for day etc or 1.5 days each day with 12 hours working not underway and at the dock) Deck Department either licensed or unlicensed cannot do this.
If you have one year sea time on any kind of vessel as serving in the capacity of serving as the soul engineer unlicensed this counts for as serving in a supervisory capacity as a QMED and you have NO QMED, and can count for working as an engineer for a license. (Again verify this with a licensed evaluator or the latest CFR’s)
Believe it or not working on someone’s small private boat in the capacity of engineer might qualify you for the sea time for a Designated Duty Engineer lower level License (under 1600 tons) and/or a QMED.
If you know someone that has one QMED rating say I.E QMED Oiler and one year or more total sea service and wants to add other QMED ratings (there are several); Here are some words of wisdom, tell them to not to take any more QMED exams for each different QMED rating they want, skip this idea completely and go get a Designated Duty Engineers license (talk to the evaluators at the REC and or NMC about this) When I got my DDE 4000 license I did not even have an MMD/Z-Card they gave me a new Z-Card and on then added “ANY UNLICENSED RATING IN THE ENGINE ROOM”.
DDE License training is not much more than a QMED training so be smart use your brain.
After saying all this I have one thing to add more words of wisdom.>>
Most people do not know this, But If you have a DDE 4000 Engineer License or you get one, and you might want to work in the oil patch and make some very good money; you can get a Chief Engineer Limited 1600 tons domestic (3000 tons ITC) by simply requesting a Chief Engineer Limited License “OSV” (Offshore Supply Vessel) There is no examination if you have a DDE 4000!!! The only cost is the evaluation for the endorsement and the issuance of the license.
If anyone reads this and notices I made any mistakes and/or current CFR changes that apply etc please do not hesitate to correct me. The more I learn the less I know!

raymond · August 8, 2009, 12:10am

[quote=Shane83zx;7959]I have a friend out here on the river tugs that is an unlicensed engineer looking to start getting himself some credentials. I believe he has to start with a QMED, but he is having difficulty finding any good info on where he take the courses for it and how long/how much it is. He has years of time out here as an unlicensed engineer, but I see the licenses require X time on the QMED.

If anyone has some useful info I can pass on and maybe a school local to Louisiana/Mississippi please let me know.[/quote]
If you have enough sea time as an unlicensed engineer you can skip becoming an qmed and go for your engineers license, you need 480 days as an unlicensed engineer and in a supervisory position to become a engineer you can go to sea school in bayou labatre, alabama call and get
the phone number and the address that you would need to become a QMED

YoungEngineer · December 9, 2009, 9:25am

NMC POLICY LTR NO. 07-00
[FONT=Times New Roman][LEFT]Engineer licenses
(1) A mariner licensed as designated duty engineer (DDE) may have the license endorsed
for service as the chief engineer on OSVs of not more than 3,000 GT on near coastal, domestic
routes within the horsepower limitations of the license and the route limitations set forth in
46 CFR 10.501. No additional endorsement is required.
(2) A mariner licensed as chief engineer (limited) may serve as the chief engineer of an
OSV of not more than 3,000 GT within the horsepower and route limitations of the license
without further endorsement. The license must be endorsed to authorize service on vessels of
3,000 GT.
.
(3) A mariner licensed as chief engineer (OSV) of less than 4,000 HP may have the license[/LEFT]
endorsed for service as engineer (OSV) unlimited HP on domestic, near coastal voyages only.
[/FONT]

YoungEngineer · December 28, 2009, 12:10pm

KelLogGes as you stated about the QMED as of April of 2009 it still holds true. I obtained my DDE 4000 and now have the QMED “ANY UNLICENSED RATING IN THE ENGINE ROOM”. I have taken you up on your advice about the C/E Limited OSV i submitted a packet and it is now at the NMC. I will let you know how it went. Thanks for the advise this will help in my carrer since the company i work for owns mostly OSV vessels.

1985 · February 1, 2010, 1:15pm

[quote=ConsultantG;8029]There is an exception for qualifying for the DDE license without holding a QMED. The vessel your friend served on cannot require a licensed engineer (uninspected vessel). He must be the only engineer on duty (Unlicensed), provide a service letter that includes a [B]full description[/B] of duties performed to show compliance with the required job description. Also, keep in mind any applicant that passes an engineer exam over 2000 hp can ask for a QMED-All endorsements with no further tests.

If your friend has not had the service above, he will have to start with QMED with atleast one rating (Oiler, etc.)[/quote]

!!! Really? I gotta dig in and find this for myself! That would be great news as i have several years sea time as the only engineer on a tug, and i was going to take a qmed class around fall.

perry · March 8, 2010, 12:52pm

[QUOTE=Shane83zx;7959]I have a friend out here on the river tugs that is an unlicensed engineer looking to start getting himself some credentials. I believe he has to start with a QMED, but he is having difficulty finding any good info on where he take the courses for it and how long/how much it is. He has years of time out here as an unlicensed engineer, but I see the licenses require X time on the QMED.

If anyone has some useful info I can pass on and maybe a school local to Louisiana/Mississippi please let me know.[/QUOTE]

I have just recently received my dde 4000 and know for a fact that unlicensed engineers can bypass the Qmed route because unlicensed engineers are considered equivalent supervisory position and when i sent my seatime letter in i didnt have to put on there what my duties were all my seatime letter had on it was unlincesed engineer and that is all that is required

Jon · March 8, 2010, 2:12pm

How did it go?

YoungEngineer · March 8, 2010, 5:07pm

Hello all it has been a while since i have logged on. I would like to make a correction to a previous post.

[U]A DDE 4000 under the new MMC rules does. However he must hold a STCW, and OICEW endorment as well. The only reason i do know this to be fact is. I hold a DDE 4000 with STCW / OICEW and i hold international endorsment of 2nd 3rd assistant engineer, Assitant engineer LTD, DDE[/U]

After reviewing many things i have come to find out under the new STCW changes coming in July 2010 (maybee). That the 2nd and 3rd assistant is NOT INTERNATIONAL it is domestic and limited to 500 GRT near coastal. Sorry about the bad information on that post. After hours of talking to the <ACRONYM title=“National Maritime Center”>NMC</ACRONYM>, and <ACRONYM title=“United States Coast Guard”>USCG</ACRONYM> the new STCW changes are restructering the engineering side. (so to speak) There will be no more DDE 1,000 it will be 2nd, 3rd, asst eng A/E Limited up to 4,000 HP. This will be on domestic vessels near coastal. After following the new chart and hours of mind numbing reading I have found that the <ACRONYM title=“National Maritime Center”>NMC</ACRONYM>/<ACRONYM title=“United States Coast Guard”>USCG</ACRONYM> are structering the domestic side to mirror the Oceans side. So the chain can look something like this for a new mariner looking to go to the engine room.

Oiler (QMED)
3RD Engineer (under 4,000hp)
2ND Engineer (under 4,000hp)
DDE 4,0000 (all these steps are limited to domestic tonnage 500 GRT near coastal)

DDE AHP / A/E Limited Oceans (1,600 GRT 3,000 ITC) a DDE AHP is good for any waters and the A/E Limited Oceans you do qualify for but have to take the electrical exam. For those of you who are like me and have to start from square one. Electrical can be a pain in the you know what. Also note the tonnage changes. You no longer get 6,000 ITC with a DDE AHP.

C/E Limited or 3rd A/E
both of these positions require testing and evaluation and is the next step in the chain after you obtain your DDE AHP.

There is a question i would like to answer also that was posted.

[U]Just how am I supposed to get the RFPEW signed off if I there are almost no jobs for wipers on deep-sea ships (except SIU controlled vessels)? And I was hoping to possibly go to the GOM on a large OSV to get the RFPEW assesments done… But It needs to be on a large ship with a 1st, 2nd and 3rd AE’s? Or can a DDE sign-off on it?[/U]

Yes a DDE 4,000 can sign off on your assesments. However the person holding the DDE 4,000 [B]must have STCW / OICEW[/B] endorsment on thier license. If they don’t your going to need someone with a bigger license to sign you off. (this is still subjet to change when the new STCW changes come out).

I am a hawspiper and have had to study many books that were hand me downs to pass the <ACRONYM title=“United States Coast Guard”>USCG</ACRONYM> exams. However just as some extra info for those of you starting out. My brother is attending school for QMED-Oiler a 9 day class, testing on the 9th day. (bayu labatry AL) <–sorry for the spelling of that one. He was informed that when he passes he will get a certificate mailed to him in 7 to 10 days that he can submitt to the <ACRONYM title=“United States Coast Guard”>USCG</ACRONYM>/<ACRONYM title=“National Maritime Center”>NMC</ACRONYM> and obtain his ticket. This school was around $800.00 with meals and sleeping accomidations. After doing this there is no testing at the REC since it is now a <ACRONYM title=“United States Coast Guard”>USCG</ACRONYM> approved course. This can make things a bit easier for those of you just starting out. As for the RFPEW and getting your assesments singed off. This can be alot harder than sqeezing blood from a carrot. However if you do come across a DDE 4,000 just ask if they have STCW/OICEW endorsment, and your in.

As for skipping QMED and heading straight to DDE 4,000 i would suggest testing and doing this very promptly. With the new changes coming you will not be able to do this. For example i have a DDE 4,000 Any unlicensed rating (QMED) STCW/OICEW as stated above i have the new 2nd, 3rd, etc. Limited to 500 GRT near coastal domestic. I have fallen under the new STCW rules even though they are not in effect as of yet. I did take some advise and submitt a packet to obtain a C/E Limited OSV and my application was withdrawn. I did not get any official answer as to why however my guess is 1. due to the new changes comming into effect it no longer applies. or 2. since i am still in the process of testing for my DDE AHP / A/E Limited Oceans It was withdrawn for that reason.

So at the rate things are changing some of the old rules may not apply anymore. All i can say is good luck and hope you can make your goals.

YoungEngineer
Fix it or Go Home

SaltySailor · March 13, 2010, 12:41am

[quote=YoungEngineer;28592]Hello all it has been a while since i have logged on. I would like to make a correction to a previous post.