first let me say that I did a search and went to the coast guard website and searched there. If I read everything right I can get a seatime letter from my comany but will only get the VPDSD and SA endorsement , But to get the VSO I have to go take the class? I have read that as of January 1 that people can not serve in a captain or mate spot without having this. I have been so busy going to other schools that this one has slipped by me. I also read that they will let you sail if you can show it has been submitted and your just waiting on it in the mail.
It also looks like the only approved classes in LA are Delgado and ECO, So if you don’t work for ECO than that only leaves Delgado. I so need ECO to hire me, All the money I have put out for schools this year has really cut into my surf trips
Check with Delgato. In early '11 they had grant money available for VSO tuition.
Only really matters if you’re going foreign it seems? Just get the vpdsd endorsement and make your company pay for VSO if its an issue down the line.
Lol I’ve been trying to get my company to pay for it. Tight wads!
[QUOTE=stick;123863]first let me say that I did a search and went to the coast guard website and searched there. If I read everything right I can get a seatime letter from my comany but will only get the VPDSD and SA endorsement , But to get the VSO I have to go take the class? …[/QUOTE]
See 33 CFR 104.215(d)
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=eb7e99fb2d5ed412291f2380eca97a31&node=33:1.0.1.8.52.2.26.4&rgn=div8
Cfr 33 does not say anything about January 1, 2014, also if I am reading that right I would need the seatime letter plus the class.
I took the VSO class in Houma last year, don’t remember name of Company (not Fletcher) and it was CG approved
[QUOTE=stick;123932]Cfr 33 does not say anything about January 1, 2014, also if I am reading that right I would need the seatime letter plus the class.[/QUOTE]
You asked two questions. I responded to the one that wasn’t ridiculous unfounded rumor.
The security endorsement parts of STCW go into effect on January 1, 2014. The US has not published regulations implementing these yet, but they will; be in effect internationally. If you operate internationally, you wiull likely be expected to have the endorsements on your MMC. A letter and course certificate probably won’t be sufficient to a foreign port state control official.
The endorsements are not connected to other endorsements. You can sail as mate or master without VSO, as long as you are not also the vessel’s security officer.
You need VPDSD if your job includes any duties for security.
Everyone in the crew of a seagoing vessel needs security awareness.
[QUOTE=tarponhunter;123945]I took the VSO class in Houma last year, don’t remember name of Company (not Fletcher) and it was CG approved[/QUOTE]
Minor clarification. The Coast Guard does not [U]approve [/U]VSO courses. They are accepted by a “Quality Standards System Organization” acting on behalf of the Coast Guard. So they are Coast Guard accepted, not approved. Does this mean anything to the mariner? no. But if you are the school that gives the course, it means you probably have to pay DNV or ABS to get what the Coast Guard does for free.
[QUOTE=“stick;123863”]But to get the VSO I have to go take the class? I have read that as of January 1 that people can not serve in a captain or mate spot without having this.[/QUOTE]
There only needs to be one VSO onboard as there is only one Vessel Security Officer.
That’s correct. Only one person on the vessel has to have VSO. Not sure how many people are considered VPDSD. I guess it depends on your VSP.
No ABS or any other classification society were not paid to my knowledge, at least not from my company or myself. The course I took meets the requirements of 33 CFR Part 104, ISPS Code and STCW
The idea is it costs money (private organization) for class to get a course “accepted” rather than “approved.”