Our Company has a program for entry level employees to obtain a QMED, then DDE 1000 hp in order to be the 2nd watch of the engine room on Ocean going tugs. After reading NVIC 01-06, NVIC 6-97, and the Assessor’s Manual I have more questions than answers. Our Chiefs have Chief Engineer licenses and we are utilizing the RFPEW for both a training guide and for the STCW portion of the QMED. Is it possible to obtain a Designated Examiner on an Engineering license? If so, is anything needed more than a train the trainer course and the appropriate license/experience? Is the DE required to sign the RFPEW, or can any licensed engineer? Is there a minimum standard like there is to be shipboard assessor? Any insight or experiences for those who have gone through this is greatly appreciated.
I think its policy letter 14-02. The assessor must hold a 2A/E or higher with STCW-95 and have read the manual for assessors … That’s it.
That is correct, but the way I understand it is that there is a difference between a designated examiner and a shipboard assessor.
I am pretty sure the DE is only for signing off TOARs, at least that is the only place I’ve seen it referenced, and has nothing to do with assessments
Second assistant and higher or a chief engineer limited can sign off the rfpew. Check the NMC website under checklist and it has it listed on there.
I took a one week class and it covered the while thing. When I finished I received my certificate to mail off to the Coast Guard.
do with assessments
[QUOTE=Rand43Ang;70643]do with assessments
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=NBPRESTON;55774]That is correct, but the way I understand it is that there is a difference between a designated examiner and a shipboard assessor.[/QUOTE]
There is, but perhaps not as you think. The aassessor is for STCW, the DE is for the TOAR for towing vessels licenses.
As we originally envisoined the imoplementation of STCW95, there would be designated examiners operating in the way the towing DEs are doing now (see NVIC 6-97). They would have needed to be Coast Guard approved, and would have a fair amount of discretion in determining competence. That concept was modified based on strong industry objection absed on liability concerns on certifying the competence of someone who might later be involved in an accidemnt. As a result, the current practice of the shipboard assessor was implemented. The assessor does not need specific approval as they are not exercising significant discretion in how the assessment is performed and are not offering a professional opinion on competence. They are attesting to having wirtnessed a single, one-time performance of a very soecifically described task. The idea being that if you truthfully witnessed the canduidate follow the described procedure, you are only stating what you saw and liability should not attach for attesting to what you saw. That’s why there are so many STCW assessment as when compared with the far fewer items in the TOAR.
There are still some vesitges of the DE concept for STCW in older policy documents, but as has been norted, the Designated Examiner is in parctice limited to the TOAR for towing vessels.
On another point mentioned here, the assessor for RFPEW is a 2nd AE “or higher.” For these purposes, a Chief Engineer-Limited on a vessel of the appropriate horsepower is considered higher than 2nd AE and can sign off.
Thank you, appreciate the clear explanation.