Merchant Mariner Credential
    Requirements

Merchant Mariner Credentials are issued as Officer
Endorsements, Rating Endorsements, and STCW
Endorsements.
  • Officer Endorsements include Master, Mate and
    OUPV and are required to operate most
    commercial vessels.
  • Rating Endorsements include Ordinary Seaman
    and Able Seaman and are required to work as a
    deckhand on most sea-going commercial vessels
    greater than 100 GRT. An Officer's Endorsement
    does not issue any authority of the Rating
    Endorsement.
  • STCW Endorsements are required on most
    seagoing vessels greater than 200 GRT. These
    endorsements are not required for any vessel
    operating exclusively on an inland route or for any
    vessel less than 200 tons.

To qualify for most endorsements the mariner must
document qualifying sea service experience. Some
merchant mariner credentials require all or part of the
qualifying experience to be on vessels of a specific size;
indicated as the gross registered tonnage (GRT) of the
vessel. Gross Registered Tons is a measurement of the
volume of space inside the vessel's hull, not the actual
weight of the vessel. The GRT of documented vessels
can be found on the Certificate of Documentation for
that vessel. To estimate the GRT of state registered
vessels use the formula: (Length x Width x Depth)
divided by 100.

Upgrading Endorsements
When upgrading an existing MMC Endorsement the
applicant must meet the qualifying experience
requirements of the new endorsement. This can be
done by using experience already documented, by
documenting new experience or any combination of the
two. Qualifying experience never expires, is never used
up and can always be amended so be sure to keep
track of your experience records.
Columbia Pacific Maritime LLC
Call (503) 841-6066 for more information or to schedule a class.

(c) Dennis A. Degner 2006-2011
Renewal Requirements
All Merchant Mariner Credentials are issued for five
years and may be renewed at any time prior to the
expiration date. There is a one-year administrative
grace period to renew an expired credential; you cannot
work on your credential during this grace period.

If you can document 360-days of sea-service
experience while holding your credential then you can
renew without taking any courses or exams. If you
cannot document this experience you can either take
an open book exam or a one-day renewal course.


Endorsement Requirements
Click on the endorsement to view the requirements for
that endorsement.

Officer Endorsements

Rating Endorsements

STCW Endorsements