§ 12.01-1 - Purpose of rules in this part.

(a) The purposes of the regulations in this part are to provide—

(1) A comprehensive and adequate means of determining and verifying the identity, citizenship, nationality, and professional qualifications an applicant must possess to be eligible for certification to serve on merchant vessels of the United States;

(2) A means of determining that an applicant is competent to serve as a “rating forming part of a navigational watch” or a “rating forming part of an engine-room watch”, or is otherwise “designated to perform duties in a periodically unmanned engine-room”, on a seagoing ship, in accordance with the provisions of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended (STCW), and to receive the endorsement required by STCW; and

(b) The regulations in subpart 12.03 of this part prescribe the requirements applicable to all training and assessment associated with meeting the standards of competence established by STCW.

[CGD 95–062, 62 FR 34534, June 26, 1997, as amended by USCG-1999–5610, 67 FR 66068, Oct. 30, 2002; USCG-2003–14500, 69 FR 531, Jan. 6, 2004; USCG–2006–24371, 74 FR 11254, Mar. 16, 2009; USCG–2003–14500, 77 FR 31520, May 29, 2012]