§ 12.601 - General requirements for STCW rating endorsements.

§ 12.601 General requirements for STCW rating endorsements.

(a) General. An applicant for any STCW endorsement must hold the appropriate national endorsement, unless otherwise specified. The Coast Guard will issue an STCW endorsement to qualified applicants for any of the following ratings or qualifications:

(1) Able seafarer-deck.

(2) Ratings forming part of a navigational watch (RFPNW).

(3) Able seafarer-engine.

(4) Ratings forming part of a watch in a manned engineroom or designated to perform duties in a periodically unmanned engineroom (RFPEW).

(5) Electro-technical rating on vessels powered by main propulsion machinery of 750 kW/1,000 HP or more.

(6) Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats, other than fast rescue boats (PSC).

(7) Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats, other than lifeboats and fast rescue boats (PSC-limited).

(8) Proficiency in fast rescue boats.

(9) Medical first-aid provider.

(10) Person in charge of medical care.

(11) GMDSS at-sea maintainer.

(12) Vessel personnel with designated security duties.

(13) Security awareness.

(b) Standard of competence.

(1) The Coast Guard will accept one or more methods listed in the STCW Code to demonstrate meeting the standard of competence in this subpart. See Column 3, “Methods for demonstrating competence,” of the Tables of Competence in the STCW Code (incorporated by reference, see § 12.103 of this part). The Coast Guard will accept the following as evidence of meeting the standard of competence under each of these methods:

(i) In-service experience: Documentation of successful completion of assessments, approved or accepted by the Coast Guard, and signed by a qualified assessor, deck or engineering, as appropriate.

(ii) Training ship experience: Documentation of successful completion of an approved training program involving formal training and assessment onboard a training ship.

(iii) Simulator training: Documentation of successful completion of training and assessment from a Coast Guard-approved course involving maritime simulation.

(iv) Laboratory equipment training: Documentation of successful completion of training and assessments from an approved training course or completion certificate from an approved training school or facility.

(v) Practical training or instruction:

(A) Documentation of successful completion of assessment as part of structured/formal training or instruction provided by an organization or company as part of an accepted safety or quality management system; or

(B) Documentation of successful completion of an approved training course from a school or facility.

(vi) Specialist training: Documentation of successful completion of assessment as part of a company training or specialized training provided by a maritime or equipment specialist.

(vii) Workshop skills training: Documentation of successful completion of assessments or completion certificate from an approved training program, school or facility.

(viii) Training program: Documentation of successful completion of an approved training program.

(ix) Practical demonstration and practical demonstration of competence: Documentation of successful completion of assessments approved or accepted by the Coast Guard.

(x) Practical test and practical experience: Documentation of successful completion of assessments approved or accepted by the Coast Guard.

(xi) Examination: Successful completion of a Coast Guard examination.

(xii) Instruction or course: Documentation of successful completion of a course of instruction offered by an approved training school or facility.

(2) Knowledge components may be documented by -

(i) Successful completion of the Coast Guard examination for the associated rating endorsement;

(ii) Successful completion of an approved course; or

(iii) Successful completion of an approved program.

(3) The Coast Guard will publish assessment guidelines that should be used to document assessments that demonstrate meeting the standard of competence, as required by paragraph (b)(1) of this section. Organizations may develop alternative assessment documentation for demonstrations of competence; however, such documentation must be approved by the Coast Guard prior to its use and submittal with an application.

(c) Grandfathering.

(1) Except as noted otherwise, each candidate who applies for a credential based on approved or accepted training or approved seagoing service that was started on or after March 24, 2014, or who applies for the MMC endorsement on or after January 1, 2017, must meet the requirements of this part.

(2) Except as noted by this subpart, seafarers holding an STCW endorsement prior to March 24, 2014, will not be required to complete any additional training required under this part to retain the STCW endorsements.

(3) Except as noted otherwise, candidates who apply for a credential based on approved or accepted training or approved seagoing service that commenced before March 24, 2014, may qualify under the requirements of this part existing before that date. This includes the assessments published prior to March 24, 2014, as well as the additional requirements for the STCW endorsement section.

(4) Except as noted by this subpart, the Coast Guard will continue to issue STCW endorsements meeting the requirements of this part existing before March 24, 2014, for seafarers identified in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, until January 1, 2017.

[USCG-2004-17914, 78 FR 77975, Dec. 24, 2013, as amended by USCG-2014-0688, 79 FR 58279, Sept. 29, 2014; USCG-2018-0874, 84 FR 30882, June 28, 2019]