Engineers are the crew members responsible for the maintenance, operation, and repairs of the major mechanical systems on a vessel. Similar to other departments, there is a hierarchy of positions within the engine room.
Adding credentials to your MMC like QMED (Qualified Member of the Engine Department) and RFPEW (Ratings Forming Part of an Engineering Watch) will help you advance your maritime career and take on more responsibilities.
You need to have documented sea time on vessels working in the engineering department. For QMED and STCW RFPEW, you need 180+ days of sea service in the engine department.
The common ways to obtain this is to serve as a wiper on commercial ships and tugboats. This is also a great entry point to the professional maritime community for active duty personnel especially those who served as enlisted USCG fireman apprentice (FA) or fireman (FN), as this time is equivalent to sea service as a wiper or coal passer.
In addition to the normal USCG Merchant Mariner Credential application paperwork you would need to satisfy:
QMED - You would need to take the tests or a course.
RFPEW - Have a QA sign off on all of the RFPEW NVIC checklist or take a course. If you are U.S. Navy or U.S. Coast Guard active duty, anyone at your command who is authorized to conduct assessments for the PQS for Engineering Officer of the Watch can also sign off on your STCW RFPEW Check sheet on pages 50 to 56 of this pdf (https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/announcements/2014/nvic-07-14_RFPEW_final_20140125.pdf)
We hope this made your life a little easier and if you have other questions the MM-SEAS team is always here to help!
MM-SEAS is free to use on your own and if you need some more personalized help you can upgrade to MM-SEAS Expert Access inside of the site.
No matter what, when you are ready to submit your application you can do it yourself, or you can hand the whole thing to us. A Stress-Free MMC is $399. Two MM-SEAS licensing experts check every page, we pay your Coast Guard fees at submission and charge your card so you never touch pay.gov, and we stay on it with the National Maritime Center until your credential is issued.
MM-SEAS Expert Access is $99 a year. It is your personal guidance counselor for USCG licensing: what training you need next, which sea time counts, and how to reach the credential you want, by phone, email, chat or a 1 on 1 video call. Expert Access members also get $50 off a Stress-Free MMC.
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About the author
Nate Gilman is President and Co-Founder of MM-SEAS. He hawsepiped from the deck to a 3rd Mate Unlimited license with full STCW compliance over more than 15 years at sea, and is a veteran of the NOAA Commissioned Corps. He works directly with the National Maritime Center, USCG-approved training schools, and vessel operators on credentialing policy, and writes on sea service documentation, evaluation standards, and how mariners move up the license ladder.
