The USCG Licenses of 500 GRT Mate Near Coastal and 1600 GRT Mate Near Coastal need you to provide documentation that you were performing bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the master or a qualified officer.
This can be done as a member of the deck department including as a training mate, an OS, AB or any other title that your company uses for someone who is standing bridge watch and helping out.
In addition to actually sailing in this capacity, you also need to provide the paperwork to back it up.
The most common way is for your employer to provide the text below into your annual sea service letter.
<MARINER NAME> served on <VESSEL NAME> from <START DATE ON LETTER> to <END DATE ON LETTER>. <MARINER NAME> served as a <POSITION SERVED> for <NUMBER OF DAYS SUPERVISED> while performing bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the master or a qualified officer.
If you are or were an active duty service member and you were sailing as a Junior Officer of the Deck (JOOD) that time will also count as performing bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the master or a qualified officer.
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.
Need to renew, upgrade or get your first USCG license? We're here to help.
About the author
Nate has over 15 years of professional maritime experience and has hawsepiped his way to a 3rd Mate Unlimited Endorsement with full STCW compliance. He is proud veteran of the NOAA Commissioned Corps.
