For all original and raise of grade officer endorsements, you need 90 sea days in the last 7 years in the department you are applying for.
This means that you need to have 90 sea days in the last 7 years as part of your documentation when you are getting your first USCG Captain or Engineer license.
You also need to have 90 sea days in the last 7 years as part of your documentation when you are upgrading from 200GRT to 500/1600 GRT or Unlimited.
What size of vessels do I need for my 90 days of recency?
For deck officer endorsements up to 200 gross registered tons (GRT) (Master or Mate 25, 50, 100, and 200 GRT. OUPV)
There is no minimum tonnage required for your 90 days in the last 7 years.
Master or Mate 500 GRT
Your 90 days in the last 7 years must be on vessels larger than 50 GRT.
Master or Mate 1600 GRT
Your 90 days in the last 7 years must be on vessels larger than 100 GRT.
Master or Mate Unlimited Tonnage
Your 90 days in the last 7 years must be on vessels larger than 100 GRT
The largest tonnage of 45 days in the last 7 years is used for your tonnage limitation calculation. If you have 45 days or more on vessels larger than 1600 GRT then you meet the recency requirements for an unlimited tonnage license.
Towing officer endorsements (Master of Towing, Apprentice Mate (Steersman)Your 90 days in the last 7 years can be on any type or tonnage of vessel.
We hope this made your life a little easier and if you have other questions the MM-SEAS team is always here to help!
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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.
