The United States Coast Guard has proposed the elimination of six training and qualification requirements for certain commercial mariner certifications. These changes have been suggested because the mentioned requirements exceed international standards and impose unnecessary costs on American mariners.
Details of Proposed Changes
These changes are included in a proposed notice published in the Federal Register, covering certifications issued under the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). This proposal pertains to mariners and officers serving on vessels under 500 gross tons in near-coastal waters.
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According to this proposal, the Coast Guard will eliminate training in leadership and management skills for mariners on vessels under 500 gross tons in near-coastal waters. Additionally, training requirements related to bridge resource management and teamwork skills for certain officers responsible for navigation (OICNW), as well as training related to engineering terminology and operations on vessels for engineering officers (OICEW) and designated duty engineers (DDE) will also be removed.
Financial and Operational Impacts
The Coast Guard estimates that approximately 825 mariners per year will benefit from these changes. The agency estimates that these changes will result in an approximate savings of $42.8 million in training costs over a 10-year period. These savings will primarily come from educational expenses, travel costs, and time spent attending courses.
This proposal also includes the removal of several outdated provisions in the regulations, including requirements related to radar observers that were inadvertently mentioned twice, as well as transitional language related to the January 1, 2017 deadline, which has long since expired.
The Coast Guard has identified these requirements as part of a broader review of federal regulations under the previous administration's regulatory reduction initiatives. The proposal titled "Clarification of Certain Training Requirements for Mariners" was published on October 1, and comments will be accepted until December 30, 2026.
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