House Bill Calls for Modernizing USCG’s Merchant Mariner Credentialing Exam
A bill introduced before the U.S. House of Representatives seeks to address the shortcomings of the current U.S. Coast Guard credentialing exam. According to the sponsors of the Mariner Exam Modernization Act, Representatives Salud Carbajal (California) and Mike Ezell (Mississippi), the current exam is outdated, burdensome, and redundant.
“The men and women pursuing careers in the maritime industry shouldn’t be held back by an antiquated credentialing system,” said Carbajal. “The Mariner Exam Modernization Act is a commonsense step to ensure our licensing process reflects the skills mariners actually need on the job—eliminating redundancy, updating outdated requirements, and making the path to certification more efficient. This legislation is about strengthening our maritime workforce and ensuring the Coast Guard’s processes keep pace with the needs of the 21st century.”
According to the bill, the current Coast Guard licensing exam process for Merchant Mariner Credentials is outdated, redundant, and unnecessarily burdensome for aspiring mariners. Candidates, they contend, must repeatedly demonstrate the same competencies, first through years of hands-on assessments and then again on a seven-part written exam.
The sponsors say the shortcomings of the current process are discouraging new entrants and diverting time from more relevant modern training, like cybersecurity. Additionally, the exam, they said, lacks a modern review system, leaving graduates underprepared for the realities of today’s maritime industry.
“Our mariners deserve a credentialing system that reflects the realities of today’s maritime industry—not outdated exams and unnecessary hurdles said Rep. Ezell. “This is about building up America’s maritime workforce and supporting the professionals who keep America’s maritime commerce moving safely and efficiently.”
Training and the credentialing process also emerged as an issue in the larger SHIPs Act proposed to the U.S. House and Senate for the second time this spring. The sponsors call it a comprehensive approach to restoring the U.S. merchant marine and include a portion of the legislation focusing on similar issues as this new proposal.
The call for the modernization of the credentialing program is also gaining the support of the Consortium of State Maritime Academies. G. P. Achenbach, Ed. Rear Admiral, U.S. Maritime Service and President of the group, highlights that the proposed legislation would reduce the redundancy between The STCW Code and the national exam. He said the effort would eliminate the requirement for the academies to dedicate time in the academic program on subjects that are outdated, and not currently used by professional mariners. Additionally, the group believes the legislative effort would substantially increase the value of the exam review teams (working groups) and contribute to alleviating the current mariner shortage.
The Merchant Marine Exam Modernization Act, if passed, would direct the U.S. Coast Guard to develop and implement a plan to modernize the Merchant Mariner Credentialing exam. It calls for the formation of a dedicated working group and requires action within 270 days after receiving the recommendations from the group.