The National Maritime Center posted its fourth update to alert mariners to its efforts to mitigate the affects of the fiscal year 2019 lapse in appropriations.

The following updated actions are being taken:

• Merchant Mariner Credentials (MMC) and Medical Certifications (National Endorsements only) that expire in December 2018, January 2019, February 2019, March 2019, or April 2019 are extended as valid until May 31, 2019. Mariners who are actively working on expired credentials that meet the expiration criteria must carry the expired credential with a copy of the attached letter.

• The following items that expire in December 2018, January 2019, or February 2019 are extended to April 30, 2019: Additional Information (AI) letters, Qualified Assessor (QA) letters, Designated Examiner (DE) letters, Proctor approval letters, Approval to Test (ATT) letters, and mariner training course certificates.

• For mariners whose 90-day testing cycles were interrupted by Regional Exam Center (REC) closures (starting on December 26, 2018), the days the RECs were closed will not count against the 90-day period.

If you have questions, visit the NMC website, or contact the NMC Customer Service Center by using the NMC online chat system, by e-mailing IASKNMC@uscg.mil, or by calling 1-888-IASKNMC (427-5662).

This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official source documents, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These documents remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.