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The Coast Guard published a proposal in the Federal Register to increase from 3 years to 7 years the period within which qualifying sea service aboard vessels of the uniformed services can be used to satisfy the requirement for recent sea service to qualify for a Merchant Mariner Credential with a national officer endorsement. This notice of proposed rulemaking would implement into Coast Guard regulations legislation that has been codified in statute, and may potentially increase the number of merchant mariners available for employment on commercial vessels.

Submit comments, identified by docket number USCG-2017-1025, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. The Coast Guard must receive comments and related material on or before Nov. 18, 2019.

For information about this document, call or email Ms. Cathleen Mauro, Maritime Personnel Qualifications Division at 202-372-1449 or Cathleen.B.Mauro@uscg.mil.

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.