United States: seafarer documents

How a document is named in the country that issued it and who issues it. Country means the issuing country, not the nationality of the seafarer.

Brief entry
Checked 6 October 2026

Document names: 75
Issued by: United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center
National documents: 33

Country pages are brief entries for now: names and authorities with their sources. The conditions of national documents are published after bilingual editing.

Contents5

1 Certificates and qualifications

Name in the issuing system	Authority	Type in the reference	Relation
Apprentice Engineer¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Apprentice Engineer	Same document
Apprentice Mate¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Apprentice Mate	Same document
Tank Barge-PIC²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Tank Barge-PIC	Same document
Cadet-Deck¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Cadet-Deck	Same document
Cadet-Engine¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Cadet-Engine	Same document
GMDSS At-sea Maintainer³	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	GMDSS At-sea Maintainer	Same document
Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Radio Operator⁴	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	General Operator’s Certificate (GOC)	Related document
Merchant Mariner Credential⁵	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Merchant Mariner Credential	Same document
Able Seafarer-Fishing Industry⁶	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Able Seafarer-Fishing Industry	Same document
Able Seafarer-Limited⁶	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Able Seafarer-Limited	Same document
Able Seafarer-OSV⁶	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Able Seafarer-OSV	Same document
Able Seafarer-Sail⁶	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Able Seafarer-Sail	Same document
Able Seafarer-Special⁶	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Able Seafarer-Special	Same document
Able Seafarer-Unlimited⁶	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Able Seafarer-Unlimited	Same document
Assistant Engineer-Limited⁷	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Assistant Engineer-Limited	Same document
Assistant Engineer-MODU⁸	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Assistant Engineer-MODU	Same document
Assistant Engineer-OSV⁹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Assistant Engineer-OSV	Same document
Chief Engineer¹⁰	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Chief Engineer Officer, 3,000 kW or more	Related document
Chief Engineer-Limited¹¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Chief Engineer-Limited	Same document
Chief Mate¹²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Chief Mate, 3,000 GT or more	Related document
Chief Engineer-MODU¹³	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Chief Engineer-MODU	Same document
Chief Engineer-OSV¹⁴	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Chief Engineer-OSV	Same document
Designated Duty Engineer¹⁵	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Designated Duty Engineer	Same document
First Assistant Engineer¹⁶	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Second Engineer Officer, 3,000 kW or more	Related document
Master ocean or near-coastal, unlimited tonnage¹⁷	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Master, 3,000 GT or more	Related document
Second Assistant Engineer¹⁸	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Officer in Charge of an Engineering Watch / Designated Duty Engineer in Periodically Unmanned Machinery Spaces, 750 kW or more MoreLess	Related document
Second Mate¹⁹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch, 500 GT or more	Related document
Third Assistant Engineer²⁰	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Officer in Charge of an Engineering Watch / Designated Duty Engineer in Periodically Unmanned Machinery Spaces, 750 kW or more MoreLess	Related document
Third Mate²¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch, 500 GT or more	Related document
Ordinary Seafarer¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Ordinary Seafarer	Same document
QMED – Boiler Technician/Watertender²²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	QMED – Boiler Technician/Watertender	Same document
QMED – Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer²²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	QMED – Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer	Same document
QMED – Junior Engineer²²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	QMED – Junior Engineer	Same document
QMED – Oiler²²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	QMED – Oiler	Same document
QMED – Pump Technician/Machinist²²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	QMED – Pump Technician/Machinist	Same document
Able Seafarer-Deck²³	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Proficiency – Able Seafarer Deck	Same document
Able Seafarer-Engine²⁴	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Proficiency – Able Seafarer Engine	Same document
Chief Engineer Officer on vessels powered by main propulsion machinery of 3,000 kW or more²⁵	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Chief Engineer Officer, 3,000 kW or more	Same document
Chief Engineer Officer on vessels powered by main propulsion machinery of between 750 kW and 3,000 kW²⁶	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Chief Engineer Officer, 750–3,000 kW	Same document
Chief Mate of vessels of 3,000 GT or more²⁷	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Chief Mate, 3,000 GT or more	Same document
Chief Mate of vessels of 500 GT or more and less than 3,000 GT²⁸	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Chief Mate, 500–3,000 GT	Same document
Electro-technical Officer²⁹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Electro-Technical Officer, 750 kW or more	Same document
Electro-technical Rating³⁰	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Proficiency – Electro-Technical Rating	Same document
Master of vessels of 3,000 GT or more³¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Master, 3,000 GT or more	Same document
Master of vessels of 500 GT or more and less than 3,000 GT³²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Master, 500–3,000 GT	Same document
Master of vessels of less than 500 GT limited to near-coastal waters³³	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Master, under 500 GT, near-coastal voyages	Same document
Officer in Charge of an Engineering Watch³⁴	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Officer in Charge of an Engineering Watch / Designated Duty Engineer in Periodically Unmanned Machinery Spaces, 750 kW or more MoreLess	Same document
Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch on vessels of 500 GT or more³⁵	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch, 500 GT or more	Same document
Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch of vessels of less than 500 GT limited to near-coastal waters³⁶	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch, under 500 GT, near-coastal voyages	Same document
Ratings Forming Part of an Engineering Watch³⁷	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Proficiency – Rating Forming Part of an Engineering Watch	Same document
Ratings Forming Part of a Navigational Watch³⁸	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Proficiency – Rating Forming Part of a Navigational Watch	Same document
Second Engineer Officer on vessels powered by main propulsion machinery of 3,000 kW or more³⁹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Second Engineer Officer, 3,000 kW or more	Same document
Second Engineer Officer on vessels powered by main propulsion machinery of between 750 kW and 3,000 kW⁴⁰	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Certificate of Competency – Second Engineer Officer, 750–3,000 kW	Same document
Steward’s Department¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Steward’s Department	Same document
Steward’s Department (F.H.)¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Steward’s Department (F.H.)	Same document
Wiper¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Wiper	Same document

2 Safety and security

Name in the issuing system	Authority	Type in the reference	Relation
Advanced Firefighting⁴¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Advanced Fire Fighting	Same document
Basic Training⁴²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Basic Safety Training	Same document
Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats⁴³	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats	Same document
Person in Charge of Medical Care⁴⁴	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Medical Care on Board Ship	Same document
Medical First-aid Provider⁴⁵	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Medical First Aid	Same document
Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats-Limited (PSC-Limited)⁴⁶	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats-Limited (PSC-Limited)	Same document
Security Awareness⁴⁷	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Security Awareness Training	Same document
Vessel Personnel with Designated Security Duties⁴⁸	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Training for Seafarers with Designated Security Duties	Same document
Vessel Security Officer⁴⁹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Ship Security Officer	Same document
Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats Other Than Fast Rescue Boats⁵⁰	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats Other Than Fast Rescue Boats	Same document

3 Vessel and cargo training

Name in the issuing system	Authority	Type in the reference	Relation
Advanced Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations⁵¹	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Advanced Training – Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations	Same document
Advanced Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations⁵²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Advanced Training – Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations	Same document
Advanced Oil Tanker Cargo Operations⁵³	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Advanced Training – Oil Tanker Cargo Operations	Same document
Basic Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations⁵⁴	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Basic Training – Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations	Same document
Basic Oil and Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations⁵⁵	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Basic Training – Oil and Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations	Same document
Tank Vessel-Assistant²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Tank Vessel-Assistant	Same document
Tank Vessel-Engineer²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Tank Vessel-Engineer	Same document
Tank Vessel-PIC²	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Tank Vessel-PIC	Same document

4 Medical documents

Name in the issuing system	Authority	Type in the reference	Relation
Medical certificate⁵⁶	United States Coast Guard, National Maritime Center	Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate	Same document

5 National documents

Apprentice EngineerBrief entry
Apprentice MateBrief entry
Tank Barge-PICBrief entry
Cadet-DeckBrief entry
Cadet-EngineBrief entry
GMDSS At-sea MaintainerBrief entry
Merchant Mariner CredentialBrief entry
Able Seafarer-Fishing IndustryBrief entry
Able Seafarer-LimitedBrief entry
Able Seafarer-OSVBrief entry
Able Seafarer-SailBrief entry
Able Seafarer-SpecialBrief entry
Able Seafarer-UnlimitedBrief entry
Assistant Engineer-LimitedBrief entry
Assistant Engineer-MODUBrief entry
Assistant Engineer-OSVBrief entry
Chief Engineer-LimitedBrief entry
Chief Engineer-MODUBrief entry
Chief Engineer-OSVBrief entry
Designated Duty EngineerBrief entry
Ordinary SeafarerBrief entry
Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Lifeboats and Fast Rescue Boats-Limited (PSC-Limited)Brief entry
QMED – Boiler Technician/WatertenderBrief entry
QMED – Electrician/Refrigerating EngineerBrief entry
QMED – Junior EngineerBrief entry
QMED – OilerBrief entry
QMED – Pump Technician/MachinistBrief entry
Steward’s DepartmentBrief entry
Steward’s Department (F.H.)Brief entry
Tank Vessel-AssistantBrief entry
Tank Vessel-EngineerBrief entry
Tank Vessel-PICBrief entry
WiperBrief entry