Merchant Vessel Mate
Assisting the Navigator with safe ship navigation and coordinating submarine routing transfers directly to vessel movement planning and navigational safety.
How to prepare: Obtain an official sea-service transcript or assignment history, with vessel particulars, underway time, and assigned duties, for Coast Guard evaluation against a target mate endorsement; a DD-214 is not acceptable sea-service evidence. Entry requires the applicable MMC officer endorsement and generally a TWIC, with Coast Guard approval of qualifying sea time, training, professional competence, medical fitness, citizenship, and drug testing; open-ocean service also requires applicable STCW training and endorsement.
What the civilian work involves
- Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
- Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
- Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.