Upgrading 100/150 ton capt license

**rsoirez** · August 26th, 2010, 01:13 PM

Alright i have a few questions and im sure there are answers on here i will have to look around, but if anyone can come right out and answer for me that would be awesome.. I currently have a 100/150 capt license and i am looking to upgrade... when i got my license my vessel was 99 grt flagged in the u.s., since then my company has reflagged the vessel and now the country we are flagged in recognizes the tonnage as 1420 grt..... my question is can i upgrade my license to 500 ton and skip the 200 ton license, i know i have to take test at course guard and also have other things to get.......also we currently work in angol, africa does my sea time count being we are flagged in another country???? And one more question my time is on a liftboat......is the time 3 for 1 being we are flagged in another country??? Thanks for any and all help/

**jdcavo** · August 27th, 2010, 06:21 AM

The 3 for 1 for liftboats applies regardless of the flag.

Generally, if the vessels is manned and operated per the higher ITC tonnage, it can be used. By "manned" we mean not just that the crew size and watch arrangements are per the higher tonnge, but also that the manning required you to hold a credential for the higher tonnage. In other words, if you can't man the vessel based on the GRT, and get credit for te ITC. If you were working on the vessel because your license was for the lower GRT, you probably won't be able to use that time to raise the tonnage based on the higher GRT you can't have it both ways.

You can probably go to Master 500 regardless. See 46 CFR 11.418, the limnitations on the topnnage of the vessels used is that one year must be on vessels over 50 GRT.

Keep in mind that if you are working foreign, you probably need STCW. In Nov. '09 we published a notice of proposed rulemaking that would substantially change the requirements for STCW certificates valid for Master 500. While this is only a proposed rulemaking, you might still consider whether it's better to act sooner rather than later. Even now, you wouild need to meet the current requirements for STCW.

**rsoirez** · August 27th, 2010, 06:31 AM

alright thanks for the info......i have applied for my STCW, it got kicked back due to I didnt have a 500 ton capt signing off on my RFPNW, therefore they would not issue me STCW...... I have all the classes and now i have my paperwork signed off by a 1600 ton capt that i worked with. what are my chances of getting the STCW endorsement now on my license, will there be any other hoops that i will have to jump through, any help before hand would be greatly appreciated.