Dpo time for next license?

[stevefoster]

I recently received a Letter of Seatime from a company in which they put DPO as my position on the vessel. I have a 3rd Mate AGT Oceans. Will the Coast Guard evaluator accept this time towards my
2nd Mate license? I called NMC and could not get a yes or no answer and they suggested I submit the time and see what the evaluator says. I still have a ways to go til I submit my second mate application and don't want to wait and then find out that the time doesn't count. Anybody have any experience with this issue?

[Capt. Lee]

Steve,

I don't think DPO will work. It really should read OICNW 3rd Mate, just to make sure there are no delays. I would try to get my sea time letter re done with OICNW 3rd Mate in the spot where it reads DPO. You are fulfilling the navigational duties of a 3rd Mate, but Coast guard does not make that determination on DPO alone. I had my sea time from Chouest on a vessel with 5922 tons ITC that read Master. I was told that the time needed to read OICNW 2nd Mate. I think I could have argued the point, but it was easier for me to get the letter re-written.

[Orniphobe]

Anybody have any experience with this issue?

Steve, that's definitely a problem. I've had collegues have their sea time cut in half by NMC because it said Sr. DPO/2nd Mate. Drop the DPO altogether on your letter. Same goes for engineers who are called Chief Mechanics with some companies.

[Cgaptain]

The company can provide letters as they are spit out from the company computers. I was told that if you are a DPO, thats all the computer can say. Go ahead and get the drug letter from the office. For your seatime, prepare your own letter saying what you need it to say and have the captain sign and stamp from your rig or ship. ie, OICNW/ DPO. The Coast Guard cares nothing about DPO time. Be sure to include CFR reference about participating in drills if you have a towing endorsement. Good Luck