The Coast Guard is removing one more barrier to becoming a professional mariner. Starting January 19th, new mariners will no longer need to take an oath in front of a notary public or a Coast Guard official.
The Coast Guard determined that requiring an oath before an authorized official was a redundant step in the original Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) application process. Mariners already sign the Application for Merchant Mariner Credential (Form CG-719B), where an individual attests to "solemnly swear or affirm" to abide by the requirements of the oath, which legally binds them. Therefore, the Coast Guard has decided that no additional requirement before an authorized official is necessary.
“It’s great to see the Coast Guard taking steps to modernize their processes while removing barriers to entry for mariners to join the workforce,” said Jonathan Kabak, executive director of OHPRI, a Maritime Workforce development program in Rhode Island.
The Coast Guard found that the fees for new mariners to take the oath varied from state to state, with the lowest amount being two dollars and the highest $25. In addition to the oath fees, new mariners also had to locate a notary public willing to administer the Coast Guard Oath, as well as taking time off work and traveling to the appointment.
Removing this step in the application process will save the estimated 13,951 new mariners obtaining their first MMC each year both time and money. This is a positive step by the Coast Guard to help increase the number of credentialed mariners in the U.S. by removing historical barriers that have stood in the way of becoming a professional mariner.
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