46 C.F.R. § 12.02-7 When documents are required.
Title 46 - Shipping
(a) Every seaman employed on any merchant vessel of the United States of 100 gross tons or upward, except vessels employed exclusively in trade on the navigable rivers of the United States, shall be issued, at the option of the seaman, a continuous discharge book, a certificate of identification, or merchant mariner's document representing such certificate of identification, which shall be retained by him. This book or certificate of identification or merchant mariner's document will bear a number, and this same number shall be shown on all certificates of service or efficiency issued to the holder of the book or certificate or document. Provisions of this section are not applicable to unrigged vessels except seagoing barges and certain tank barges. (b) Every seaman, as referred to in paragraph (a) of this section, shall produce a continuous discharge book or certificate of identification or merchant mariner's document representing such a certificate to the United States shipping commissioner before signing Articles of Agreement, and where the seaman is not signed on before a shipping commissioner, one of these documents shall be exhibited to the master of the vessel at the time of his employment. Seamen who do not possess one of these documents may be employed at a foreign port or place. (c)(1) Every person employed on any merchant vessel of the United States of 100 gross tons and upward, except those navigating rivers exclusively and the smaller inland lakes, below the rank of licensed officer and registered staff officer, shall possess a valid certificate of service, or merchant mariner's document representing such certificate, issued by an Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection. (2) No certificate of service or efficiency is required of any person below the rank of licensed officer employed on any unrigged vessel except seagoing barges and certain tank barges. (3) No certificate of service or efficiency is required of any person below the rank of licensed officer employed on any sail vessel of less than 500 net tons while not carrying passengers for hire and while not operating outside the line dividing inland waters from the high seas, as defined in section 2 of the act of February 19, 1895, as amended (33 U.S.C. 151) and in 33 CFR part 82. (d) After January 31, 1997, each person serving as a rating forming part of a navigational watch on a seagoing ship of 500 gross tons or more shall hold an STCW endorsement certifying him or her as qualified to perform the navigational function at the support level, in accordance with STCW (incorporated by reference in §12.01–3). (e) After January 31, 2002, each person serving as a rating forming part of a watch in a manned engine-room or designated to perform duties in a periodically unmanned engine-room, on a seagoing ship driven by main propulsion machinery of 750 kW [1,000 hp] of propulsion power or more, shall hold an STCW endorsement certifying him or her as qualified to perform the marine-engineering function at the support level, in accordance with STCW. (f) Notwithstanding any other rule in this part, no unlicensed person serving on any of the following vessels needs hold an STCW endorsement, either because he or she is exempt from application of the STCW, or because the vessels are not subject to further obligation under STCW, on account of their special operating conditions as small vessels engaged in domestic voyages: (1) Small passenger vessels subject to subchapter T or K of title 46, CFR. (2) Vessels of less than 200 GRT (other than passenger vessels subject to subchapter H of title 46, CFR). (3) Uninspected passenger vessels as defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(42). (4) Fishing vessels as defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(11)(a). (5) Fishing vessels used as fish-tender vessels as defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(11)(c). (6) Barges as defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(2), including non-self-propelled mobile offshore-drilling units. (7) Vessels operating exclusively on the Great Lakes. [CGFR 65–50, 30 FR 16640, Dec. 30, 1965, as amended by CGD 95–062, 62 FR 34535, June 26, 1997; USCG-1999–5610, 67 FR 66068, Oct. 30, 2002]
Title 46: Shipping
PART 12—CERTIFICATION OF SEAMEN
Subpart 12.02—General Requirements for Certification
§ 12.02-7 When documents are required.
