How to Get Your STCW Able Seafarer - Deck (AS-D)

To add STCW Able Seafarer - Deck to your USCG license, you need to hold a USCG Able Seaman endorsement and then meet the requirements for STCW.

You have two main paths to choose from:

1. Complete 360 sea days of deck service while being qualified as an STCW RFPNW and pass a USCG approved STCW Able Seafarer - Deck (AS-D) course.
2. Complete 540 sea days of deck service while being qualified as an STCW RFPNW and complete the NVIC 14-14 Checklist.

‍What is an STCW Able Seafarer - Deck?

An Able Seafarer - Deck endorsement is an STCW supplement endorsement to your Able Seaman Coast Guard Deck rating. The International Maritime Organization STCW Able Seafarer - Deck rating and the USCG Able Seaman ratings are completely different endorsements that are both issued by the United States Coast Guard. You must hold at least one of the USCG Able Seaman ratings to qualify for holding an STCW Able Seafarer - Deck rating.

STCW Able Seafarer - Deck is rarely required on US vessels for US mariners. There are less than 500 ships in the United States that require their mariners to hold STCW Able Seafarer - Deck and they are primarily large commercial ships and a few tugboats typically manned by members of the Seafarers International Union (SIU).

What Able Seaman Ratings are Eligible for STCW Able Seafarer - Deck?

If you qualify for Able Seaman Unlimited, you will typically be close to meeting the requirements for the STCW Able Seafarer - Deck certification, provided you meet one of the following sea time criteria:

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If you hold any Able Seaman endorsement less than unlimited and you have the required sea time as RFPNW we recommend upgrading your Able Seaman endorsement to Unlimited at the same time as you apply for STCW Able Seafarer - Deck.

How Many Days of Deck Service do I Need for my STCW Able Seafarer - Deck?

All of your sea service for STCW Able Seafarer - Deck requires that you already are fully qualified for STCW RFPNW and that must be deck service. According to 46 CFR 10.107: The Deck department means the department aboard a ship responsible for navigation, cargo, command, and control functions. The most common route to get your STCW Able Seafarer - Deck rating is to complete your RFPNW requirements and then get your sea service as an Ordinary Seaman on the navigable waters of the US or as an Unqualified Deckhand.

Without taking a How to get your STCW Able Seafarer - Deck Course

You need to have 540 days of sea time from the date you fully qualified for RFPNW.

With taking a How to get your STCW Able Seafarer - Deck Course

You need to take a USCG Approved STCW Able Seafarer - Deck course that meets all of the required sign-offs for NVIC 14-14 Checklist and have 360 days of sea time after the date you qualified for RFPNW.

Should I Take an USCG Approved STCW Able Seafarer - Deck Course?

Yes! If you can get your employer or union to pay for it. If not, we do not recommend taking the STCW Able Seafarer - Deck course and instead working to get the NVIC 14-14 Checklist completed while you are obtaining your deck service as an RFPNW.

The only time we ever recommend paying out of your own pocket for USCG approved training as an Able Seaman is if there is an opportunity to immediately make more money via a new position or company and you are qualified for STCW AS-D.

Be cautious when selecting courses for STCW Able Seafarer - Deck, as numerous course providers do not meet the full requirements of the sign-offs for NVIC 14-14 Checklist. Make sure to check with the training center you plan on taking your course from, and if they do not fully meet the requirements, you will still need 540 sea days of deck service.

How Often Do I Need to Renew My STCW Able Seafarer - Deck USCG License?

Your STCW Able Seafarer - Deck rating is part of your Merchant Mariner Credential and is valid for five years. Renewing your STCW Able Seafarer - Deck rating is very simple and straightforward, requiring the following:

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Depending on how many sea days you have on vessels that qualify for STCW sea time for renewal you will need to take either STCW Basic Training Refresher or Revalidation.

Does MM-SEAS Help Me Get My STCW Able Seafarer - Deck?

Yes! The path and complexity around STCW endorsements can be overwhelming. We always recommend getting your sea service all documented first so that you know which of the sea service requirements you have already met. If you have questions, the MM-SEAS team is always here to help!