Craig Johnson named president of Maine Maritime Academy
24 Mar

Craig Johnson named president of Maine Maritime Academy

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & Training
(CASTINE, Maine) — Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) has announced the appointment of Craig Johnson of Castine as its 16th president following a formal search which launched last fall. Johnson has served as the academy’s chief operating officer (COO) since August of 2022 and interim president since June 2024. “As COO and interim president, Craig has demonstrated stalwart leadership across the…
Read More
NMC update: Documentation of instructor time for MMCs
06 Mar

NMC update: Documentation of instructor time for MMCs

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & Training
(MARTINSBURG, W.Va.) — The National Maritime Center (NMC) has observed significant variation in documenting instructor experience to meet the requirements for renewal or raise of grade of a merchant mariner credential (MMC) in accordance with 46 CFR 10.227(e) and 10.232(g). To facilitate the timely evaluation of documentation submitted with an MMC application, the NMC recommends training providers issue instructors a…
Read More
NMC transitions from landline phone system to Microsoft Teams
03 Mar

NMC transitions from landline phone system to Microsoft Teams

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & Training
(MARTINSBURG, W.Va.) — The National Maritime Center (NMC) and the Suspension and Revocation National Center of Expertise (S&R NCOE) have transitioned from a legacy landline phone system to a web-based Microsoft Teams system. Effective immediately, individuals at the NMC/S&R NCOE no longer have access to their legacy 304-433-xxxx numbers. It is important to note this transition does not impact the…
Read More
Program showcasing maritime role of women goes global
17 Feb

Program showcasing maritime role of women goes global

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & Training
(LONDON) — Rewriting Women into Maritime History, the groundbreaking initiative led by Lloyd’s Register and Lloyd’s Register Foundation to uncover and showcase the critical role of women in the maritime sector, past and present, has entered a new international phase. Launched in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2023, the program uses archival material held by maritime organizations, as well…
Read More
Coast Guard terminates illegal charter by repeat offender
06 Feb

Coast Guard terminates illegal charter by repeat offender

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & Training
(MIAMI) — Coast Guard law enforcement officers from Coast Guard cutter Richard Etheridge terminated the voyage of an illegal passenger vessel Friday near Dania Beach, Fla. The 41-foot cabin cruiser, which was carrying eight passengers for hire for a four-hour charter, was found with numerous safety violations. During the investigation, it was found that the vessel’s owner was previously issued a captain of…
Read More
MarAd donates motor lifeboat to Clatsop Community College
29 Jan

MarAd donates motor lifeboat to Clatsop Community College

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & Training
(ASTORIA, Ore.) — Clatsop Community College (CCC) has acquired an enclosed motor lifeboat, donated by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd), from M/V Cape Horn at Vigor Shipyard in Portland, Ore. The donation, received by the CCC Foundation, will be used in the college’s maritime training programs. This significant addition to the Maritime Science Department allows the college to meet training…
Read More
Four USMMA students earn Crowley scholarships
30 Dec

Four USMMA students earn Crowley scholarships

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & Training
(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) — Four students from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) have been awarded Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarships in recognition of their success and commitment to careers in the maritime industry. Draygan Colonese, Elizabeth Kay, Charles Lausten and Gianna Russo were selected based on their academic achievements and performance during the cadet training periods aboard Crowley-operated or…
Read More
Crowley awards scholarships to Maine Maritime cadets
23 Dec

Crowley awards scholarships to Maine Maritime cadets

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & Training
(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) ­— Cadets Anna LaDue and Odegaard Fields from Maine Maritime Academy have been awarded the Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarship. These students were selected based on their performance during the cadet training periods aboard Crowley-operated or -managed ships and their intent to pursue maritime careers. LaDue, a junior from Canterbury, N.H., is studying marine transportation operations, with…
Read More
Coast Guard updates MMC fee process, removes oath rule
18 Dec

Coast Guard updates MMC fee process, removes oath rule

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & Training,
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a final rule updating the accepted required payment method for mariner credentialing fees, removing the requirement for prospective mariners to take an oath before an authorized official, and changing the format requirements for certificates of discharge. The Coast Guard is working to replace the merchant mariner licensing and documentation database used by…
Read More