Trump signs order to ease transition of enlisted sailors into merchant marine

(WASHINGTON) — President Trump signed an executive order Monday to make it easier for experienced members of the U.S. armed services to obtain merchant mariner credentials, Navy Times reported.

The declaration, “Supporting the Transition of Active Duty Service Members and Military Veterans into the Merchant Marine,” is designed to allow Navy, Coast Guard and Army Watercraft Systems personnel leaving active duty to apply their training and experience to land future careers in the maritime industry.

“It makes it easier for sea service veterans to get high-paying, high-skilled jobs as mariners by waiving government-issued licensing fees and by crediting military training in the National Maritime Center credentialing system,” said Peter Navarro, the director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy.

A direct White House adviser to Trump, Navarro said that the executive order makes it easier for enlisted sailors and officers to qualify as “mates and engineers” under the Coast Guard’s civilian mariner licensing rule.

Previously, sailors and other service members had to start over by enrolling in basic maritime classes, often paying $25,000 to meet the requirements.

The order should allow service members on active duty to simultaneously earn qualifications at sea while also netting equivalent civilian licenses along the way, Navarro said.

Before all of this becomes a reality, the Navy first must work with the Coast Guard to get schools, qualifications and experiences certified for civilian licensing.

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By Professional Mariner Staff