Checked against 46 CFR Part 13 · September 2026
The 60-second field brief
What's in a name?
- The regulations (46 CFR Part 13): Tank Vessel-PIC, Tank Barge-PIC, Tank Vessel-Assistant, and Tank Vessel-Engineer.
- What you'll hear: “Tankerman-PIC,” “Tankerman-PIC (Barge),” “PIC,” or “Person in Charge.” Older MMCs carry the Tankerman wording.
- STCW: uses different names entirely: Basic and Advanced Oil and Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations (V/1-1) and Basic and Advanced Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations (V/1-2).
The four tank vessel endorsements
| Endorsement | What it authorizes |
|---|---|
| Tank Vessel-PIC | Act as Person in Charge of a transfer of liquid cargo in bulk, fuel oil, or cargo-tank cleaning on tank vessels, for the cargo category endorsed. |
| Tank Barge-PIC | Act as Person in Charge of a transfer of liquid cargo in bulk only on a tank barge. The standard endorsement for barge, bunkering, and push-boat crews. |
| Tank Vessel-Assistant | Perform cargo duties assigned by the PIC. Cannot act as PIC. |
| Tank Vessel-Engineer | Primary responsibility for maintaining cargo systems and transfer equipment on self-propelled tank vessels. |
Each is issued for a cargo category: Dangerous Liquids (DL), such as oils, fuels, and chemicals, or Liquefied Gases (LG), such as LNG and LPG. 46 CFR 13.107
Requirements at a glance: barge vs. ship (DL)
| Requirement | Tank Barge-PIC | Tank Vessel-PIC |
|---|---|---|
| Regulation | 46 CFR 13.301 13.303 | 46 CFR 13.201 13.203 |
| Minimum age | 18 | 18 |
| Cargo course (within 5 years) | Tank Barge: Dangerous Liquids | Tankship: Dangerous Liquids |
| Firefighting course (within 5 years) | Tank Barge: Firefighting, or Basic Firefighting | Basic Firefighting |
| Service | At least 60 days on tank vessels (shore-based or vessel-based), or 6 months of closely related service directly involved with tank barges | At least 90 days on tankships carrying the cargo category, as a deck or engineering officer, or as a rating or cadet |
| Transfers | At least 10: 5 loadings and 5 discharges, including 2 commencements and 2 completions of loading, and 2 commencements and 2 completions of discharge | Same: at least 10, with the same loading, discharge, commencement, and completion requirements |
The transfer letter trap
The fastest way to stall a tankerman application is a letter that says only “Joe completed 10 transfers.” The evaluator needs to confirm you met every part of the transfer requirement, so itemize each one:
Vessel or barge name and official number
For every transfer.
The specific cargo
Ultra-low sulfur diesel, heavy fuel oil, Jet A, not just “fuel” or “product.”
Date and terminal
City, state, and dock or facility.
Load or discharge
Clearly marked for each transfer, so the 5 and 5 can be counted.
Commencement, completion, or both
Show which transfers cover the 2 commencements and 2 completions of loading and of discharge. This is the detail most letters leave out.
The supervising PIC
Printed name, signature, endorsement held, and mariner reference number, plus a company official's contact information.
Transfer letter template (copy and paste)
Send this to your operations office or supervising PIC. Replace the sample rows with your own transfers.
Sea-service days go in a separate sea-service letter. Documenting Sea Time →
Benzene surveillance. Some tanker assignments also require benzene medical surveillance, the "benzene card." It's separate from your Coast Guard medical certificate and your Tankerman endorsement. See Tanker work: benzene medical surveillance.
Keeping it: the 5-year renewal
Unlike deck and engine licenses, tank vessel endorsements can't be renewed with the general open-book exercise. They have their own renewal rules: 46 CFR 13.120
| Endorsement | Renew with (within the past 5 years) | Or |
|---|---|---|
| Tank Barge-PIC | At least 2 cargo transfers | Complete a course approved for this purpose |
| Tank Vessel-PIC | At least 90 days of service on a tank vessel, plus at least 2 cargo transfers | Complete an approved Tankship: Dangerous Liquids (or Liquefied Gases) course |
| Tank Vessel-Assistant and Tank Vessel-Engineer | At least 90 days of service on a tank vessel | Complete an approved course |
You still meet the general MMC renewal requirements (medical, drug test, application) as well.
If you're stepping away from tank work to run general tugs, crew boats, or passenger vessels, get your two transfers documented before your 5-year clock runs out. Two signed transfers cost you an afternoon; a renewal course costs you a week and tuition.
Who may not need it?
- Crew who won't take charge of transfers. If you'll help with cargo work but not act as Person in Charge, you may not need a PIC endorsement. Ask your employer whether they want you to hold Tank Vessel-Assistant.
- Shore-side terminal staff. The facility's person in charge is qualified under the facility rules in 33 CFR 154.710, not with an MMC endorsement.
- Mariners on deep-sea tankers may also need STCW tanker endorsements. Those are separate from the national PIC endorsements on this page. National vs. STCW →
The course
You'll need an approved cargo course for the endorsement and cargo category you want, such as Tank Barge: Dangerous Liquids, Tankship: Dangerous Liquids, or Tankship: Liquefied Gases, plus an approved firefighting course. Both must be completed within 5 years before you apply. 46 CFR 13.121 Expect cargo properties and hazards, transfer procedures, pollution prevention, and emergency response.
The course doesn't replace the service days or the 10 transfers. Check that the specific course is approved for the endorsement you need. How to check a course →
What happens after?
- Collect your course certificates, sea-service letters, and an itemized transfer letter.
- Apply to the National Maritime Center. You can act as PIC only once the endorsement is on your MMC.
- Keep it current through the 5-year renewal above: transfers and service, or an approved course.
Write down every transfer as it happens: date, terminal, cargo, load or discharge, and whether you did the start or the finish. Trying to rebuild that list a year later from memory is how a good application gets held up.
Official sources
Where this fits in your journey
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