Start Here: New to the Maritime World

You don't need to understand the whole Coast Guard credentialing system to get started. Here are six steps, in order. Find the step you're on and read only what it needs.

Not brand new? Coming from the military → · Have boating experience → · Already working aboard →

Your first six steps

Choose where to start

Most new mariners start in one of three departments. Pick the one that sounds most like you.

“I like working outside, on the water, with lines and weather.”Deck → “I like machinery and fixing things.”Engine → “I like cooking and looking after people.”Steward →

You're choosing where to start, not deciding your whole maritime career today.

Already drawn to a kind of work? Commercial fishing → · Oil spill response → · Ferries and passenger boats →

Learn what each department actually does

Deck: lines, docking, painting, cleaning, standing watches, weather.
Engine: engines, pumps, piping, maintenance, heat and grease.
Steward: cooking, cleaning, food safety, stores and feeding the crew.

Who's Who on a Merchant Ship → · Deck vs. Engine vs. Steward →

Get your first job

The beginner's dilemma: “How do I get sea time without a job, and a job without sea time?”
Look for jobs advertised as entry level, trainee or no experience required.

Places where new mariners often start (these are possibilities, not guarantees):

Towboats and tugs
Passenger, excursion and ferry vessels
Commercial fishing and processing vessels
Some offshore support work
Union training programs and apprenticeships

Choose your target job first. Then get what that job requires.

Once you know the job you're aiming for, start its paperwork right away. Some steps take weeks, and you don't want to miss an offer while you wait.

Ten plain-English steps: Get Your First Maritime Job →

See what papers you may need

TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential): a TSA security card. When you apply for an MMC, the National Maritime Center (NMC) generally wants proof you hold a TWIC or have applied for one. Whether you must keep it current depends on your work.
MMC (Merchant Mariner Credential): your Coast Guard credential. It shows what you're qualified to do aboard.
Medical certificate: shows you meet the Coast Guard's medical standards for the job.
Drug-test documentation: a separate step from the medical exam. It may be needed for your application, by your employer, or both.
STCW training (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping): some jobs require it and others don't. It depends on the vessel and where it sails.

Don't assume you need all five before applying for every maritime job. Check what your target job requires.

What will this cost? It depends on what your target job requires. TWIC, Coast Guard fees, medical exams, drug testing and training can all add cost. Check the job first, then build your budget.

What Is an MMC? → · TWIC & First MMC → · Medical Fitness → · Drugs, Alcohol & DUI → · Before You Spend Money →

See who's hiring

Ready? See the employers and union hiring halls, and how each one hires. This is a guide to employers and where they hire, not a list of current openings.

Who's Hiring: Browse Employers → · Unions & Hiring Halls →

Got the job? Here's what's next

Show up early.
Listen.
Ask when you don't know.
Stay off the phone while working.
Learn your alarms and your muster station.

Start documenting your service from day one. Missing documentation can make your service harder to prove when you upgrade. Get your discharge or sea-service letter when you sign off.

Joining Your First Vessel → · Documenting Sea Time →

Settled in and thinking about your next step? Moving Up From Your First Job →