All AMO officers are reminded that, after December 31, 2019, assessments of competence for STCW (deck and engine) endorsements must be signed by a Coast Guard approved Qualified Assessor (QA).

QAs must be approved by the Coast Guard as described in Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 19-14, "Policy on Qualified Assessors." Until December 31, 2019, the Coast Guard will continue to allow STCW assessments to be signed by an assessor who is not a designated QA, but who meets the requirements specified in NVIC 02-14. These assessments must be submitted to the Coast Guard as part of a complete application no later than June 30, 2020.

All AMO senior officers are encouraged to obtain their QA designation in order to administer assessments of competence for AMO members completing STCW signoffs onboard.

STAR Center has online training and guidance available to assist members in obtaining their QA designation from the U.S. Coast Guard, which is available at https://www.star-center.com/qa.html. Additional information on STCW requirements can also be found on the STAR Center website.