AMO Currents - Correcting the record on false claim regarding 'foreign officer' on U.S.-flagged ship

AMO Currents - Posted: October 29, 2010

Correcting the record on false claim regarding 'foreign officer' on U.S.-flagged ship

This article corrects a false assertion sent by a member of American Maritime Officers to the AMO Currents electronic mailbox. The e-mail sent by the AMO member (an engineering officer) claimed a foreign national who was in the U.S. under a work visa sailed as his relief in the engineering department aboard a U.S.-flagged ship operating under AMO contract in international trades.

The U.S. merchant marine officer and member of American Maritime Officers who relieved the author of the e-mail aboard the U.S.-flagged ship in question is a U.S. citizen who holds a U.S. Passport, which was active at the time he joined AMO and at the time he signed aboard the ship as a relief officer in the engineering department. While it is possible this individual holds dual citizenship, all members of American Maritime Officers must hold a U.S. Passport as part of the documentation requirements for joining the union.

Further, the U.S. Coast Guard requires a mariner to be a U.S. citizen in order to be issued an unlimited license. 46 CFR Part 10 Subpart B Paragraph 10.201(e) states: "No license or certificate of registry may be issued to any person who is not a citizen of the United States with the exception of operator of uninspected passenger vessels limited to vessels not documented under the laws of the United States."

There are some very narrow exemptions to this regulation for limited licenses, including uninspected passenger vessels not documented by the U.S. Coast Guard and some offshore support vessels and mobile offshore drilling units, the AMO national vice president at large noted. These exemptions do not apply to U.S.-flagged ships operated under AMO contract requiring officers to hold unlimited U.S. Coast Guard licenses.