U.S. Coast Guard Mariner Credential Changes Format
The U.S. Coast Guard announced a new merchant mariner credential (MMC) set to launch on March 1, 2024. This milestone marks the first comprehensive revision of the mariner credential in nearly a decade and is strategically designed to enhance both quality of service and security within the Marine Transportation System (MTS).
The age of the Coast Guard National Maritime Center (NMC) printers for the passport-style credential combined with their significant use has necessitated a need to issue a new MMC.
To move to a more reliable and modern printing process, the new credential is formatted on 8.5” x 11” water resistant synthetic paper containing several security features including anti-copy, micro-printing, foiling, and intricate patterns. The new credential is produced on readily available commercial printers significantly reducing printing and maintenance costs. A sample credential is available on the NMC website.
