The NMC handles 75,000 credential requests a year, returns roughly half for preventable deficiencies, and came out of the last government shutdown with a 20,000-application backlog. Five reforms address the structural problems in the credentialing system, all implementable now by USCG Policy Letter and locked in by Congress.
Read the ReformsImmediate Action, Lasting Protection
USCG acts now. Congress locks it in.
Immediate Impact
Reduces credentialing timelines from day one
No New Appropriations
Budget-neutral implementation
Full USCG Oversight
Zero compromise on safety or authority
Policy Reform Briefs
Each reform addresses a specific, documented barrier in the USCG credentialing system. All are implementable under existing Coast Guard authority and support the Maritime Action Plan's workforce goals. Click any brief to read the full proposal.
Pre-validated applications routed to a dedicated processing lane. Modeled on TSA PreCheck: a vetted third party compiles and validates the package before federal employees adjudicate.
Read briefEvery expired credential holder is automatically placed in continuity. No application, no paperwork, no grace period countdown. Mariners are back in the eligible workforce pool once they meet existing renewal requirements.
Read briefOne mandatory civilian form replaces hundreds of inconsistent formats. Vessel operators are required to provide it annually and upon separation from employment.
Read briefOne form replaces inconsistent formats across all branches. Broadened signature authority with three defined signatory categories eliminates bottlenecks.
Read briefFor Military to Mariner fee-waiver-eligible service members only: accept the CAC in lieu of a redundant $124 TWIC. TWIC remains the baseline for all commercial mariners.
Read briefWho We Are
The Merchant Mariner Policy Action Group is a coalition of credentialed mariners, training providers, and vessel operators from every sector of the American maritime industry. We are united around a single goal: making the credentialing system as resilient as the mariners and industry it serves.
These reforms maintain full USCG authority and can be acted on immediately by USCG Policy Letter. Congress ensures they stick.