26 APRIL 2018 • FOGHORN SAFETYMATTERS credential. There were three expiration dates depending on what type of en- dorsement, national, or international, the mariner held. For a mariner who only held a national endorsement allowing operation domestically, the expiration date was five years from issuance. Starting in January 2014, national mariners were issued medical certifi- cates when the Coast Guard National Maritime Center (NMC) processed an application that required a medical evaluation such as issuing an original, raise-in-grade or renewal. Since medical certificate processing is a separate function within the NMC, mariners routinely go – and continue to get – their medical certificates before their merchant mariner creden- tial. Hence, the lack of date alignment. Harmonization – Who is Eligible? The harmonization policy contained in CG-MMC Policy Letter No. 01-18 is really targeted to mariners with a national endorsement. Mariners holding STCW or First Class Pilot endorsements are not eligible since their medical certificates have an expiration date of less than five years. In addition, national mariners who have a medical certificate issued for less than five years are not eligible. Mariners are issued medical certifi- cates for less than five years when they have a medical condition that does not allow issuance of a full term medical certificate. There are three other caveats to mariners wishing to harmonize their medical certificate with their mariner credential. Mariners who are seeking to post-date their credential cannot request harmonization. Post-dating allows a mariner to submit their appli- cation up to 8 months early and have their credential held until their current credential is about to expire. The new credential is dated the day after the current one. Post-dating was designed to eliminate credential creep, which was a concern of mariners for decades. The second caveat is that mariners cannot submit their 719K Application Let‘s talk about it Is Electric Right For You? Torqeedo Inc. 171 Erick Street, Unit A - 1 Crystal Lake, IL 60014 T +1 (815) 444 8806 usa@torqeedo.com www.torqeedo.com Hybrid Technology An American First Powering North America’s first passenger/vehicle roll-on, roll-off hybrid ferry equipped with a diesel-electric and lithium ion battery power system. www.volvopenta.us/marinecommercial