The National Maritime Center (NMC) and all REC testing centers are closed due to the government shutdown. For mariners, this creates a serious problem, and it is more important than ever to keep submitting applications.
The NMC handles all applications in the order they are received. This means a long line of applications is now forming. Every day the shutdown lasts, the line gets longer. Submitting your paperwork now saves your place in that line for when the NMC reopens.
The risk is highest for mariners with training certificates that are about to expire. Sending in a complete application is the only way to stop the clock on an expiring certificate.
But there is a major problem. If the NMC finds any mistake in your application after they reopen, they will reject it. This could be a problem with your drug test, TWIC card, fee payment, or a simple error on the form. If your application is rejected, it is as if you never sent it in.
This means the clock on your training certificate never stopped, and it will have expired. You will have to take the course and pay for it all over again.
Because of this risk, mariners must be extra careful. Double-check every part of your application before you send it in. Make sure it is complete and correct to avoid a costly rejection when the NMC reopens.
