The National Maritime Center (NMC) has announced a long-awaited modernization effort: a new online application paperwork submission process, the Application Submission and Awaiting Information Portal (ASAP), set to launch in January 2026. This process will provide a new way for mariners to submit their Merchant Mariner Credential and Medical Certificate application paperwork.
What This Means for the Mariner
While hailed as a major enhancement, the day-to-day experience for the individual mariner will remain largely the same. Mariners and 3rd parties will still be responsible for creating and uploading the exact same PDF documents, but will now do so through a website instead of attaching them to an e-mail.
The Critical Question: Where's the Receipt?
This move does raise a critical question for the industry: will the new submission process provide an automated submission receipt? Currently, a mariner's "sent" e-mail is their only proof of submission in a system known for human error and lost applications.
A verifiable, automated confirmation e-mail that includes all of the documents submitted to the USCG is the single most important feature this new portal must have. Without it, the new system would actually be a step backward for mariners and industry, removing the only piece of evidence that a mariner has submitted their application to the NMC.
A Fundamental Shift in Workload
This modernization also represents a fundamental shift in workload from the government to the applicant. By having mariners and 3rd parties directly upload documents, they are now performing a data entry task that was previously handled by NMC staff. It is hoped that this increased efficiency and reduced workload for the government will include right-sizing the NMC's staffing and budget to reflect this new, more modern reality.
