Merchant navy discharge book

[Unregistered]

Hi I was just wondering how do I get a discharge book

[GuinnessMan]

You apply for one, via a shipping company, to the "Registry of Seafarers" or something similar to that...

[Faust]

Don't worry about getting one!

Whichever shipping company you work for/end up working for will organise all that for you.

Like GM says, the issue of a Discharge Book is organised through a company.

[marcus1608]

Can you apply for one off your own back before you start? Id like to get my time at the fishing signed off before I start my cadetship..

[Faust]

No, your employers need to fill out a section.

Ask your employers to get you one if you feel you need it, but you will get enough sea time as a cadet.

[alistairuk]

As faust has said... only sea time obtained as part of the cadetship counts towards your 12 months sea time requirement for following an approved course... otherwise you need 36 months.

[GuinnessMan]

Can you apply for one off your own back before you start? Id like to get my time at the fishing signed off before I start my cadetship..

In a nutshell, no. It has to be countersigned by a company somewhere to say that you are actually working for someone. Also, fishing vessels wouldn't count due to size, etc

[ETwhat?]

In a nutshell, no. It has to be countersigned by a company somewhere to say that you are actually working for someone. Also, fishing vessels wouldn't count due to size, etc

It may be worth looking at what requirements the fishing vessels have, while its obviously not your current aim if recording sea time on a fishing boat now can give you another option later on its not a bad idea.

[gadget123]

A slightly different question, but is it going to cause me problems going for orals if I have entries which were not formaly part of my cadetship in my discharge book?

[alistairuk]

A slightly different question, but is it going to cause me problems going for orals if I have entries which were not formaly part of my cadetship in my discharge book?

No, because they aren't counted for anything.

[Steve]

No, because they aren't counted for anything.

Depends in what capacity he was engaged. If employed as a cadet, but not by his sponsor, the time would still count provided testimonials were obtained.

Obviously time as AB or cook or greaser isn't going to be of any use.

[gadget123]

Depends in what capacity he was engaged. If employed as a cadet, but not by his sponsor, the time would still count provided testimonials were obtained.

Obviously time as AB or cook or greaser isn't going to be of any use.

One of them says cadet, and I think the others are bosun's mate or deckhand.
But I don't intend to use any of them of them for my 12 months which is being organised by SSTG, just dont want the other entries to cause confusion when going for my NOE.

[Steve]

You enter the relevant sea time yourself on the NOE form. This is backed up by your discharge book and testimonials. If you have or can obtain testimonials for the 'extra' time as a cadet, I see no reason to omit it.

[marcus1608]

In a nutshell, no. It has to be countersigned by a company somewhere to say that you are actually working for someone. Also, fishing vessels wouldn't count due to size, etc

Getting it countersigned by my employer wouldn't be a bother, and I wasn't worried about it counting towards seatime for my cadetship I was just wanting it recorded so I dont have a three year gap in my employment history.

[Clanky]

No, I have an entry as bosun on a sail training ship, and the only thing it caused in my orals was 10 minutes talking about sail training instead of being hammered on torsional vibration dampers.