Seaman's Card Questions

[Hatchorder]

My son has recently completed his application for his discharge book. His employing company specifically told him not to apply for the Seaman's Card at the same time.

Questions

1) Is this the same for everyone these days, they do not apply for their Seaman's Card?

2) What is the reason for this? Is it just the company not wanting to spend the money?

3) Can he still apply for it himself if we think it is a good idea?

The reason I ask is because in my day you took your Seaman's card ashore as a form of identity. It identified you as British first of all. If you lost it it was not as important as losing your passport. It got you in and out of the docks without question, if questioned about luggage at airports it showed you were a seafarer instantly, and finally it was a lot cheaper if you had to replace it but you could still get home at the end of the voyage because you still had your passport.

Ian.

[thady]

As far as i know no cadets apply to get these cards, i haven't even heard them being spoken about, i have heard of the card but it has not cropped up that holding one would benefit in any way, though i can see how it could benefit.

With modern technology ships issue you with your own photo id which is ship specific for getting in and out of the docks, it also updates a computerized muster list when you scan yourself off and on the ships (on some of the more advanced ships)

[thady]

http://www.officercadet.com/showthread.php/3749-British-Seaman-s-Card-Fee

Just found that seems there are some interesting replies

[alistairuk]

They're not used these days.

[Hatchorder]

Guys,

Thanks for the quick responses. I don't think we were ever able to use them in place of a passport, but we always took them ashore.

So - scrub the Seamans card. I was just confused as to why it was on the application form and he was told not to apply for it, but not why.

Thanks.

Ian

[GuinnessMan]

With modern technology ships issue you with your own photo id which is ship specific for getting in and out of the docks, it also updates a computerized muster list when you scan yourself off and on the ships (on some of the more advanced ships)

Eh? Whats all this scanning on and off lark? I've normally just signed myself off or left an ID card at the gangway and the forget to sign back on when I come on board...

[alistairuk]

Eh? Whats all this scanning on and off lark? I've normally just signed myself off or left an ID card at the gangway and the forget to sign back on when I come on board...

Pax ships :-)

[thady]

Was actually a DSV i was on, the same company didn't have it on their supply boats so i guess its for ships with a lot of pob

[Lewis]

i never got issued one but others in my class did. Apparently some companys require you to have one most don't(acording to my training officer anyway).

[TheFunktopus]

In our class at least, there's was only myself and one other cadet issued with a Seaman's card and we were both with the same sponsor, Wilhelmsen. However, when I was at sea last year, Sparky looked after it for the duration, and we were just issued with a crew ID made on ship for going ashore purposes.

A bit of a waste of time if you ask me, but they do hark back nicely to a time when we had hard backed passports, with which we could just clobber aside Johnny-Foreigner.

[alistairuk]

A bit of a waste of time if you ask me, but they do hark back nicely to a time when we had hard backed passports, with which we could just clobber aside Johnny-Foreigner.

The new ones with the chips in them are pretty solid - specially if you get the 48 page one

[TheFunktopus]

The new ones with the chips in them are pretty solid - specially if you get the 48 page one

Oh the standard soft back passport does the job alright, you just need a run-up.

[Aleorea]

You can still get them. I got one but it's been off zero use since I got it.

[Clanky]

I have never had a seaman's card in 20 years at sea (God, is it really that bloody long) and can't think of a single occasion where one would have been of use.

As has been said above, with the implementation of ISPS, most ships issue photo ID onboard now which usually (even on cargo ships in my experience) incorporates some form of electronic tagging for going ashore / coming back onboard.

I worked for one company where it also allowed access to various parts of the ship which was a pain in the ass if you forgot it when you were duty engineer on UMS as you could leave the accommodation without it, but couldn't get back into the engine room and couldn't get back into the accommodation to get it so you just had to wait until the all engineers call went off and someone else came to let you in. A case of beer and a few apologies later all was forgiven.

[YoungMariner]

I've got a seamans card, never ever used it for anything. On the rare occasions when i've had to show proof of status when travelling on a SEMN fare flight ticket to the checkin staff, I've shown my discharge book or OK to board letter. It's essentially an obsolete document.