# Sea time of foreign flag ships



## George Bis

I wonder what the procedure is today for taking a British certificate when you have been serving on foreign flag ships?

I was only on British ships (finished 1979) and you "put in your papers" i.e. certificates, discharge book & watchkeeping certificates and if the Examiner was happy that was that.

I just wondered how it works today?


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## makko

Hi George,
I sailed on British, Panama and Liberia registered ships and had no problems. All the sea time counted the same. It was a while ago though and things may have changed.

When the new CoC's came out, I updated mine by post at Cardiff - Fill in the form, pay, photo and enclose original cert. Again, things may have changed.

I had to have a Panama equivalent CoC in order to sign on/sail but that was just a burocratic formality and it was issued immediately.

Rgds.
Dave


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## Tony Morris

When I first went foreign flag with UASC all discharges were on paper. After that I had every one put into my British discharge book which along with certificates of service were accepted with no problem by DTI/MCA until I revalidated for the last time in 2014.


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## pelerous

*Foreign Flag*

I can remember a time when the Dept. of Transport/Board of Trade did not count time on Foreign Flag vessels.
That would make life interesting today.


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## George Bis

Thanks to everyone who has replied, very interesting.

When I was made redundent in 1979 I had seven months sea time in for Mates FG and one of my concerned was whether 11 months under a Foreign Flag would count.
Looking back, I wasn't very positive. I could have easily gone into Liverpool and asked at the Exam Room!


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