Florida Maritime Training Academy has announced that they are now part of the U.S. Coast Guard's National Maritime Center's (NMC) Maritime Training and Assessment Data Program (MTAD) that was rolled out earlier this month.
"We actually had the opportunity to help the USCG with testing by signing up late last year and enter data through the Homeport. Our last STCW Basic Safety Training class of 2011 had their course completing information at the NMC before they got home after the last day of class,” said Roberto Valletta, Director of Training at Florida Maritime.
Valletta vadded that this program will significantly increase the speed of mariner credentialing, especially those that are waiting on one course to complete their renewal or raise of grade. Once a mariner completes a course at FMTA, their information is sent via a secure portal to the USCG’s NMC in West Virginia where all Merchant Mariner Credentials are processed. Evaluators assigned to a mariner can access the portal’s data to verify course completion and issue credentials without the paper certificate in hand. This also will lower paper consumption and the need to keep certificates. FMTA on the WEB: www.fmta.com