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A ship might have been scrapped but it doesnt stop an unscrupluous (spelling) seafarer making up sea time using its name!! I used to work for the MCA in its Certifcate of Competence department and two days before i left a seafarer was due for sentencing for several counts of fraud after I had discovered his discharge book (record of service) was a tissue of lies!
If i hadn't have noticed this, an oral examination would have been the only thing in between them and the authorisation to be in charge of any ship,any size! To me, that is very worrying!!I'm just glad i carried out the extra checks!
It is exceeedingly profitable for a seaferer to become captain of a ship and for this reason many of them will make fake entries into their discharge book! There is a never ending supply of applications to the MCA for OOW, Mates and Masters COC's of various types of ships. Inevitably some will slip though the net and will become Masters and in charge of ships full of dangerous cargoes. There is not much that can be done to stop this except for the vigilance of the people in the COC department of the MCA. All we can hope for is that they keep up the good work and are vigilant against fraud!!!
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