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GAO-23-106629 1 (2023-07-26)

handle is hein.gao/gaooyx0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Why This Matters Key Takeaways Merchant mariners play a vital role supporting the U.S. maritime commerce industry which, according to industry estimates, generates nearly $5.4 trillion in economic activity annually. Merchant mariners also can support national defense efforts by providing ships and mariners to the U.S. military in times of national emergency or war. Merchant mariners are civilian employees who work on a variety of public and privately-owned U.S. registered merchant, towing, and passenger vessels. Vessel owners hire merchant mariners for a variety of positions, each with different levels of skill and qualification requirements, such as deck officers, engineers, medical personnel, or stewards (e.g., food services). Mariners must possess a merchant mariner credential that indicates the holder meets the qualifications necessary for the mariner's position. The U.S. Coast Guard's National Maritime Center, within the Department of Homeland Security, has responsibility for issuing credentials to qualified mariners. However, over the past several years, questions have been raised about the time it takes and the technology used to process credential applications. The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act, 2023, includes a provision for us to evaluate how the National Maritime Center processes merchant mariner credentials.1 This report addresses the Coast Guard's merchant mariner credentialing process, the volume and timeliness of processing applications, and how the Coast Guard measures the performance of its process. * The Coast Guard merchant mariner credentialing process includes multiple levels of review, and may include reviews for completeness and suitability, and to ensure the mariner meets the professional qualifications for the position. For credential applications received from January 2018 through June 2022, the Coast Guard processed about 75 percent of them in 60 days or fewer. The Coast Guard's processing times can vary due to the complexity or completeness of the application, the number of applications received, and the availability of the Coast Guard's human capital and information technology resources, according to our review of application data and interviews with Coast Guard officials. For example, from January 2018 through December 2022, the Coast Guard determined 57 percent of the applications it received were incomplete and required additional information to be submitted. Over the past several years, the Coast Guard has taken steps to improve the credentialing process by, for example, streamlining part of its review process. The Coast Guard is also taking steps to modernize its information technology Page 1 GAO-23-106629 Merchant Mariner Credentialing Process

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