U.S. Coast Guard Launches New Digital Mariner Credential System

The U.S. Coast Guard is preparing to introduce a new digital platform designed to modernize the Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) application process, representing the latest step in the agency’s efforts to improve a system that has long been a source of frustration for mariners.

Known as NAVITA, a name derived from the Latin word for “sailor,” the platform is scheduled to launch its first phase in September 2026. The project forms part of the Coast Guard’s wider digital modernization strategy.

According to Coast Guard officials, NAVITA will offer a streamlined online experience for mariners applying for credentials and medical certificates. The system is intended to reduce paperwork, lower the risk of application errors and provide users with greater visibility into the status of their submissions.

“For many mariners, today’s credentialing process can involve extensive paperwork, multiple submissions, and lengthy back-and-forth communication,” said CAPT Pat Drayer, commanding officer of the National Maritime Center, and Captain Cathleen Mauro, acting chief of the Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing.

The announcement comes as the Coast Guard continues to address significant processing challenges following this year’s federal funding lapse. The disruption forced the National Maritime Center (NMC) to suspend many of its activities and contributed to a backlog of more than 19,000 credential applications.

When operations resumed in May, the NMC advised mariners that completed applications could face processing times of between eight and 12 months as staff worked through the backlog in chronological order.

Coast Guard officials believe NAVITA will help eliminate many of the inefficiencies that have historically contributed to delays.

This is about more than replacing a system,” said Rear Adm. Wayne Arguin, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy. “It’s about designing services around the mariner experience and improving the public’s interactions with—and trust in—the Coast Guard.”

The platform’s initial release will allow mariners to create accounts and submit credential and medical certificate applications electronically. Additional features are expected to be introduced through future updates.

NAVITA follows several recent changes to the Coast Guard’s credentialing framework. Earlier this year, the agency launched the Application Submission and Additional Information Portal (ASAP) after permanently retiring the HOMEPORT system, which had served mariners since 2005 before being shut down in April 2025. The ASAP platform became the primary channel for submitting credential applications while broader modernization efforts were being developed.

The Coast Guard said NAVITA is expected to become the foundation of a larger modernization program covering prevention-related services and interactions with the maritime industry.

The initiative also supports President Donald Trump’s Executive Order on “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance,” which highlights workforce development and the removal of barriers to maritime employment as key objectives. Officials said reducing credential processing delays will strengthen the U.S. maritime workforce, improve supply chain resilience and support national defense readiness.

Maintaining a strong and available pool of mariners has become an increasingly important issue as policymakers look to expand the U.S.-flag fleet and tackle ongoing labor shortages in parts of the maritime sector.

The Coast Guard said stakeholder testing and user feedback sessions will continue ahead of the platform’s September launch, with further updates expected as the project moves closer to implementation.