The Coast Guard is requiring Coast Guard-approved training providers to electronically submit student course completion data to the Coast Guard within 5 business days of completion. The National Maritime Center will use this information to validate mariner course completion as part of an application for a Merchant Mariner Credential. In addition, the Coast Guard is replacing gendered titles for certain officer and rating endorsements in keeping with Coast Guard policy of using gender-neutral language whenever possible. We expect these changes to improve the Coast Guard's verification process of mariner credential applications and to appropriately conform terms that should be gender neutral.
Source: Federal Register USCG
Link: Electronic Submission of Mariner Course Completion Data