Or. Admin. Code § 856-015-0023 - Applicant Examination and Ranking - Columbia and Willamette River Pilotage Ground
(1) Initial
Application. Applications may be submitted at any time, but no application will
be considered for the upcoming examination cycle unless it is submitted by
August 1 of that examination year. Individuals applying for admission to the
examination process for licensure as a trainee on the Columbia and Willamette
River pilotage ground must submit:
(a) The
following documents:
(A) A completed
application form prescribed by the Board. Applications submitted without a
completed application form are incomplete and will be automatically rejected;
and
(B) All documentation required
by OAR 856-015-0005. Applications
submitted without all documentation required by OAR
856-015-0005 are incomplete and
will be automatically rejected.
(b) Evidence satisfactory to the Board of the
following minimum qualifications:
(A) At
least 730 active working days as master of towing vessels on the Columbia River
and its tributaries, acquired over a minimum of three years;
(B) A current, valid license as master of
inland or near coastal vessels of 500 Registered Gross Tons or more;
(C) Graduation from high school or successful
passage of high school equivalency examination. A copy of the applicant's high
school diploma or high school equivalency certification (such as a General
Educational Development certificate) constitutes documentation satisfactory to
the Board; and
(D) A current, valid
First-Class Pilot License from Tansey Point, Oregon to Ryan Point, Washington
on the Columbia River, and from Kelley Point, Oregon to the Ross Island Bridge
on the Willamette River.
(2) Only applicants who provide all the
required documentation and meet all qualifications under section (1) of this
rule are eligible to continue in the trainee license application process.
Applicants who apply without meeting the qualifications required under
subsections(1)(b) of this rule shall receive formal notice of disqualification
and denial.
(3) First Examination -
Navigation Simulation. An applicant who has submitted a complete and qualifying
initial application under subsection (1) of this rule must take the Navigation
Simulation examination. This examination consists of a physical navigation
simulation exercise.
(a) An applicant must
pass the Navigation Simulation examination, administered by a nationally
recognized, independent, marine education and training facility designated by
the Board. Applicant participation in all further evaluation processes is
predicated on passing the Navigation Simulation examination.
(b) This examination is scored by the marine
education and training facility. Before administering the exam, the marine
education and training facility must provide the Board with the scoring system
it will use, and the Board must determine how it will convert that system into
points to be awarded to each applicant who has passed the examination. Each
applicant examined shall be assigned from 0 to 58 points reflecting their
navigation simulation examination score.
(4) Second Examination - Fundamentals of
State Pilotage. An applicant who has passed the Navigation Simulation
examination must take the Fundamental of State Pilotage - Columbia and
Willamette Rivers, administered by the Board.
(a) The Fundamentals of State Pilotage
Examination - Columbia and Willamette Rivers, is an oral examination,
administered by the Board every two years, commencing on a date between October
1 and December 31 as determined by Board staff. The examination may take place
over the course of one or more days, depending upon the number of
examinees.
(b) In every case, at
least one pilot from the Board's licensed training organization for the
Columbia and Willamette River pilotage ground who has held an unlimited pilot's
license for at least 5 years shall be included as an examiner.
(c) Each applicant examined shall be assigned
an oral examination score from 0 to 58 points based upon the following
guidelines: knowledge of the fundamentals of state piloting; knowledge of trade
and commerce on the Columbia River; poise and confidence; and other factors as
may be deemed relevant by the Board.
(5) Optional Points. Documentation for
optional, additional points may be submitted at any time up to 18 months after
the Board establishes the Roll of Candidates for which the applicant has most
recently tested. An applicant may add up to 58 points to the applicant's oral
examination score as follows:
(a) Education.
An applicant must submit official documentation of graduation from the
graduating institution to the Board in order to be awarded points under this
subsection. The maximum number of points available from education is
20:
(A) Four-year degree from an
accredited Maritime Academy: 15 points
(B) Two years (90 semester credit hours) of
course work, a two-year degree, or a four-year degree, from an accredited
college or university program: 5 points. An applicant who receives
points for a four-year Maritime Academy degree is not eligible for points under
this paragraph.
(C) A Master's
degree or PhD in a maritime or business curriculum: 5
points
(b) Experience
and Certification. An applicant must submit to the Board a copy of any
licensure, endorsement, or certification claimed, and documentation of any
experience claimed, to be awarded points under this paragraph. The maximum
number of points from certification and additional experience is
35:
(A) Federal pilotage
endorsement on the Columbia River from Ryan Point, Washington to East Pasco,
Washington: 15 points
(B) Federal pilotage endorsement on the
Columbia River from East Pasco, Washington to Hanford, Washington:
1 point
(C) 1,460
active working days as master of towing vessels on the Columbia River and
tributaries, obtained over a minimum of 6 years: 10
points
(D) 2,190 or more active
working days as master of towing vessels on the Columbia River and its
tributaries, obtained over a minimum of 9 years: 3
points
(E) Automatic Radar Plotting
Aid Certification: 1 point
(F) Bridge Resource Management Certification:
1 point
(G) Emergency
Medical Training Certification: 1 point
(H) Hazardous Materials Certification:
1 point
(I) Marine
Firefighting Certification: 1 point
(J) Oil Spill Control Certification:
1 point
(c)
References. Each applicant may submit three maritime industry references that
have knowledge of the applicant's professional skills and abilities to be a
state licensed pilot. The references must have personal knowledge of such
skills and abilities within the last six years; 3 point maximum if one of the
references includes the most recent supervisor; 2 point maximum
otherwise.
(6) All
applicants who complete the Fundamentals of State Pilotage - Columbia and
Willamette River oral examination shall be placed on the Board's Roll of
Candidates for the Columbia and Willamette River pilotage ground.
(a) Candidates shall be ranked in order from
the highest scoring candidates to the lowest scoring candidates, based on the
results of the examination, plus any additional points earned under section
five (5) of this rule.
(b) Subject
to Board approval, the rankings on every Roll of Candidates shall be
recalculated three times, at approximately six-month intervals from the date
the initial candidate rankings are approved by the Board. The rankings shall be
recalculated to account for any new, optional points candidates may
acquire.
(7) In
accordance with ORS 776.115(2) and
ORS 243.305, at such times as
vacancies may be forecast or occur within the register of pilots when no
certified apprentice is available, the Board shall issue trainee licensure to
the highest ranked individual or individuals on the Roll of Candidates for the
Columbia and Willamette Rivers and assign the trainee or trainees to the
Columbia River Pilots training organization.
(8) A Roll of Candidates expires after
approximately two years, as soon as the Board approves applicant rankings for a
subsequent Roll of Candidates.
Notes
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 776.115
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 776.300 & ORS 776.325
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