By Taylor Bounds, Division of Marketing & Communications.
At the end of the spring semester, the very first cohort of Texas A&M Maritime Academy cadets will complete the requirements for their Mate of Towing Vessels Endorsement. This valuable qualification is for those interested in working on towing vessels and expands the career pathways cadets can pursue in the maritime industry.
An endorsement is an additional qualification for civilian mariners, granted by the U.S. Coast Guard. As the name describes, the Mate of Towing Vessels Endorsement authorizes mariners to serve as mates on towing vessels such as tugs. The endorsement expands the academy’s educational focus and credentialing opportunities for the brown water industry, which refers to inland and coastal waterways.
“We’re thrilled to be able to offer this new program for our cadets,” said Capt. Allan Post, deputy superintendent of the Texas A&M Maritime Academy. “This additional endorsement will help our academy meet the demand for skilled mariners as it increases across the maritime industry.”
At the Galveston Campus, the endorsement is optional, but for cadets who pursue it, the classes become part of their coursework for their degree. The endorsement requires two semester-long classes, each with comprehensive lectures and practical, hands-on lab experience. The classes cover laws and regulations, vessel handling, safety and vessel systems, and prepares cadets for overall workforce readiness, as well as the Towing Officer Assessment Record (TOAR), a series of evaluations required for the endorsement.
“The TOAR, which is needed to receive the mate of towing endorsement, opens the door to serving as a mate on a variety of towing vessels,” said Timothy Barrows, a professor of the practice in the maritime transportation department who teaches both courses required for the endorsement. “It’s a necessary endorsement for anyone wanting to get into the brown water industry. Graduates with this endorsement will be well prepared to enter the workforce, as they have received the training and completed their TOAR from completing MART 420 Advanced Towing.”
Cadets who successfully complete the classes can graduate with the endorsement on their US Coast Guard license, which they will receive once they have fulfilled all degree requirements and passed licensing exams. After graduation, students enter into the industry with high earning potential in a field that supports the blue economy.
###
Texas A&M Maritime Academy at the Galveston Campus is the only state maritime academy in the southern U.S., training officers for both deck and engine departments. In collaboration with the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies, the academy prepares students to become civilian U.S. Coast Guard-licensed officers in a crucial industry with growing workforce demands. The academy recently announced in-state tuition for all undergraduate students in the license degree programs, making maritime education more accessible.
The Galveston Campus boasts the nation’s most comprehensive collection of coastal, marine and maritime activities in education, research and service. Investment in the blue economy is part of the university’s sea-grant mission to improve lives and livelihoods through education, discovery and innovation in areas essential to state and national prosperity.
This piece was originally published by Texas A&M Maritime Academy on March 19, 2025.
Come Aboard
"*" indicates required fields
