USCG Towing Officer Endorsement (TOAR): What to Know

Towing vessels — tugs pushing barges, ship-assist work, articulated tug-barge units — are their own world, and so is the credential to command them. The key piece most mariners haven't heard of until they go looking is the TOAR. If you're aiming for a towing endorsement, here's what to expect.

What the Towing Endorsement Is

To operate as the officer in charge of a navigational watch on a towing vessel, you need a towing officer endorsement on your Merchant Mariner Credential — typically Mate (Pilot) of Towing or Master of Towing for a given route (Western Rivers, Great Lakes, Inland, or Near Coastal/Oceans). It sits on top of your underlying deck credential and sea service.

The TOAR: A Practical, Not Just Written

Here's what sets towing apart: a big part of qualifying is the Towing Officer Assessment Record (TOAR) — a structured checklist of practical competencies you must demonstrate to a designated examiner, often an experienced towing officer (a "Designated Examiner," or DE). It's not a multiple-choice exam; it's proof you can actually do the job.

The TOAR covers real-world towing skills, including:

• Maneuvering — handling the vessel and tow in various conditions, making up to and breaking away from a tow.
• Watchkeeping and navigation — running a safe watch specific to towing operations.
• Equipment — understanding and operating towing gear, wires, and connections.
• Emergencies — man-overboard, steering casualty, and other contingencies while towing.
• Rules of the Road as they apply to towing — including the lights, shapes, and signals specific to vessels engaged in towing.

You complete the TOAR over time, on the water, with a Designated Examiner signing off each competency as you demonstrate it.

Sea Service and Route

Like every endorsement, towing has sea service requirements, and they're tied to the route you want (Western Rivers and Great Lakes have their own service expectations versus Inland or Near Coastal). Your towing time generally needs to be on towing vessels in the relevant waters. Plan your days deliberately if you know towing is the goal.

How to Approach It

1. Get on towing vessels. Practical, route-specific towing time is the foundation — both for sea service and for completing the TOAR.
2. Find a Designated Examiner. You need a DE to observe and sign off your TOAR competencies. Many companies have DEs on staff; line one up early.
3. Master the towing-specific rules. The lights, shapes, and sound signals for vessels engaged in towing are heavily tested and central to safe operation — drill them until they're automatic.
4. Document everything. TOAR sign-offs and sea service letters are what turn your time into a credential.

Study the Foundation

The TOAR proves your hands; the written fundamentals prove your head — and the Rules of the Road for towing vessels show up in both. Drill the towing lights, shapes, and signals in the question bank, keep your towing sea time logged in the sea time tracker, and map where the towing endorsement sits on your path with the upgrade tracker.

Binnacle School is a study and planning resource and is not affiliated with the USCG or the National Maritime Center. TOAR and towing requirements vary by route and change over time — confirm current specifics at uscg.mil/nmc.