USCG
USCG Releases PSC Annual Report for 2014
The Coast Guard’s Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance Foreign and Offshore Compliance Division, Released the Coast Guard’s Port State Control Annual Report for 2014.
The report provides key statistics related to the enforcement of regulations under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, or SOLAS, the international Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, or MARPOL, and the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, or ISPS.
Overall, PSC inspection activity has seen a slight decline over the last four years. In 2011 USCG conducted 10,129 safety exams and that number has slowly reduced with 2014 showing 9,232 exams. Three-year rolling average detention ratio was on a steady decline between 2011 and 2013 but has risen slightly for 2014. Detention went from all-time low in 2013 of 1.11% to 1.31% for this year. Detentions went up from 97 in 2011 to 143 in 2014.
It is important to note that despite a 5% decrease in ship visits from 2013, the percentage of detentions has risen by about 15% over that same time period. Coast Guard Districts 5, 7, 11, and 14 are the district where the number of detentions has increased significantly over the past year.
Source: USCG
Master Intoxication Leads to Vessel Detention
A container vessel was detained by USCG PSCO at Key Largo, Florida as Master was suspected in state of intoxication. The incident dates to 28th July 2015 during regular PSC inspection.
During the course of a Port state Control examination, Master was suspected of intoxication due to strong smell of alcohol. Reasonable cause testing was conducted by means of an alcohol breath-analyzer and the Master’s Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was 0.104 and subsequent test was 0.108 BAC, far exceeding the 0.05 limit set by the Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers (STCW) Code.
It was determined by PSCO that the Master was unable to perform his duties in a competent manner as require under STCW 95 Reg I/4 and was relieved.
USCG- Organizational Modification of the VRP and FRP Programs
USCG issued a new MSIB (08/2015) advising the industry about transfer of the Vessel Response Plan (VRP) and Facility Response Plan (FRP) programs from the Offices of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC) and Port and Facility Compliance (CG-FAC) to the Office of Marine Environmental Response (CG-MER), effective July 1, 2015.
Vessel and facility response plans are an integral component of the Coast Guard’s spill response and preparedness mission. This organizational modification will ensure greater unity of effort and consistency across the oil spill planning and response domain. Benefits of this shift include,
1. Improved VRP coordination amongst VRPs, FRPs, Area Contingency Plans (ACPs), Regional Contingency Plans (RCPs), and the National Contingency Plan (NCP).
2. Improved activation of VRPs for response to spills and significant threats of spills.
3. Improved response resource identification and accessibility.
4. Eased implementation of the new PREP Guidelines.
5. Eased implementation of the new Oil Spill Removal Organization (OSRO) Classification Guidelines.
6. Synergized development of a national policy for Alternative Planning Criteria (APC).
7. Improved marine environmental response in the United States.
Major OPA 90 regulatory initiatives have been implemented while both programs resided under the Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy (CG-5P). Some of these initiatives included the new salvage and marine firefighting regulations and response plan requirements for nontank vessels. Specifically, the VRP Program received nation-wide recognition for modernizing its program and migrating VRPs into the digital age. VRP information may still be accessed at https://homeport.uscg.mil/vrp or until the Homeport migration is completed. While little will change regarding the review and approval protocol for both VRPs and FRPs, programmatic oversight and policy implementation will shift to CG-MER under the Assistant Commandant for Response Policy (CG-5R).
The VRP contact information remains vrp@uscg.mil and 202-372-1005 (VRP Help Desk) and the FRP contact information is now 202-372-1226. Please direct all questions regarding this move and policy questions to the aforementioned contact information.
Source: USCG
USCG Concern Over Tianjin Explosion and Possible Contamination
The Coast Guard published a Marine Safety Information Bulletin 07/2015, advising maritime industry with respect to assessing potential contamination risks from the Tianjin explosions and the responsibility of vessel and facility agents, owners, masters, and operators to immediately report potentially hazardous conditions to the United States Coast Guard
(USCG).
The Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection are monitoring vessel traffic and cargo departing the port complex in Tianjin, China, following the tragic explosions on August 12th and 15th, 2015, due to concerns that there may be potentially hazardous ash, debris or residues on vessels or cargo bound for U.S. ports.
Vessels impacted by the Tianjin explosions are expected to call on U.S. ports over the next several weeks. There have been no reports of vessels with confirmed hazardous debris or residues onboard, however U.S. companies are looking for reassurances regarding the health and safety of those who handle shipping containers across the supply chain.
For the purpose of this bulletin, an “impacted vessel” is any vessel that was in the Tianjin port complex, or that has loaded cargo or containers that were in the Tianjin port complex, at the time of the first explosion on August 12th through August 15th.
Hong Kong Flag Concern on PSC Detention and Checklist
Hong Kong flag administration has analysed the detention of its flag vessel for the period from 1 Jan 2015 to 31st July 2015. total 37 vessel were detained during this period, out of which 17 vessels were detained by AMSA and 5 were detained by USCG.
Upon analysis of all detentions, it is noticed that the most common detainable deficiencies registered by the PSCOs are relating. to fire damper, fire flaps, fixed fire extinguishing system, emergency fire pump, lifeboat, rescue boat, emergency generator. back up batteries. air pipe, garbage and in some cases all deficiencies were concluded by an ISM Code major nonconformity in respect of maintenance, key shipboard operations or emergency preparedness.
To avoid further detention of Hong Kong registered ships, a detailed check-list for the most common detainable deficiencies has been developed by Marine Department. Administration urges ship masters to carry out inspection as guided to avoid detention due to these common detainable deficiencies prior to arriving any ports, in particular to Australian and US ports.
Source: Mardep, Hong Kong
AIS Encoding Guide by USCG
AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM is a valuable navigation safety radio communication tool. However, its usefulness is undermined by the broadcast of inaccurate, improper or outdated data. It is required that each AIS be maintained in effective operating condition, which includes accurate input and upkeep of AIS data parameters.
The Coast Guard has posted an Automatic Identification System, or AIS, Encoding Guide. This Guide is intended to assist mariners in the proper entry of AIS data.
CFR – Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments
Each year, the Coast Guard issues technical, organizational and conforming amendments to existing regulations in 33 CFR. These annual “technical amendments” provide the public with more accurate and current regulatory information, but do not change the impact on the public of any Coast Guard regulation.
The Coast Guard published its final rule which makes non-substantive technical, organizational and conforming amendments to existing regulations throughout Title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
This final rule is effective July 27, 2015.
View the Federal Register final rule for full details and all changes to Title 33 CFR.
BW Treatment System Manufacturers List by USCG
USCG’s Marine Safety Center has posted a list of manufacturer’s who submitted a Letter of Intent, or LOI, to pursue type approval for their ballast water management treatment system. The LOI is required to be submitted to the Coast Guard by the regulations in 46 Code of Federal Regulations Subpart 162.060-10(a).
The LOI notifies the Coast Guard of a manufacturer’s intention to conduct testing and submit a type approval application. As per the released list total 24 manufacturers have submitted the LOIs since 2012. Following is the list of manufacturers submitted the LOI with date of submission as per the list posted on USCG website.
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Alfa Laval PureBallast 8/13/2012
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BIO-UV 3/27/2015
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Coldharbour Marine 5/28/2015
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Desmi Ocean Guard A/S 2/7/2013
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Eaton 3/12/2014
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Ecochlor, Inc. 12/4/2014
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ERMA First Esk Engineering Solutions 10/1/2014
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Evoqua Water Technologies
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LLC 10/16/2014
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Headway Technology Co., Ltd 8/13/2014
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Hyde Marine 3/2/2015
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JFE Engineering Corporation 11/18/2014
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KSB Aktiengesellschaft 7/11/2014
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NK Company Limited 5/11/2015
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NEI Treatment Systems, LLC 2/6/2015
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Oceansaver AS 12/17/2014
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Optimarin AS 10/16/2014
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Panasia Co..LTD. 12/9/2013
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RWO GmbH, Marine Water Technology 6/26/2014
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Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd 6/24/2015
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Severn Trent DeNora 3/25/2015
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Sunrui Marine Environment Engineering Co., Ltd. 2/3/2015
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Trojan Marinex 4/28/2014
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Wartsila Senitec AB 4/17/2014
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Wuxi Brightsky Electronic Co. 4/29/2015
The Marine Safety Center will type approve a ballast water management system when the vendor, working with an independent lab, provides a completed test report and evaluation in accordance with the requirements found in 46 Code of Federal Regulations Subpart 162.060.
Source: USCG
Acceptable NOAD Formats
As per the newly published Notice of Arrival/Departure (NOAD) regulation Title 33 Code of Federal Regulations Part 160, the NVMC will no longer accept NOAD submissions that contain the NOAD information as text within the body of emails or attachments of scanned documents. These submissions will not be processed after September 30, 2015.
The NVMC will only be accepting NOAD submissions, per regulation Title 33 Code of Federal Regulations Part 160, by the methods listed below.
Acceptable NOAD Formats
- Emailed submission of either of the latest two published NVMC Workbooks located at http://www.nvmc.uscg.gov under the Downloads Tab and sent to enoad@nvmc.uscg.gov.
- Via the NVMC eNOAD website.
- Via Third-party application submissions conforming to standards found at http://www.nvmc.uscg.gov under the Developer Tab and sent to enoad@nvmc.uscg.gov.
- Via the NVMC InfoPath template version 6.3.0 until its retirement. Submitters utilizing this product may submit their NOAD on-line by using the built-in submit functionality or by emailing it to enoad@nvmc.uscg.gov.
Source: NVMC
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