The Coast Guard issued Marine Safety Alert 13-15 to update Marine Safety Alert 2-15. The new safety alert adds two additional recommendations.
The Coast Guard has received several confirmed reports stating that main engines may not attain the expected speed when using ultra low sulfur fuel oil. The Coast Guard provided a list of recommendations to vessel owners and operators about the importance of establishing effective fuel oil changeover procedures in Marine Safety Alert 2-15.
The two additional recommendations are:
- As part of the master-pilot information exchange (as required by 33 CFR 164.11(k)), discuss the vessel’s maneuvering characteristics, including any change in RPMs associated with ULS fuel oil and;
- Determine if using ULS fuel necessitates amendments to the pilot card (see IMO RES A.601(15) and NVIC 7-89);
Read both safety alerts for full details.
This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official source documents, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These documents remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.