The Coast Guard announces the availability of the updated Marine Safety Manual Volume II, COMDINST M16000.7B, Material Inspection, Change Two. MSM Volume II establishes marine safety policies on international conventions and U.S. statutes and regulations relating to material inspection of domestic and foreign commercial vessels.

The primary reason for this update was to consolidate published policy letters and other instruments as well as updates to existing portions of the manual. Also, a new chapter was included to consolidate existing policy and doctrine on commercial vessel personnel proficiency. It is part of the Coast Guard’s effort to provide updates and consolidated guidance to the Coast Guard field and maritime industry. Some of the other major changes included:

• Additional guidance and clarification concerning hydrostatic tests to watertube boilers, testing of boiler safety valves, inspection of steam turbine auxiliary machinery, operability of other vital steam auxiliaries, pressure relieving devices; and low pressure steam and hot water boilers on small passenger vessels.
• Updated Section E3, the chapter on safety management systems (SMS). This is the first update since the original publication of the ISM Code.  Primarily, the changes account for various amendments to instruments in SOLAS, the ISM Code, associated IMO Assembly Resolutions and IACS Procedural Requirements.  Additionally, existing U.S. Coast Guard policy guidance is incorporated and the section on roles and responsibilities was revised to account for Coast Guard organizational changes and notifications.
• All six chapters in Section G on the Outer Continental Shelf activities were updated. Some of the updates include Post Hurricane and Natural Disaster Inspection Requirements, issuance of a “Quarters Habitable” and “Buy Back Gas” approval letter for an OCS facility, manning of non-self propelled floating OCS facilities and clarified grandfathering dates of large and small OSVs.

Attached to the document is a Commandant Change Notice which discusses all the substantive changes to MSM Volume II by Change 2.

For more details, please view the entire manual.

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.