Representatives from the Coast Guard, offshore oil and gas industries, recognized organizations and numerous industry associations attended the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee (NOSAC) semi-annual public meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, March 20, 2019.

Rear Adm. John Nadeau, assistant commandant for prevention policy, attended the meeting and discussed with the committee the recently signed Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018. Included in this legislation was language making the NOSAC a statutory committee, signifying the completion of an almost 10-year effort to move the committee from a discretionary one to one codified in law.

“I want to congratulate the members of NOSAC on all the outstanding work you’ve accomplished over the years,” Nadeau said during his remarks to committee members. “The Coast Guard is grateful for the many detailed recommendations you’ve provided to improve the safety of mariners, vessels, and facilities operating on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.”

During the meeting, the committee heard presentations and discussions on the progress of a variety of issues, including an interim subcommittee report addressing the task “Use of OSVs and other Non-Purpose built vessels for Restoration and Recovery.” The subcommittee provided a detailed status progress summary, which included 10 recommendations to the Coast Guard. The subcommittee will continue its work and anticipates providing a final report during the 2019 fall meeting.

Additionally, Mr. Jermaine Francis Sr., a transportation specialist from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, briefed the committee on FEMA’s role under the National Response Framework.

Other agenda items included:

• Mr. Paul Liberato, president of the Billy Pugh Company, gave a presentation on the history of and best practices for the use of personnel transfer equipment.
• Committee members Mr. Tom Horan and Mr. Chris Woodle provided an overview of “Lifeboats on the OCS –Perspectives from MODU and Production Operators.”
• The Coast Guard discussed CG-ENG Policy Letter 02-12 Ch 1, which was signed March 4, 2019. This policy letter establishes that the Coast Guard considers the design and equipment standards of the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units, 2009 (2009 MODU Code) and its amendments to be at least as effective as the design and equipment standards of the 1979 and 1989 MODU Codes.
• Staff from the Office of Operating and Environmental Standards updated committee members on the 2019 membership slate and the changes to the committee created by the signing of the 2018 Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act as well as actions taken on some of the committee’s recommendations related to floating offshore installations.
• The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the Maritime Administration also gave updates on various issues.

The next NOSAC meeting is scheduled for Sept. 10-11, 2019 in Houston, Texas.

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.