The Coast Guard is evaluating the potential use of Safety Management Systems (SMSs) to improve safety and reduce marine casualties on board U.S.-flagged passenger vessels. The Coast Guard is seeking public input and responses to specific questions on the feasibility, applicability, and nature of SMSs for potential use on U.S.-flagged passenger vessels. Comments and related material must be received on or before April 15, 2021.
Policy Letter: Inspection guidance for high risk small passenger vessels
The Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance has published Policy Letter 20-02: “Inspection Guidance For High Risk Small Passenger Vessels” to provide Officers in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) with inspection guidance for high risk small passenger vessel (SPV) inspection.
Policy letter: Carriage of lithium-ion batteries on small passenger vessels
The Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance has published Policy Letter 20-03: “Carriage of Lithium-Ion Batteries on Small Passenger Vessels” to provide guidance regarding carriage of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries on small passenger vessels […]
Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance Releases Domestic Annual Report for 2019
The Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance is pleased to announce the publication of the 2019 Domestic Annual Report. The report highlights U.S. domestic fleet deficiencies, inspections, and marine casualty statistics and serves […]
MSIB: Recommendation for DUKW Passenger Vessel Canopy Removal
The Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy has published Marine Safety Information Bulletin 15-20, “Recommendation for DUKW Passenger Vessel Canopy Removal.”
Practice makes permanent: Does your crew know what’s in your TSMS?
Editor’s note: This blog post was updated March 10, 2020 at 8:04 a.m. to correct an error.
A representative from the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance joined several members of the professional maritime community Feb. 25, 2020, for an American Waterways Operators webinar, “Safety Know-How: Helping Your Crewmembers Embrace and Understand Your TSMS,” to offer best practices and lessons learned on ways to ensure towing vessel crews are familiar with their company’s Towing Vessel Safety Management System. In this post, we share a summary as well as a link to the audio file for the benefit of our readers.
Work Instruction update: Alternate testing methods of overspeed protection on electronically controlled engines
The Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC) released work instruction CVC-WI-011(1) to provide guidance to Coast Guard marine inspectors for alternative testing methods of overspeed protection on electronically controlled engines.
Work Instruction update: MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14 compliance, & Global Sulfur Fuel Oil Sulfur Cap enforcement
The Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC) released work instruction CVC-WI-022 to provide guidance to Coast Guard marine inspectors and port state control officers for ensuring vessel compliance with MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14. Additionally, this work instruction cancels CG-CVC Policy Letter 12-04 Change 1, and includes a Job Aid as an enclosure.
Three Americans receive awards at the International Maritime Organization’s award ceremony
Three Americans received awards from the International Maritime Organization for their contributions to the maritime community and bravery at sea.
