The Coast Guard recently promulgated Marine Safety Information Bulletin 03-20 to assist owners and operators wishing to voluntarily implement a SMS. In this post, Rear Adm. Richard Timme shares the MSIB and provides his perspective on SMS.
Marine Safety Information Bulletin: Novel Coronavirus update
The Coast Guard Director of Incident Management and Preparedness issued Marine Safety Information Bulletin 02-20, “Novel Coronavirus,” to provide additional information and guidance to the maritime community regarding the current novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.
MSIB: Cyberattack impacts MTSA facility operations
Forensic analysis is currently ongoing but the virus, identified as “Ryuk” ransomware, may have entered the network of the MTSA facility via an email phishing campaign. Read on for more details.
MSIB: Passenger vessel compliance and operational readiness
On September 2, 2019, the small passenger vessel Conception caught fire and sank off the coast of Santa Cruz Island, California with loss of life. This bulletin identifies regulations related to firefighting, lifesaving, preparations for emergencies, and means of escape that serve as a reminder for owner and operators to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew while onboard.
MSIB: Ballast water best management practices to reduce the likelihood of transporting pathogens that may spread stony coral tissue loss disease
Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease can kill coral within weeks or months and spreads rapidly to destroy the soft tissue of many different species of coral. This MSIB reminds vessel representatives of mandatory management practices associated with the discharge of ballast water (BW) from vessels required to conduct a Ballast Water Exchange (BWE) under U.S. Regulations.
Eighth District MSIB: Lifeboat operations on manned facilities
The Eighth District Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection of the Outer Continental Shelf is alerting offshore operators about a tragic accident with loss of life that occurred on a floating offshore facility. Because the potential factors involved in this incident may be common to many facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf, the Coast Guard is sharing immediate actions facilities can take to avoid a similar tragedy.
MSIB 06-19: Seafarer’s Access to Maritime Facilities
The Office of Port and Facility Compliance posted a Marine Safety Information Bulletin to summarize the requirements and timeline for MTSA-regulated maritime facilities to implement a system providing seafarers, pilots, and representatives of seamen’s welfare and labor organizations access between vessels moored at the facility and the facility gate, in a timely manner and at no cost to the seafarer or other individuals. The MSIB does not provide any new information, but we are sharing it for the convenience of our readers.
MSIB 005-19: Shipping industry notification to U.S. government of non-availability of compliant fuel oil
Effective immediately, owners and operators of vessels operating in the North American or U.S. Caribbean Sea Emission Control Area that are unable to acquire sufficient MARPOL Annex VI compliant fuel oil at a foreign or U.S. port may satisfy the requirement to notify the competent authority of the relevant port of destination by notifying the cognizant U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port.
MSIB 04-19: Cyber Adversaries Targeting Commercial Vessels
The Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance issued Marine Safety Information Bulletin 04-19, “Cyber Adversaries Targeting Commercial Vessels,” to inform the maritime industry of recent email phishing and malware intrusion attempts that targeted commercial vessels. Cyber adversaries are attempting to gain sensitive information including the content of an official Notice of Arrival (NOA) using email addresses that pose as an official Port State Control (PSC) authority.
