The Coast Guard has a major role in maintaining the U.S. Marine Transportation System (MTS); the more than 25,000 miles of inland, intracoastal and coastal waterways that connect the United States to the rest of the world and facilitate more than $4.5 trillion in trade every year. To ensure the U.S. Coast Guard meets those objectives, it recently released an instruction that details organic marine planning roles and responsibilities within a greater interagency framework.
4/28/2017: Change 3 to Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 8-01, Approval of Navigation Equipment
The Coast Guard recently published change 3 to Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 8-01, Approval of Navigation Equipment. The Circular provides voluntary guidance for approval of navigation equipment, as required under Regulation V/18, of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended in 2000 (SOLAS).
4/24/2017: Guidance for credentialing officers of towing vessels
Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 03-16 provides Coast Guard guidelines for credentialing officers of towing vessels. Mariners commencing training and assessment toward an officer of towing vessels endorsement should use the TOARs contained in NVIC 03-16. Mariners should plan accordingly to ensure that previous versions of TOARs are completed and application for endorsement is made prior to March 24, 2019.
4/21/2017: Vessel documentation application priority handling criteria
NVDC provides instructions and information for vessel owners to request expedited processing of vessel documentation applications.
4/21/2017: Great Lakes – Regulated Navigation Areas and Safety Zones
This supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking seeks to add regulated navigation areas and safety zones in Green Bay, Lake Erie Islands, and Saginaw Bay.