On Dec. 22, 2017, the commandant of the Coast Guard released the Final Action Memo for the Report of the Marine Board of Investigation into the sinking of the steam ship El Faro and the loss of its 33 crewmembers. In the FAM, the commandant signaled the Coast Guard’s commitment to making improvements to prevent similar marine casualties. This post highlights the actions taken to address gaps in third party oversight and the Alternate Compliance Program in the year since the FAM was released.
10/10/2018: Coast Guard releases Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular 02-95, Change 3 – The Alternate Compliance Program
NVIC 02-95, Change 3, incorporates various policies and related provisions consistent with the Commandant’s Final Action Memo on the sinking of the S.S. El Faro.
10/1/2018: Remembering El Faro
Today, we mark the somber anniversary of the sinking of the SS El Faro and the loss of the 33 men and women on board on October 1, 2015. It is appropriate to pause and reflect on this tragic and preventable accident, and challenge ourselves to ensure we are all taking action needed to prevent future casualties.
2/1/2018: Summary of Congressional testimony regarding El Faro reports
Rear Admiral John Nadeau, assistant commandant for prevention policy, testified Jan. 30, 2018, before the House Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, during a hearing titled, “Examination of Reports on the El Faro Marine Casualty.” Testifying alongside Nadeau were the Hon. Earl Weener, board member, National Transportation Safety Board, and Mr. Brian Curtis, with NTSB’s Office of Marine Safety.
12/21/2017: Coast Guard releases Final Action Memo regarding S.S. El Faro sinking and loss of 33 crewmembers
In the Final Action Memo, Adm. Zukunft approves the findings of fact, analysis, and conclusions detailed in the Marine Board of Investigation’s Report of Investigation, essentially marking it as the official Coast Guard position on the cause of the marine casualty.
