The Coast Guard announced in the Federal Register that the Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee and its working groups will meet September 13-14 in Dania Beach, Florida, to discuss matters relating to medical certification determinations.
Source: Federal Register Notices
Link: 8/7/2018: Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee meeting scheduled

The Coast Guard announced in the Federal Register that it is seeking public comment, as lead agency, on a draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act for the Polar Icebreaker Program’s design and build of up to six polar icebreakers. Comments must be received by Sept. 20, 2018
Source: Federal Register Notices
Link: 8/6/2018: Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Polar icebreaker program available for public comment

Maritime Commons is sharing an update from the Office of Port and Facility Compliance in order to keep our readers informed of the latest developments regarding the TWIC Reader Final Rule.
Source: Federal Register Notices
Link: 8/3/2018: Latest developments regarding TWIC Reader Final Rule

A Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation has been convened and will conduct a thorough and comprehensive investigation to determine casual factors that contributed to the loss of the Stretch Duck 07. However, the Coast Guard and amphibious passenger vessel industry do not have to delay until the MBI has completed their investigation before taking a proactive approach toward the safety of the vessels and their passengers.
Source: Investigations & Casualty Analysis
Link: 8/1/2018: Marine Safety Information Bulletin 06-18, Amphibious Passenger Vessel Operations

The marine board consists of five members who will investigate all aspects of the casualty including, but not limited to, the pre-accident historical events relating to the accident, the regulatory compliance of Stretch Duck 07, crewmember duties and qualifications, weather conditions and reporting, and Coast Guard oversight.
Source: Investigations & Casualty Analysis
Link: 8/1/2018: Commandant convenes marine board of investigation into loss of Stretch Duck 07

The Coast Guard published two notices in the Federal Register regarding the Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee announcing the date of the next committee convening, and extending indefinitely the application period for a committee position that will come vacant Sept. 30, 2018.
Source: Federal Register Notices
Link: 7/31/2018: Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee upcoming meeting and vacancy announcements

The Office of Investigations and Analysis issued a Marine Safety Alert to educate professional mariners and the boating public about two recent incidents that led serious injuries to passengers on uninspected parasail vessels during underway transfer from the vessel to an inflatable raft, (i.e., “banana boat”) that was being towed alongside the vessel by personal water craft (“Jet Ski”).
Source: Investigations & Casualty Analysis
Link: 7/25/2018: Hazards of parasail and watersport passenger transfers

The Global Positioning Systems Directorate has announced the 2018 Public Interface Control Working Group and Open Public Forum. The meeting will be held Sept. 12, 2018, at the TASC/Engility facility in El Segundo, California, and will be available through teleconference. The purpose of this meeting is to update the public on GPS public document revisions and collect issues/comments for analysis and possible integration into future GPS public document revisions.
Source: Federal Register Notices
Link: 7/23/2018: 2018 Public Interface Control Working Group and Open Public Forum

The Coast Guard is scheduled to conduct a formal public hearing beginning July 16, 2018, at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston to consider evidence related to an incident that occurred aboard the Bouchard No. 255 tank barge. The hearing will continue to July 27, 2018.
Source: Investigations & Casualty Analysis
Link: 07/13/2018: Public hearing being held July 16 in Houston, Texas, for Bouchard No. 255 tank barge incident

The U.S. Coast Guard published a notice in the Federal Register requesting comments on a Letter of Intent and Preliminary Waterway Suitability Assessment regarding plans for new berths at an LNG facility in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, and to increase the number of LNG vessels at the facility from 400 to 580 annually. The Letter of Intent and Preliminary Waterway Suitability Assessment were submitted by Sabine Pass LNG, L.P. Comments must be received by August 8, 2018.
Source: Federal Register Notices
Link: 7/9/2018: Waterway suitability assessment to increase liquefied natural gas facility berths and vessel traffic; Cameron Parish, Louisiana