Continuing our coverage of September’s Ballast Water Management and Technology North America conference, staff from the Office of Operating and Environmental Standards and the Marine Safety Center gave conference attendees an update on various aspects of the Coast Guard’s ballast water program. This post recaps those presentations for the benefit of our readers who were unable to attend.
Source: USCG
Link: 10/11/2018: Ballast Water Management & Technology North America conference – Recap of presentation on extensions, type approval and next steps

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.
Source: USCG
Link: 10/10/2018: Coast Guard releases Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular 02-95, Change 3 – The Alternate Compliance Program

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm0841g2018.pdf

The following products are available from the Navigation Center website:

• The Eighth (Gulf) Coast Guard District Local Notice to Mariners (41-2018): https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm0841g2018.pdf
• The weekly update to the 2018 USCG Light List, Volume Four: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=lightListWeeklyUpdates
  
• The Summary of Corrections: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lightLists/corrections/V4D08GM.pdf

If the links above do not work, you should either copy and paste the links into your web browser or follow the LNM links from the Navigation Center LNM page.

The Local Notice to Mariners, Light List, and Summary of Corrections are in Portable Document Format (PDF) and viewing them requires a PDF reader.  PDF readers are readily available on the internet, generally free of charge.

To download the latest information:

• Place your mouse over the “PDF” symbol next to the corresponding week.
• Right click for PC / Control click for Mac.
• Choose “Save Target As”.
• Save the PDF to your computer and open using your PDF reader.

If you have questions regarding this message, please contact the Navigation Center (use “LNMs, Charts, Chart Corrections, or Light Lists” as the subject from the pull down menu).

Source: LNM District 8
Link: District 08 (GULF) Week 41 LNM Now Available on Navigation Center Website

In an effort to better recognize those companies, operators, and vessels that have earned the E-Zero designation on their QUALSHIP 21 certificate, Maritime Commons will periodically publish the names of the latest vessels to earn the E-Zero designation.
Source: USCG
Link: 10/10/2018: Congratulations to the latest E-Zero designees

The Coast Guard Marine Safety Center received its 18th application for Ballast Water Management System type approval for the NK-O3 BlueBallast II Plus Ballast Water Management System manufactured by NKBMS Co. Ltd.
Source: USCG
Link: 10/9/2018: Marine Safety Center receives 18th application for BWMS type approval

These instructions provide guidance to both Coast Guard field offices and the maritime industry on the Coast Guard’s interpretations regarding the application and implementation of regulations applying to towing vessel inspections for certification under 46 CFR Subchapter M and the Towing Safety Management System option.
Source: USCG
Link: 10/9/2018: Two work instructions related to Subchapter M published recently

The Coast Guard published Sept. 25, 2018, the FY19 Government Initiated Unannounced Exercise (GIUE) requirements for each captain of the port zone, to include sectors and marine safety units. In 2015, the Office of Marine Environmental Response Policy reinvigorated the Coast Guard GIUE program by releasing new GIUE policy that has since been incorporated into the Marine Environmental Response and Preparedness Manual. This policy established consistent exercise design, execution and documentation across the Coast Guard. It also defined the number of GIUEs required at each unit.
Source: USCG
Link: 10/5/2018: FY19 requirements for Gov’t Initiated Unannounced Exercises

Major changes to the manual include Area Contingency Plan policy verification tiers of Geographic Response Strategies, review and verification requirements, environmental consultation requirements for key statutes, and Facility Response Plan approvals.
Source: USCG
Link: 10/5/2018: Change 1 to Marine Environmental Response and Preparedness Manual published

In September 2017, the Coast Guard Office of Design and Engineering Standards asked the National Academies, through the Transportation Research Board Marine Board, to review Coast Guard regulations and policy documents that establish stability requirements for U.S. Flag vessels. The National Academies formed a committee whose members have expertise in naval architecture, vessel design, ship construction, regulation and inspection activity, safety standards development, and marine transportation and vessel operations.
Source: USCG
Link: 10/5/2018: National Academies releases report on Coast Guard vessel stability regulations

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and we’ll be bringing you information throughout the month that focuses on cybersecurity, cyber risk management, and simple practices you can employ to safeguard your operations. This week, we have a post from our Domestic Ports Division on some of the most common cyber threats your organization may encounter.
Source: USCG
Link: 10/4/2018: National Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Cyber threats in the maritime environment