FAQs updated as of April 24, 2018.
Source: USCG
Link: 5/7/2018: Updated FAQS – ballast water management system type approvals

The Coast Guard’s Office of Port and Facility Compliance, in coordination with ABS Group, will provide four opportunities for Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC) members to take “Marine Transportation System Cyber Awareness Training” via webinar throughout May 2018.
Source: USCG
Link: 05/04/2018: “Marine Transportation System Cyber Awareness Training” webinar sessions for AMSC members offered during May 2018

As a testament of our joint efforts with the offshore oil and gas sectors, we are pleased to highlight some of our accomplishments from this past year in the 2017 Joint Activity Summary. We believe that data sharing helps establish clarity with stakeholders and also provides industry with confidence that the federal government is continuously improving its approach to consistent regulatory inspection and enforcement. This is an important element in a broader strategy of both BSEE and the Coast Guard to advocate a constantly improving safety culture on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Source: USCG
Link: 5/3/2018: BSEE, Coast Guard release 2017 Joint Activity Summary

As noted in the Commandant’s Final Action Memo on the sinking of the S.S. El Faro, the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance is initiating a Concentrated Inspection Campaign for all U.S. flag vessels fitted with open lifeboats. The purpose of the campaign is to ensure that these critical lifesaving appliances are maintained in working order and ready for immediate use.
Source: USCG
Link: 05/03/2018: MSIB 04-18 Concentrated Inspection Campaign: Open Lifeboats

The following products are available from the Navigation Center website:

• The Eighth (Gulf) Coast Guard District Local Notice to Mariners (18-2018): https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm0818g2018.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 18 LNM Now Available on Navigation Center Website

In March, the U.S. Committee on the Maritime Transportation System hosted a webinar on the Medical Certification process that is part of the merchant mariner credential. National Maritime Center’s commanding officer Capt. Kirsten Martin and Chief of the Medical Evaluations division Dr. Laura Torres-Reyes had the opportunity to address the upcoming changes in the merchant mariner medical certification and take questions from webinar participants. CMTS recently posted the audio recording of the webinar on its website. In this post, Maritime Commons is sharing the link for our readers who are interested in the subject or who were unable to participate.
Source: USCG
Link: 5/2/2018: Audio file of merchant mariner Medical Certification webinar available on line

The following products are available from the Navigation Center website:

• The Eighth (Gulf) Coast Guard District Local Notice to Mariners (17-2018): https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm0817g2018.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 17LNM Now Available on Navigation Center Website

This post discusses a recently released Mission Management System Work Instruction regarding the U.S. Flag Interpretations on the ISM Code to provide supplemental flag state guidance regarding the development, implementation, and verification of safety management systems on U.S. Flag vessels. This work instruction also includes specific provisions to assist in assessing risks and developing contingency plans for emergency shipboard situations, and is designed to be used in conjunction with CVC-WI-003, USCG Oversight of Safety Management Systems on U.S. Flag Vessels. Industry stakeholders and Recognized Organizations are encouraged to reference this guidance when developing, implementing, and verifying SMSs in order to promote a strong safety culture throughout the U.S. flag fleet.
Source: USCG
Link: 4/19/2018: U.S. Flag interpretations on the ISM Code

The following products are available from the Navigation Center website:

• The Eighth (Gulf) Coast Guard District Local Notice to Mariners (16-2018): https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm0816g2018.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 16 LNM Now Available on Navigation Center Website

In this post, the assistant commandant for response policy provides an overview of the scenario-based salvage and marine firefighting verification process, instituted in April 2017, and a look at what’s been accomplished during the program’s first year to evaluate compliance specific to applicable salvage and marine firefighting planning criteria.
Source: USCG
Link: 4/18/2018: Salvage and Marine Firefighting Verifications in conjunction with Vessel Response Plans: The First Year