To obtain a COI, the owner or managing operator of the towing vessel should follow the steps outlined in 46 CFR 136.210. The local Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection may, as resources permit, issue a COI based upon an onboard inspection or a valid Uninspected Towing Vessel decal as provided in CG-CVC Policy Letter 17-01.
Source: USCG
Link: 1/16/2018: Coast Guard to start issuing COIs under Subchapter M TSMS option

These profiles reflect how organizations align the NIST framework’s cybersecurity activities, outcomes, and informative references to organizational business requirements, risk tolerances, and resources. They outline a desired minimum state of cybersecurity and cyber risk management, and provide the opportunity to plan for future business decisions.
Source: USCG
Link: 1/12/2018: Release of Offshore Operations and Passenger Vessel Cybersecurity Framework profiles

The following products are available from the Navigation Center website:

• The Eighth (Gulf) Coast Guard District Local Notice to Mariners (02-2018): https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm0802g2018.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 02 LNM Now Available on Navigation Center Website

Due to limitations in the Coast Guard’s e-mail system, e-mails that are larger than 10 MB or that include compressed files as attachments will not be delivered.
Source: USCG
Link: 1/10/2018: Important information for sending email attachments to National Maritime Center

The Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise recently published the latest additions and updates to the Frequently Asked Questions regarding Subchapter M, inspected towing vessels. As a convenience for our readers, in this post Maritime Commons is providing a compilation of those changes.
Source: USCG
Link: 1/8/2018: Updated Subchapter M FAQs now available

To better inform our readers about international maritime shipping issues and regulations, Maritime Commons will begin publishing regular content highlighting the work the Coast Guard performs in its role with the International Maritime Organization. Following major meetings and sessions of the IMO Assembly and/or Council or sub-committees, we will post summaries of activities and, if available, condensed transcripts of remarks or presentations by Coast Guard members. Today, we kick off this initiative with a summary of the recent 30th Session of Assembly and 119th Session of Council held in November/December 2017.
Source: USCG
Link: 1/5/2018: Coast Guard members attend International Maritime Organization 30th Session of Assembly and 119th Session of Council

The following products are available from the Navigation Center website:

• The Eighth (Gulf) Coast Guard District Local Notice to Mariners (01-2018): https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm0801g2018.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 01 LNM Now Available on Navigation Center Website

MU San Juan closed in September due to the hurricanes that impacted the region.
Source: USCG
Link: 1/2/2018: Monitoring Unit San Juan open for business

The following products are available from the Navigation Center website:

• The Eighth (Gulf) Coast Guard District Local Notice to Mariners (52-2017): https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm0852g2017.pdf
• The weekly update to the 2017 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 52 LNM Now Available on Navigation Center Website

The Coast Guard is aware that as a result of the limited number of approved Qualified Assessors, there may be a hardship on mariners trying to complete STCW assessments after December 31, 2017. In consideration of this, the Coast Guard will continue to allow STCW assessments to be signed by an assessor who meets the requirements specified in NVIC 02-14 until December 31, 2019. These assessments must be submitted to the Coast Guard as part of a complete application no later than June 30, 2020.
Source: USCG
Link: 12/26/2017: Update to Qualified Assessor requirements