The US Coast Guard has included the Liberian flag in its QUALSHIP 21 (QS21) roster for 2019-2020. QS21 recognizes vessels and flag states which have successfully met specified safety and quality requirements and regulations when calling at ports in the US.
The USCG issued a marine safety alert on a big vessel that manoeuvred its entry in a port due to hazardous weather conditions. The USCG notes that this casualty reiterates the dangers of personnel exchanges at sea, especially in heavy weather conditions.
Through an Integrated Program Office, the US Coast Guard and US Navy awarded VT Halter Marine Inc., of Pascagoula, Mississippi, a fixed price incentive contract for the Detail Design and Construction of the USCG’s lead Polar Security Cutter.
As the Arctic region continues to open, strategic competition drives more actors to look to the Arctic for economic and geopolitical advantages. In this context, USCG released its newest strategy to address its expanding role in the Polar Regions, in line with a growing demand for effective leadership and presence in the region.
The US Coast Guard launched its Domestic Vessel Annual Report, collecting data from the USCG’s Marine Information Safety and Law Enforcement (MISLE) database regarding vessel population, inspections conducted, and deficiencies issued for the 2018 calendar year.
As the USCG announced, they rescued three people on Saturday, April 20, after their 25-foot boat capsized in Clearwater Pass. After the call and reports of a capsized vessel, the USCG station Sand Key 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew was launched and saved the three people. No injuries were reported.
The US Coast Guard is scheduled to conduct a formal public hearing beginning on 13 May 2019 at the Newport, Oregon City Hall to consider evidence related to the Mary B II marine casualty investigation. The capsizing of fishing vessel Mary B II led to the deaths of three fishermen on 8 January.
The crew of the US Coast Guard Cutter Bear offloaded about 14,000 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $12.5 million wholesale and 3,660 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $50 million wholesale, on April 18 at Port Everglades seized in international waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Several US agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security take place in the effort to mitigate transnational organized crime.
The USCG Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing published Change 1 to Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular 03-14, ‘Guidelines for Approval of Training Courses and Programs’, in response to the recommendations made after the sinking of El Faro.
USCG reminded owners and operators of towing vessels to ensure that 25% of their fleet has received a Certificate of Inspection before 22 July 2019, under Subchapter M. They must also schedule a vessel’s inspection before 22 April 2019 if the COI is expected to be received in the first year.
