The US Coast Guard issued its reporting requirements for the upcoming hurricane season at the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf. The Marine Safety Information Bulletin 19-03 requests that operators of all manned facilities and Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs) report only when personnel, who otherwise intended to evacuate the unit due to approaching heavy weather, were stranded onboard AND not able to evacuate due to extreme circumstances.
Reports of personnel remaining offshore will allow the Eighth District to prepare for potential post-storm search and rescue operations.
For OCS facilities with an approved Emergency Evacuation Plan pursuant to 33 CFR 146, we request that you notify the Eighth District anytime personnel will remain on board in exception to your approved plan.
All reports should include the location of the facility or MODU, the number of personnel to be left on board, and the means by which the operator and/or the Eighth District can communicate with the facility or MODU.
In 2014, the USCG Eighth Coast Guard District implemented a “report by exception” OCS hurricane evacuation reporting policy, which continues for the 2019 Hurricane season.
This policy is designed to reduce duplicative effort and emphasis following the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) reporting requirements, per 30 CFR 250.192.
However, there will be times in which Coast Guard personnel may reach out to particular units or companies in an attempt to gather additional information related to specific weather events. This outreach should not be construed as additional requirements but viewed as requests for information to support overall Coast Guard hurricane planning and response efforts.
