The U.S. Coast Guard’s job of ensuring maritime safety continues to be a challenge, a fact of life driven by today’s and tomorrow’s trends, including the following:

• Domestic and ocean borne trade and cruise ship demand are poised for explosive growth in the size and number of ships maneuvering through inland, coastal and deepwater waterways.

• Fishing vessels and offshore platforms venture farther offshore in search of the sea’s bounty.

• A dramatic increase in personal watercraft and recreational boating fuels ever-greater congestion on the nation’s waters.  

Section A              Search and Rescue (SAR)  

This section provides guidance on establishing and managing SAR services. It does not provide operational procedures or search planning techniques that are covered in other documents discussed in this section.   Procedures and tactics associated with specific types of SAR facilities are published separately by the facility managers of Coast Guard aircraft, cutters and boats.

A wide range of information about the Coast Guard’s Search and Rescue program is available through the Internet on the Coast Guard’s national home page at www.uscg.mil by clicking on the Search and Rescue button under the list of Missions. Refer to A.14.a A.14.c of this section.  

Effective SAR response relies upon effective communications among shore stations, vessels and aircraft as well as to receive the distress alert.  U.S. Coast Guard ships (cutters) and aircraft normally have both maritime and aeronautical communications capabilities on international distress alerting and on-scene frequencies, in particular, VHF-FM maritime and VHF-AM aeronautical voice.   Coast Guard boats communicate only on maritime frequencies.   RCCs have indirect access to a full range of terrestrial and satellite capabilities needed for receiving and relaying distress alerts, coordinating SAR response, and working with other RCCs.

Ships or aircraft already in the vicinity of a distress situation provide the most immediate help available to a distress ship or aircraft.   Most ships can be contacted via the Inmarsat satellite system as well as by radio. En route aircraft can be informed of emergency situations by the responsible air traffic control center.  Under some circumstances, en route aircraft might be alerted by aircraft towers or approach control facilities, usually when incidents occur in the vicinity of these facilities.  

SAR agreements with other organizations, or with authorities of other nations, are of practical value for the following purposes:

• Fulfilling domestic or international obligations and needs.

• Enabling more effective use of all available resources.

• Integrating national or regional SAR services into the global SAR system.

• Building commitment to support civil SAR.

• Resolving SAR procedures and sensitive matters in advance of time-critical distress situations.

• Identifying cooperative efforts that may enhance or support SAR operations, such as access to medical or fueling facilities; training and exercises; meetings; information exchanges; or use of communications capabilities.  

This section contains the following references:

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/g-opr/sar.htm

Provides access to the homepage for the U.S. Coast Guard SAR Program Manager in Washington, DC.  

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/g-opr/nsarc/nsp.pdf

Provides access to an electronic copy of the U.S. NSP.  

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/g-opr/manuals.htm#IAMSAR

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/g-opr/nsarc/nsrsupp.pdf

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/g-opr/manuals.htm#cgadd

http://www.amver.com/

Section B.              Commercial Vessel Safety Program  

The U.S. Coast Guard is charged with enforcing the applicable provisions of:

• Title 46 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), which contains minimum federal standards for safe vessel design;

• Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention; and

• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).

Refer to B.8.a of this section for reference information.

The following voluntary consensus standards organizations develop standards for shipbuilding and operation:

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

• American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

• ASTM International

• International Electro technical Commission (IEC)

Refer to B.8.b, B.8.c, B.8.d, and B.8.e of this section for reference information.

Throughout the life of a commercial vessel, beginning with construction, the Coast Guard requires inspections to ensure the following:

• Construction or design flaws, that could put lives, health, or the environment at risk, are not accidentally built into the vessel.

• Routine maintenance to critical systems (fire protection, life saving, steering, navigation, etc.) and to environmental protection mechanisms (oil/water separators, marine sanitation devices, overboard discharges, etc.) is performed regularly and is recorded, and all systems are in working order.

• Crews are capable of safely operating and navigating the ship and, in the event of an emergency, capable of directing traffic, protecting the vessel, and transporting its passengers to safety.

Maritime regulations (rules) are issued for the following purposes:

• Maritime Safety

• Maritime Security

• Protection of Natural Resources

Current maritime regulations are found in the following CFRs:

• Title 33 CFR – Navigation and Navigable Waters

• Title 46 CFR – Shipping

• Title 49 CFR – Transportation

Refer to B.8.g, B.8.a, and B.8.h of this section for reference information.

http://www.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/cfrassemble.cgi?title=200146

Provides a listing of and access to Parts to Title 46 CFR, Shipping.

http://www.iso.ch/iso/en/stdsdevelopment/tc/tclist/TechnicalCommitteeDetailPage. TechnicalCommitteeDetail?COMMID=340

Provides access to ISO Technical Committee (TC) 8, Ships and Marine Technology.

http://www.ansi.org/public/std_info.html

Provides access to the ANSI Electronic Standards Store.

http://www.astm.org/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/COMMIT/COMMITTEE/F25.htm? L+mystore+djdx7513+993145631

Provides access to information regarding ASTM International Committee F25, Ships and Marine Technology.

http://www.iec.ch/index.html

Provides access to news, standards, and technical work of IEC.

B.8.f.  IACS

http://www.iacs.org.uk/index1.htm

Provides access to information on IACS.

http://www.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/cfrassemble.cgi?title=200233

Provides a listing of and access to Parts to Title 33 CFR, Navigation and Navigable Waters.

http://www.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/cfrassemble.cgi?title=200149

Provides a listing of and access to Parts to Title 49 CFR, Transportation.

http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html

Provides daily announcements of changes/additions to the Federal Register.

http://dms.dot.gov

Provides a DOT-published listing of proposed and final regulations, public comments, and related information.

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/nvic

Describes the purpose of and provides access to NVICs.

B.8.l. Alternate Compliance Program (ACP)

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/nmc/acp.htm

Provides access to the ACP within the U.S.Coast Guard’s Marine Safety, Security, and Environmental Protection website.

The NVDC issues the following documents:

• Certificates of Documentation
• Certificates of Ownership
• Abstracts of Title

The NVDC issues Certificates of Documentation (Form CG-1270) endorsed for:

• fishery,
• coastwise,
• recreation.

The NVDC issues Certificates of Ownership (Form CG-1330) which provide:

• name and official number of the vessel;
• name and address of last owner of record;
• Certificate of Documentation expiration date;
• outstanding encumbrances such as mortgages, preferred mortgages, notices of claim of lien; and information regarding pending transactions filed against the vessel.

www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/vdoc/nvdc.htm

http://uscode.house.gov/title_46.htm

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_00/46cfr67_00.html

Section D.             Mariner Licensing Program

The Mariner Licensing Program issues the following two types of licenses:

• Licenses for domestic waters only.

• Licenses that are compliant with the International Convention for Standards of Training, Certification, and Watch keeping for Seafarers (STCW).

The U.S. Coast Guard issues licenses to mariners who meet qualification standards for:

• age,

• citizenship,

• physical condition,

• character,

• qualifying sea service,

• assessments (competency tests), and specialized training.

Mariner credentials are issued by the U.S. Coast Guard in the following forms:

• Licenses

• Certificates of Registry (CORs)

• Merchant Mariner Documents (MMDs)

Merchant mariner licenses are issued to the following personnel:

• Deck Officers

• Engineering Officers

• Radio Officers

The navigation of a vessel and management of the deck department is the responsibility of the deck officers.  Deck officers’ licenses are issued by:

• grade (e.g., Master, Chief Mate, Second Mate, Third Mate, Mate, Operator);

• any vessel type restrictions (e.g., un-inspected fishing industry or un-inspected passenger vessels);

• means of propulsion (steam, motor, sail, or auxiliary sail);

• vessel tonnage (from not more than 5 to any gross register tons); and route (e.g., inland, Great Lakes, near coastal, or oceans).

The propulsion plant of a vessel and management of the engineering department is the responsibility of the engineering officers. Engineering officers’ licenses are issued by:

• grade [e.g., Chief Engineer, First Assistant Engineer (STCW equivalent is Second Engineer Officer), Second Assistant Engineer, Third Assistant Engineer, Assistant Engineer, and Designated Duty Engineer];

• any vessel type restrictions (e.g., uninspected fishing industry vessels or uninspected passenger vessels);

• vessel’s tonnage;

•   means of propulsion (steam or motor), horsepower (from 1,000 to any horsepower); and

• route (e.g., near coastal or oceans).

D.5.c.  Radio officers

Unqualified ratings are issued to entry-level individuals who typically have little or no sea service and rating types are as follows:

• Ordinary Seaman (Deck Department)

• Wiper (Engineering Department)

• Food Handler (Steward’s Department)

Qualified ratings are issued based on previous sea service in a particular department or specialized training, passing an examination, and demonstrating competency through practical assessments of their professional skills.  They are issued as follows:

• Qualified ratings for members in the deck department are issued by rating type (e.g. Able Seaman or Bosun) and any vessel type restrictions (e.g. sail vessels or offshore supply vessels).

• Qualified ratings for members in the engineering department are issued by type (e.g. Qualified Member of the Engine Department) and specific rating (e.g., oiler, fireman/watertender, junior engineer, deck engine mechanic, or engineman).

• Other ratings are issued for specialized training or experience, such as Lifeboatman, Tankerman, or GMDSS At-Sea Maintainer.

D.8.a.  International Convention for Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers

http://www.uscg.mil/STCW/l-home.htm

Section E.             Passenger Vessel Safety Program

Introduction

The foreign-flag cruise ship industry is growing in numbers and capacity of vessels. There are about 130 foreign-flag passenger vessels operating from U.S. ports. They carry 6.5 million passengers annually. The number of vessels is estimated to grow to 163 by 2003.  These vessels can carry 1000 to 5000 persons onboard.  The largest cruise ship, delivered in October 2000, is operating out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL and has a capacity in excess of 5000 persons.

E.1.  Mission

E.2.  Prevention and response

E.2.a.  Prevention programs

E.2.b.  Response programs

E.3.  Control Verification Examination (CVE) Program

E.4.  Safety, construction, and equipment requirements

The owner, applicable classification society, and flag state administration have the responsibility to ensure that the vessel complies with applicable safety, construction, and equipment requirements found in the following:

• Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention

• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)

• International Labor Organization Merchant Shipping (minimum standards) Convention No. 147 (ILO 147)

• International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers (STCW)

• International Convention on Load Lines

E.5.a.  CVE plans

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/msc/prguidance/h2%2D21.doc

Section F.             Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Program

Introduction

F.1.  Mission

F.2.   Safety

Although the commercial fishing industry is largely unregulated, the CFVS Program seeks to improve safety in the fishing industry by helping fishermen comply with existing safety regulations through:

• education,

• public awareness,

• voluntary dockside examination of vessels, and

• regulatory enforcement during an at-sea boarding.

F.3.  Vessel compliance

F.4.  References

F.4.a.  Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Program

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/cfvs/index.htm

Section G.   Recreational Vessel Safety (Boating Safety) Program

Introduction

G.1.  Mission

G.2.  Objectives

The U.S. Coast Guard is the designated National Recreational Boating Safety Coordinator.  As the “national partner”, the U.S. Coast Guard’s job is to collect and share information, establish minimum safety requirements for boats and equipment, and work closely with state authorities to enforce boating safety laws.  The U.S. Coast Guard has established partnerships to work together for safe boating across the country with the following shared objectives:

• Improving the safety of boats and their associated equipment.

• Improving the physical and operational boating environment.

• Improving interagency cooperation, coordination and assistance.

• Improving the demonstrated knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors of boaters.

G.3.  Improving the safety of boats and their associated equipment

As a part of efforts to minimize fatalities and injuries related to recreational vessels and their equipment, the U.S. Coast Guard:

• develops and adopts regulations for vessel manufacturer compliance,

• assigns Manufacturer Identification Codes (MICs) to boat manufacturers, and publishes Boating Safety Circulars (BSCs).

G.3.a.  Regulations

The U.S. Coast Guard has developed or adopted regulations for recreational vessel manufacturers to follow (Titles 33 and 46 CFR).  These regulations govern the design and construction of recreational boats and include:

• Manufacturer certification

• Identification of boats

• Display of capacity information

• Safe loading

• Safe powering

• Carriage requirements (safety gear)

• Flotation

• Electrical systems

• Fuel systems

• Ventilation

• Start-in-gear protection

• Navigation lights and backfire flame control

• Regulations for the manufacture and importation of recreational boats and associated equipment

G.3.b.  Manufacturer identification code

G.3.c.  Boating safety circular

G.4.  Improving the physical and operational boating environment

Working to improve boaters’ abilities to navigate and operate safely within the physical environment, the U.S. Coast Guard performs the following functions:

• Maintains aids to navigation.

• Enforces the law against intoxicated boaters and removes them from the environment.

• Facilitates a broad understanding and recognition of safety rules and principles.

G.5.  Improving interagency cooperation, coordination and assistance

G.6.  Improving knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviors of boaters

G.6.a.  U.S. Coast Guard auxiliary courses

G.6.b.  U.S. Power Squadron (USPS) boat courses

The USPS is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to making boating safer and more enjoyable by teaching classes in seamanship, navigation and related subjects.  The USPS has about 50,000 members in approximately 450 local squadrons in virtually all states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and more distant areas where Americans congregate.  The USPS is the world’s largest private boating organization.  USPS members are encouraged to improve their boating knowledge and skills.  Local squadrons offer many courses in such subjects as:

• Seamanship

• Piloting

• Plotting and Position Finding

• Celestial Navigation

• Cruise Planning

• Engine Maintenance

• Marine Electronics

G.6.c.  BOAT/U.S. Foundation courses

G.7.  Other activities

Other U.S. Coast Guard recreational vessel safety activities include:

• Inspecting and testing recreational boats for compliance.

• Investigating consumer complaints involving alleged safety defects and non-compliance with federal standards.

• Maintaining a database that contains information on manufacturer recalls of recreational boats and associated equipment.  The recalls contained in the database relate to safety defects and non-compliance only, and do not include any other recalls the manufacturer may have conducted for other purposes such as manufacturer warranty.  Safety defects are those items that can occur substantially without warning and create a substantial risk of personal injury.

• Encouraging development of voluntary safety standards for recreational boats by international and national standards organizations.

http://www.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/cfrassemble.cgi?title=200233

http://www.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/cfrassemble.cgi?title=200146

http://www.usps.org

http://www.boatus.com

Section H.          USCG Auxiliary - Volunteer Force

The basic elements of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Auxiliary are:

• Vessel Examination

• Vessel Education

• Operations

• Fellowship

The Auxiliary teaches boating safety to recreational boaters of all ages, with both multi-lesson courses and seminar courses.  Courses taught by the Auxiliary include (training is also available via internet and CD-ROM) the following:

• Boating Safety Courses (multiple level)

• Coastal Navigation (basic and advanced)

• Global Positioning System

• Personal Water Craft Operation

• Youth Courses (Grades K-3 and 4-6)

Persons attending Auxiliary courses include:

• canoers, kayakers, personal watercrafts operators, and skiers;

• marine dealers;

• sports/camping store employees;

• bait shop employees;

• hunters/fishermen; and

• commercial fishing vessel crews.

As an integral part of the U.S. Coast Guard, the operational use of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, their boats, aircraft, and radio stations is encouraged.  Title 14 USC 826 and 831 authorize the Coast Guard to use suitably trained Auxiliarists and Auxiliary facilities.  Refer to H.9.b and H.9.c of this section for reference information.  The Auxiliary performs the following operations:

• Operates safety and regatta patrols and is an integral part of the Coast Guard Search and Rescue team.

• Stand communication watches.

• Assist during mobilization exercises.

• Perform harbor and pollution patrols.

• Provide platforms for boarding parties (under specific guidance and regulations).

• Perform as interpreters aboard Coast Guard vessels.

The Auxiliary also performs the following:

• Assists the active and reserve components of the Coast Guard in Search and Rescue/Recreational Boating Safety (SAR/RBS) missions on navigable (federal and sometime state) waters.

• Uses private, member-owned boats, or augments Coast Guard boats and stations, including 5,200 operational vessels, 11,000 boat crews, 200 air facilities, and 2,800 radio stations.

• Saves an average of 352 lives each year (based on three-year average).

• Assists an average of 16,434 people each year.

• Assists in saving over $2.8M in property each year.

H.9.a.  U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

http://www.cgaux.org/

http://uscode.house.gov/title_14.htm

http://uscode.house.gov/title_14.htm

Section I.             Port State Control

To perform this program, the U.S. Coast Guard has developed a foreign vessel targeting matrix that helps identify those vessels at greatest risk of being substandard, based on the following five identified risk factors:

• Ship’s Owner

• Flag State

• Class Society

• Boarding History

• Vessel Type

The general examination, or “walk through” portion of an annual examination, is conducted by a U.S. Coast Guard Port State Control Officer to check the condition of the following:

• Deck and Shell

• Machinery and Electrical

• Lifesaving Equipment

• Fire Safety Equipment

• Navigation Bridge

• Overall Vessel Safety

• Cargo Ship Safety Radio

• Safety and Pollution Prevention Equipment

• Waste Disposal Facilities

The boarding team should develop an impression of shell maintenance and the general state of the deck and side shell of the vessel to determine its seaworthiness regarding:

• deck portion,

• hull portion,

• ballast tank entry,

• load lines,

• seaworthiness, and

• voyage damage.

The boarding team assesses the condition of the machinery and electrical installations to ensure they are capable of providing sufficient continuous power for propulsion and auxiliary services regarding:

• operation,

• maintenance,

• tests and trials,

• oil and oily mixtures,

• sufficient power, and

• remote shut-off valves.

The general condition of the vessel may lead the boarding team to consider matters other than those concerned with safety equipment and assignment of load lines, but nevertheless associated with the safety of the vessel.  This may involve items such as:

• hatch coamings and covers,

• pumping arrangements,

• means for shutting off air and oil supplies in the event of fire,

• alarm systems, and

• emergency power supplies.

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/pscweb/index.htm

http://www.imo.org/home.asp

Section J.              Investigations

After a long series of marine incidents in the early 1800s involving heavy losses of life and property, Congress enacted its first marine safety legislation and created a federal organization, the Steamboat Inspection Service, to preserve and protect the public from preventable marine incidents.  Federal search and rescue forces preserved life in the aftermath of a marine incident; federal agencies involved with maritime law enforcement and aids to navigation handled the protection aspect (before-the-fact) of marine safety.  The Coast Guard’s current marine safety programs retain the philosophical objectives of those historical preservation and protection programs.  In the modern world, numerous statutes and regulations affect the marine environment and the marine industry.  This has resulted in the following distinct Coast Guard programs concerned with marine safety and related issues:

• Commercial Vessel Safety (CVS)

• Port and Environmental Safety (PES)

• Marine Environmental Response (MER)

• Waterways Management (WWM)

• Recreational Boating Safety (RBS)

• Bridge Administration (BA)

While Congress provided the Coast Guard with specific powers and constraints to enforce marine related laws and regulations, different enforcement tactics have evolved as a result of the differences between various statutes, including, but not limited to, withholding vessel documentation and prevention.  Today, the Coast Guard uses its many marine safety program enforcement tactics to affect its single enforcement strategy which is:

The U.S. Coast Guard’s investigation and law enforcement roles have grown since 1852 to include:

• investigation into recreational boating deaths,

• detecting violations of criminal and other statutes for law enforcement purposes,

• taking remedial law enforcement action such as civil penalties and suspension and revocation,

• investigating pollution, and

• enforcing international treaties such as:

• the International Convention on Load Lines (ICLL), 1966;

• the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974;

• the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978; and

• the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as amended 1978 (MARPOL 73/78).

The Marine Investigations Program accomplishes its mission through the investigation of various incidents, and through various follow-up activities designed to ensure these incidents are not repeated.  Investigative activities are intended to:

• uncover the causes of incidents,

• document the events and their causes,

• initiate the necessary corrective actions, and

• detect and suppress federal law violations.

http://uscode.house.gov/title_46.htm

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