(NEW ORLEANS) — Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed an agreement to work together with MarineCFO to provide comprehensive solutions for compliance with Subchapter M. This follows LR formally announcing to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) its intention to assume Subchapter M third-party organization duties.
On July 20, the USCG’s Subchapter M of Title 46 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations became effective. This requires towing vessels greater than 26 feet or those less than 26 feet engaged in the movement of oil or hazardous material to be fully compliant by Aug. 20, 2018. Upwards of 5,000 previously uninspected towing vessels are expected to now enter into a USCG inspection regime which includes the development, certification and implementation of towing safety management systems by workboat operators.
“The benefits of innovative thought leadership, a common maritime heritage, and a shared attitude toward mariner safety has never resonated more fervently than through this Subchapter M commitment by Lloyd’s Register to the American towing industry,” said Mark Darley, LR’s marine and offshore Manager for the Americas.
“Subchapter M is an opportunity for the American inland towing industry to innovate effective workboat safety management systems that other maritime markets can easily emulate. Lloyd’s Register and MarineCFO are perfectly positioned to assist in the implementation and ongoing support of Subchapter M and the requisite towing safety management systems,” said Dean Shoultz, chief technical officer of MarineCFO.
LR will assist the towing vessel industry with meeting the requirements of Subchapter M with extensive experience in safety management systems, inspection expertise and full authorization granted by the USCG. LR is also a global market leader in the tug and inland waterway markets, classing over 21 percent of the world’s IACS tugboat tonnage, including 30 percent of the IACS tugboat tonnage on order.
A technology provider to the American workboat industry since the late 1990s, MarineCFO has developed Vessel365, a cutting-edge software package that provides an efficient, comprehensive and cost-effective solution to the documentation requirements under Subchapter M.
To find out more about LR’s solutions for compliance with Subchapter M, go to www.lr.org/subchapterm.
