Regulation – Professional Mariner

21 Apr

Annual PSC report shows slight rise in vessel detentions

Rich MillerMaritime NewsPorts, Regulation, safety, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance has released the U.S. Port State Control (PSC) Annual Report for 2022, with the vessel detention rate increasing slightly from the previous year. This marks another year of PSC activities with the annual report aimed at providing the global maritime industry with key statistics and trends in relation to…

04 Apr

High Seas Treaty aims to fill in gaps for ocean protection

Rich MillerMaritime NewsEnvironment, Regulation

By Neil Henderson, senior executive and industry liaison at Gard (LONDON) — In recent decades it has become recognized that the high seas contain some of the planet’s most precious ecosystems. These ecosystems have been adversely impacted by different human activities, including shipping, through the cumulative effects of events such as ship strikes, ship noise, emissions, chemical pollution and the…

17 Feb

Gard details changes in California’s berthing regulations

Rich MillerMaritime NewsPorts, Regulation, shipping

(LONDON) — While container, reefer and passenger vessels are so far the only vessel types required to control their emissions while berthed in California, all vessels must submit a report to the authorities within 30 days after visiting one of the state’s ports, Gard noted in a regulatory update on Wednesday. Controlling emissions from vessels at berth is nothing new…

07 Feb

Coast Guard extends AWO guidance for emergency towing on Western rivers

Rich MillerTugboats & Towingbrownwater, Regulation

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard has extended the American Waterways Operators (AWO) Emergency Towing Alternative Planning Criterion (APC) through Jan. 31, 2024. The APC allows AWO members operating tank barges and towing vessels over 400 GRT on the rivers of the Eighth and Ninth Coast Guard districts to meet the emergency towing provisions of the Coast Guard’s vessel response…

06 Feb

Vessel General Permit and VIDA: What’s next for operators?

Rich MillerMaritime NewsRegulation, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON and LONDON) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has indicated that new federal discharge standards for vessels will be published in autumn 2024, some four years after its original deadline, according to a new report from Gard. In the meantime, the agency has seemingly strengthened its inspection and enforcement efforts to ensure compliance with the extended Vessel General…

11 Oct

OMSA applauds Jones Act letter on disaster relief

Rich MillerMaritime NewsRegulation

(NEW ORLEANS) — The Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) on Monday lauded the U.S. Coast Guard for issuing a policy letter providing a transparent and expedited process for domestic offshore energy vessels to participate in disaster recovery activities. The offshore energy industry utilizes highly complex vessels that have attributes that make them attractive candidates for disaster recovery missions. For example,…

15 Apr

Coast Guard terminates illegal charters in San Diego

Rich MillerMaritime NewsCoast Guard, Regulation

(SAN DIEGO) — Coast Guard Sector San Diego personnel terminated three illegal charter boats operating in San Diego Bay last weekend. Sector San Diego boarding team members and investigators identified three illegal charter boats operating in the bay and terminated all three voyages due to unsafe overloading conditions, insufficient life-saving equipment and failure to provide a qualified or licensed operator…

25 Mar

California approves tougher harbor emission rules

Rich MillerMaritime NewsRegulation, technology

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – The California Air Resources Board (CARB) on Thursday approved updates to its Commercial Harbor Craft Regulation aimed at reducing emissions from harbor craft like tugboats and ferries operated near California’s coast to improve public health in nearby communities, many of which are disadvantaged. By 2035, the amendments are expected to result in an 89 percent reduction of…