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USCG: MSIB 02-20 Novel Coronavirus (Change 3)

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On 3/17/2020 the Coast Guard Maritime Commons issued MSIB 02-20 Novel Coronavirus (Change 3).

Excerpt from the original post

The Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy has published an update March 16, 2020 to MSIB: Novel Coronavirus – Update (Change 2)

An outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) may affect mariners and maritime commerce. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated their Interim Guidance for Ships on Managing Suspected Coronavirus Disease 2019 (see https://go.usa.gov/xdfyG) and Cruise Ship Travel (see https://go.usa.gov/xdfVP).

Illness of a person onboard any vessel that may adversely affect the safety of a vessel or port facility is a hazardous condition per 33 CFR 160.216 and must be reported immediately to the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP). Cases of persons who exhibit symptoms consistent with COVID-19 must be reported to the COTP.

The Coast Guard considers it a hazardous condition under 33 CFR 160.216 if anyone, regardless of where they have been or who they have interacted with, shows symptoms of COVID-19 or other flu like illness. This requires immediate notification to the nearest Coast Guard COTP.

Per 42 CFR 71.21, vessels destined for a U.S. port are required to report to the CDC any sick or deceased crew/passengers during 15 days prior to arrival at the U.S. port. Guidance to vessels to report deaths and illnesses to the CDC can be found at: https://go.usa.gov/xdjmj. U.S. flagged commercial vessels are also advised to report ill crewmembers in accordance with the requirements of each foreign port called upon.

Presidential Proclamations have placed entry restrictions from persons arriving from or through the following countries: Iran, China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau), the European states within the Schengen Area (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland), and beginning at 11:59 p.m. eastern standard daylight savings time on March 16, 2020, United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

Vessel owners/operators and local stakeholders should be aware of the following:

  1. On March 13, 2020, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) announced that member companies were voluntarily suspending cruise ship operations from U.S. ports of call for 30 days. The CDC issued a No Sail Order on March 14, 2020 to all cruise ships that had not voluntarily suspended operations. The Coast Guard will closely coordinate with CDC to facilitate a safe and expeditious return of passengers onboard cruise ships that are underway and bound for U.S. ports.
  2. Maritime commerce is vital to the U.S. economy and the Coast Guard has the responsibility to safely enable the uninterrupted flow of maritime cargo.
    • Non-passenger commercial vessels that have been to the countries noted above or embarked crewmembers from the countries noted above within the last 14 days, with no sick crewmembers, will be permitted to enter the U.S. and conduct normal operations, provided that crewmembers remain aboard the vessel except to conduct specific activities directly related to vessel cargo or provisioning operations. U.S. citizens or any other persons listed in Section 2 of Presidential Proclamation “Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus”, for example crewmembers with a transit and/or crewmember visa, may be permitted to disembark the vessel to conduct vessel operations pier side or for the immediate and continuous transit through the U.S. to another country. When entering the U.S. all persons must be cleared by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and, if applicable, CDC. Crewmembers without the appropriate visas will generally be required to remain onboard unless otherwise cleared for entry by CBP and, if applicable, CDC.
    • Non-passenger commercial vessels that have been to the countries noted above or embarked crewmembers from the countries noted above within the last 14 days, and do have sick crewmembers should expect delays and need to work with local health and port officials prior to entry.
  3. All persons that have been in or through a country listed above may be subject to CDC screening prior to disembarkation.

Vessel owners and operators should be aware of the following:

  • The Coast Guard will continue to review all “Notice of Arrivals” in accordance with current policies and will communicate any concerns stemming from sick or deceased crew or passengers to their Coast Guard chain of command and the cognizant CDC quarantine station, who will coordinate with local health authorities.
  • All commercial vessel operators and mariners are encouraged to exercise due diligence during daily operations and highly encouraged to follow the CDC Interim Guidance for Ships on Managing Suspected Coronavirus Diseases 2019.
  • Vessel masters shall inform Coast Guard boarding teams of any ill crewmembers on their vessel prior to embarking the team.
  • Local industry stakeholders, in partnership with their Coast Guard COTP, should review and be familiar with section 5310 Procedures for Vessel Quarantine and Isolation, and Section 5320 – Procedures for Security Segregation of Vessels in their Area Maritime Security Plan.
  • Local industry stakeholders, in partnership with their Coast Guard COTP, should review and be familiar with their Marine Transportation System Recovery Plan.
  • Maritime facility operators are reminded that they are not permitted to impede the embarkation/disembarkation of crew members as permitted under Seafarer’s access regulations. This authority resides with CBP, Coast Guard, or the CDC for medical matters. Facility operators should contact their local CBP, Coast Guard, or CDC/health department offices if they have a specific request to restrict a crew member’s access.
  • he Coast Guard recommends that people review the CDC travel guidance (see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html) and the U.S. Department of State (DoS) Travel Advisories related to COVID-19 at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/ .

Questions about this bulletin should be directed to OutbreakQuestions@uscg.mil

USCG: Practice Make Permanent: Does your crew know what’s in your TSMS?

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Reposted from the Coast Guard Maritime Commons

POSTED BY LT AMY MIDGETT ON MARCH 9, 2020 • ( LEAVE A COMMENT )

Editor’s note: This blog post was updated March 10, 2020 at 8:04 a.m. to correct an editorial error. 

A representative from the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance joined several members of the professional maritime community Feb. 25, 2020, for an American Waterways Operators webinar, “Safety Know-How: Helping Your Crewmembers Embrace and Understand Your TSMS,” to offer best practices and lessons learned on ways to ensure towing vessel crews are familiar with their company’s Towing Vessel Safety Management System.

The panel comprised Cmdr. Jennifer Hnatow, chief of the Domestic Vessel and Offshore Compliance Division; Tava Foret with Towing Vessel Inspection Bureau; Paul Hite with American Bureau of Shipping; Matt Lagarde of Ingram Barge Company; and Ryan Maloney of Dann Ocean Towing.

Hnatow set the stage for the panel discussion by offering the latest statistics regarding Subchapter M and TSMS.

In 2019, marine inspectors detained 41 towing vessels for Code 30 deficiencies. Code 30 deficiencies reflect a vessel’s failure to implement a TSMS or a lack of familiarity with a TSMS. Of those, 32 percent used the TSMS option and 68 percent used the Coast Guard option, which may suggest to the Coast Guard that the TSMS option is having a positive impact on towing vessel safety. Vessels that chose the Coast Guard option are not required to implement a safety management system, and therefore may not be proactively managing safety as closely as those vessels that chose the TSMS option.

“More statistics are needed on this potential correlation between having a TSMS and fewer Code 30 deficiencies, but it is encouraging to see these initial results nonetheless,” Hnatow said.

Hnatow said the most common themes related to Code 30 deficiencies were a lack of adequate shore support through owner or managing operator or the crew’s failure to demonstrate an active TSMS training regimen.

“When Coast Guard marine inspectors go out for a scheduled inspection, or post marine-casualty, part of what their looking for is to ensure the vessel has the equipment required by Subchapter M but also that the crew understands how to use it,” Hnatow said. “Practice makes permanent. The more you practice correctly – whether you have the Coast Guard option or the TSMS option – it’s going to be automatic in the event of an emergency. That’s why our marine inspectors ask those questions.”

In a discussion about the recent CVC policy letter issued on the Coast Guard’s Subchapter M enforcement policy, Hnatow said the Coast Guard marine inspector determines a company’s fleet size information from the Certificate of Documentation, which is based on information provided by the owner/operator during the application process. If vessels in a company’s fleet are listed under different names or different mailing addresses, it will affect the phase in requirement percentage.

“If you operate vessels owned by a different entity but you consider them to be part of your fleet, reach out to the local OCMI so they can make sure the phase in percentage is correct,” Hnatow said.

Hnatow also offered several suggestions for promoting a holistic safety culture onboard a vessel, that is embraced from the most junior crewman to the executive staff:

  • Making the TSMS available for the entire crew to read by posting it online or having a hard copy in a common area.
  • Encourage ownership of the TSMS by assigning a crew member – even an unlicensed position – the responsibility for maintaining the hard copy of the TSMS.
  • Company leadership should promote regular TSMS training as a special event and ensure the crew understands the value of regular training. Case studies can be used to provide context and illustration.
  • Talk openly about results of audit and surveys. Talk to the whole crew on what they did well and where they need to improve.

“TSMS is about constantly improving the safety of the vessel,” Hnatow said. “That’s everyone’s responsibility.”

The full audio of the webinar is available on AWO’s website.

This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official source documents, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These documents remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.

USCG: CANCELLED MSIB 03-19 Certificate of Documentation Guidance

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First posted on Maritime Commons on 02/28/2019

The Coast Guard announced that effective Feb. 25, 2020, Marine Safety Information Bulletin 03-19, “Certificate of Documentation Guidance,” is cancelled. 

In 2019, the National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) was experiencing delays in the time necessary to issue a Certificate of Documentation (COD) that resulted, in part, due to the government shutdown. The purpose of MSIB 03-19 was to provide guidance to assist vessel owners affected by those delays. The Coast Guard is cancelling MSIB 03-19 because the NVDC is current with processing of COD renewal requests for both commercial and recreational vessels.