TVIB News News and Updates

USCG: UPDATE – CG-MMC Policy Letter 03-19 Renewal of Radar Endorsement as Radar Oberserv​er

On 06/07/2019 Federal Register Vol. 84 No. 110 – Amendments to the Marine Radar Observer Refresher Training Regulations was published.

The same day the USCG National Maritime Center published CG-MMC Policy Letter 03-19 – Renewal of Endorsements as Radar Observer. The policy letter outlines the provisions for a licensed mariner to renew the radar observer endorsement.

Click here to download CG-MMC Policy Letter 03-19 – 06/7/2019

Click here to download Federal Register Vol. 84 No. 110 06/07/2019 Amendments to the Marine Radar Observer Refresher Training Regulations

NTSB: MAB 01/13/2018 Barge Breakaway and Contact with the Emsworth Locks and Dams

The NTSB has released the Marine Accident Brief (MAB) for the Barge Breakway and Contact with the Emsworth Locks and Dams.

The incident occured on 01/13/2018 when 27 dry cargo barges broke free from the fleeting area near Pittsburgh, PA drifting uncrontolled downriver and eventually struck the Emsworth Locks and Dams complex as paraphrased from the report.

The report has recommendations for both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the USCG. The primary focus appears to be on permitting and maintenance of fleeting areas along with requirements for procedures for operating in highwater and ice conditions.

Click here to download NTSB DCA18PM011 Barge Breakaway and Contact with Emsworth Locks and Dams

USCG: FR Amendments to the Marine Radar Observer Refresher Training Regulations

Federal Register Vol. 84, 026/07/2019 – 46 CFR Parts 10, 11, and 15 Amendments to the Marine Radar Observer Refresher Training Regulations

EXCERPTSDownload link below for full notice.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is revising its merchant mariner credentialing regulations to remove obsolete portions of the radar observer requirements and harmonize the radar observer endorsement with the merchant mariner credential. These revisions will reduce an unnecessary financial burden on mariners required to hold a radar observer endorsement. This rule will affect mariners who have served on radar-equipped vessels, in a position that routinely uses radar for 1 year in the previous 5 years for navigation and collision avoidance purposes, and mariners who have taught a Coast Guard-approved or accepted radar course at least twice within the past 5 years. These mariners will no longer be required to complete a Coast Guard- approved or accepted radar refresher or recertification course in order to renew their radar observer endorsements. We are retaining the existing requirements for mariners seeking an original radar observer endorsement and for mariners who do not have 1 year of routine relevant sea service on board radar- equipped vessels in the previous 5 years or have not taught a Coast Guard- approved or accepted radar course at least twice within the past 5 years. This final rule adopts, with modification, the notice of proposed rulemaking published on June 11, 2018.

DATES: This final rule is effective July 22, 2019.

Click here to download Federal Register Vol. 84, 06/07/2019 – 46 CFR Parts 10, 11, and 15 Amendments to the Marine Radar Observer Refresher Training Regulations