TVIB News

NTSB Publishes Safer Seas Digest 2016

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07/27/2017 – Excerpt from Press Release

The lessons learned from the investigation of 27 major, maritime accidents involving loss of life, injuries and property damage are detailed in the National Transportation Safety Board’s Safer Seas Digest 2016, released online Thursday.

The publication is a compendium of the marine accident reports that the agency adopted or issued during calendar year 2016. The 68-page Safer Seas Digest 2016 contains information that can help mariners at the deckplate level prevent future accidents, and, can help maritime industry C-suites build and sustain a culture of safety at sea.

The lessons learned in the Safer Seas Digest 2016 are highlighted in 10 categories including Standard Maintenance and Repair Procedures, Operational Testing Procedures, Operating in Strong Currents, Familiarization with Local Recommendations, Bridge Resource Management, Safety Equipment and Access to High-Risk Spaces.  The remaining three categories, Distraction, Fatigue, and Use of Medication While Operating Vessels, relate to issues on the NTSB’s Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements, highlighting the multi-modal nature of these threats to transportation safety.

“A safe maritime transportation system is critical to the vitality of the U.S. economy,” said NTSB Acting Chairman Robert Sumwalt. “According to NOAA, more than $1.5 trillion of cargo transited U.S. seaports in 2016.  Reducing the frequency and severity of maritime accidents serves the national interest and publishing the Safer Seas Digest helps reach this goal.”

The Safer Seas Digest 2016 digital version (a print version will be distributed to industry stakeholders) provides mariners with links from the digest’s case summaries to the full reports and related documents of the investigations on the NTSB’s website, giving mariners access to the complete body of work of the NTSB’s Office of Marine Safety.

The NTSB’s Office of Marine Safety investigates major marine casualties upon the navigable waters of the U.S. and accidents involving U.S. flagged vessels worldwide.

Click here to download the full report.

 

SUBCHAPTER M: USCG Accepting Applications for Endorsements of Tankerman Person In Charge (PIC) Restricted to Fuel Transfers on Towing Vessels

Written by

08/04/2017 – Reproduced from notice written by Captain Kirsten R. Martin

The Coast Guard is now accepting applications for Tankerman PIC Restricted to Fuel Transfers on Towing Vessels. A new checklist and sample sea service letter are available on the NMC website to assist mariners with these applications.

CG-MMC Policy Letter 01-17, Guidelines for Issuing Endorsements for Tankerman PIC Restricted to Fuel Transfers on Towing Vessels, was published on March 10, 2017, and provides additional information for employers and mariners. Endorsements will be issued in accordance with the provisions for a restricted tankerman endorsement (46 CFR 13.111(a)), in order to meet the requirement of 33 CFR 155.710(e)(1).

Questions or feedback on the policy should be directed to MMCPolicy@uscg.mil. The status of individual applications can be determined by contacting the NMC Customer Service Center using Live Chat, by calling 1-888-IASKNMC (427-5662), or via e-mail to IASKNMC@uscg.mil.

Click here to access the full NMC notification document.

 

Upcoming Training Opportunities

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Annual Surveyor of Towing Vessels (ASTV) – 4-Day Course

This course is intended for those persons seeking to perform Internal or External Annual Surveys of Towing Vessels under Subchapter M.

  • August 22-25 in Houston, TX
  • September 12-15 in Charleston, WV
  • October 17-20 in St. Louis, MO

Course Information and Registration

ISO Lead Auditor – 5-Day Course taught by Quality Management International, Inc. (QMII)

  • September 11-15 in Mandeville, LA

This course is intended for those persons seeking certification as a Lead Auditor for Subchapter M and the AWO RCP.

TVIB has partnered with QMII in this course designed to help you learn the requirements of ISO 9001 and how to relate the requirements to your business management system. This course gives the tools necessary to conduct and lead process and system audits to determine conformity to ISO 9001.  It also provides an understanding of how process-based management systems are responsible for ensuring customer requirements are determined and consistently fulfilled over time. The instructor incorporates three basic principles: audits should benefit both parties; audits focus on process and system effectiveness (beyond mere conformity) with respected to agreed audit criteria; and auditors should use the process approach to audit both documented and undocumented processes to determine system effectiveness.

TVIB has negotiated a discounted rate of $1,256 per person to attend this course (the regular fee for this course is $1,795 per person) This course is not being offered directly through TVIB so the TVIB Member Discount does not apply. Registration will process through QMII directly.
Registration

Should the above direct register link not work please use the following link and be sure to enter the code TVIB9001_SEP17 for a TVIB discount on their regular course fees.
Alternate Registration Link

Registrants can also call the QMII office for any assistance with registration at 888-357-9001.  If you do contact QMII directly, be sure to mention TVIB when registering for the course in Mandeville, LA.

TVIB has contracted with the Comfort Suites in Covington, LA to secure a group rate ($89 per night plus tax) for those who may need to make hotel arrangements.  The hotel is located approximately 8 miles from the training facility at the following address: Comfort Suites, 30 Louis Prima Drive, Covington, LA 70433, 985-809-1234. Please call the hotel directly at the number listed above and ask for the front desk (NOT central booking) to book your room.  You need to ask for the QMII ISO Course discounted rate. You must book your room no later than August 28, 2017 to take advantage of the group rate.

Marine Internal Lead Auditor (MILA) – 2-Day Course

This course is intended for those persons that wish to perform internal audits under Subchapter M.

  • September 12-13 in Paducah KY
  • October 17-18 in Houston, TX

46 CFR 138.310(d)(2) requires that persons performing internal audits complete an ANSI/ISO/ASQ Q9001-2000 or ISO 9001:2008(E) (incorporated by reference, see § 136.112 of this subchapter) internal auditor/assessor course or Coast Guard-recognized equivalent.

ACTSafe Training (joint venture of SafeMARINER and the ACTion group) had this course audited by a recognized third-party registrar and submitted it to the U.S. Coast. The U.S. Coast Guard has deemed this course as a “Coast Guard-recognized equivalent” in order to satisfy the requirements of 46 CFR 138.310(d)(2).

Course Information and Registration