NTSB Praises Coast Guard and MAIB

TSB ACTING CHAIRMAN PRAISES TWO MARINE ORGANIZATIONS FOR ACTIONS TO ENSURE SAFETY ON THE WATERWAYS National Transportation Safety Board Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker today in a speech before the 8th Annual National Harbor Safety Committee Conference applauded the actions taken by the U.S. Coast Guard and the United Kingdom's Marine Accident Investigation Branch to ensure transportation safety on waterways. "Government, industry, professional groups, and other organizations, are an essential part of a strong and successful marine transportation industry," Rosenker said. During his speech, he applauded the steps the Coast Guard is taking to address the passenger weight issue, noting that in yesterday's Federal Register the Coast Guard announced a commitment to a high priority rulemaking to address this matter, and in the meantime to implement an interim program so that passenger weight stability issues can be addressed right away. These actions are in response to Safety Board recommendations made last month following its investigation of the Lady D, a pontoon water taxi that capsized in Baltimore Harbor in March 2004. Rosenker also noted, during the speech given in Washington, D.C, the recent fire aboard the cruise ship Star Princess, which is being investigated by the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom announced urgent recommendations to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention concerning fire safety on passenger ships as a result of this fire. A Safety Board marine investigator participated in the investigation.