Maryland’s Eastern Shore Site of SOCP Meeting
The Ship Operations Cooperative Program (SOCP) invites maritime industry representatives to attend the SOCP's October 7-8, 2003, meeting on the Eastern Shore at Piney Point, MD. SOCP’s packed agenda features guest speakers Captain William G. Schubert, Maritime Administrator, RADM Thomas Gilmour, USCG Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Environmental Protection, Ms. Marjorie Murtagh, National Transportation Safety Board and Mr. Anil Mathur, Alaska Tanker Company CEO. Presentations include: Short Sea Shipping; Smart Tow; Intermodal Freight Opportunities on the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System-SE Michigan, along with technical presentations on GPS Based Cargo Tracking Systems; and Cargo Container Advanced 3-D Scanning which will round out the first day’s agenda.
Lloyd’s Register Admitted to USCG’s Alternate Compliance Program
Lloyd’s Register has been authorized to participate in the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) Alternate Compliance Program (ACP), which enables it to act as a recognised organisation (RO) for US-flagged vessels, capable of verifying compliance with United States design and inspection requirements and issuing statutory certificates. David Moorhouse, Executive Chairman of Lloyd’s Register and RADM Thomas Gilmour, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection, USCG, today signed the agreement at Lloyd’s Register’s London Office. The technical annex to the agreement was signed by Joseph Angelo, Director of Standards, USCG and Alan Gavin, Marine Director, Lloyd’s Register.
Ballast Water Management Hearing Held
On March 25, the Subcommittees on Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation and on Water Resources & Environment of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure conducted a joint hearing on Ballast Water Management. The purpose of the hearing was to examine the international ballast water standards recently agreed to by the IMO and to review reauthorization of the National Invasive Species Act (NISA). RADM Thomas Gilmour, USCG, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security, and Environmental Protection, testified that the new international convention sets reasonable standards, while allowing individual port states to establish more stringent requirements. Joseph J. Cox, Shipping Industry Ballast Water Coalition, testified in support of international regime adopted at IMO.
USCG, TSA Study Ferry Security
The U.S. Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration are leading an interagency team studying ways to enhance the security of ferry systems, both during and following the current period of increased risk. The National Ferry Security Study Team, which began work in July, is focusing on issues involving the screening of people, vehicles and baggage for explosive devices. They will assess screening technologies, model the potential consequences of an attack, examine…
USCG to Hold Meeting on Great Lakes Species Invasion
The Coast Guard will hold a public meeting on May 9 in Cleveland seeking public assistance in further preventing aquatic nonindigenous species from entering the Great Lakes from the ballast water discharged from oceangoing vessels. Specifically, the Coast Guard is exploring ways to manage the ballast water on vessels entering the Great Lakes that have so little water in their ballast tanks, they cannot pump it out and thus declare they are “No Ballast Onboard” vessels, or NOBOBs. “Protecting the Great Lakes from invasive species is an important issue for the Coast Guard. I expect that working with the public will greatly assist us in developing effective and practicable management strategies for NOBOBs,” said Coast Guard Rear Adm.
Coast Guard Issues Report on International Compliance
The U.S. Coast Guard issued an annual report today that found foreign-flagged vessel compliance with new international security requirements was better than expected in the first six months of implementation, although safety compliance declined in 2004. The report, known as the Annual Port State Control Report, examined the safety and security compliance of foreign vessels visiting the United States. New international maritime security requirements went into effect July 1 of last year, just 18 months after 143 countries signed an agreement establishing basic security standards for ships and ports around the world. In the weeks leading up to the July 1 deadline, observers and industry members worried that strict U.S.
USCG: Foreign Flag Compliance “Better than Expected”
The U.S. Coast Guard issued an annual report finding that foreign-flagged vessel compliance with new international security requirements was better than expected in the first six months of implementation, although safety compliance declined in 2004. The report, known as the Annual Port State Control Report, examined the safety and security compliance of foreign vessels visiting the United States. New international maritime security requirements went into effect July 1, 2004, just 18 months after 143 countries signed an agreement establishing basic security standards for ships and ports around the world. In the weeks leading up to the July 1 deadline, observers and industry members worried that strict U.S.
