Regulatory Solution News

ChartCo will now be supplying the entire Carnival Cruise Line fleet with its benchmark regulation management solution, Regs4ships.Prior to signing the new contract with Carnival Cruise Line, ChartCo supplied 75% of the fleet of its parent company Carnival Corporation, including Princess Cruises, Holland America, P&O Cruises, Costa, Aida, Cunard Line and Seabourn. Under the terms of the new agreement, all 26 Carnival Cruise Line vessels will be provided with the Regs4ships solution.Regs4ships…

In a show of prototypes, a pod of unmanned sailboats from around the world competes to cross “The Atlantic” test tank in Horten, Norway. Cross the real ocean, and the Sail Bots race similarly challenges scholarly robotic-vessel designers to North America for a bit of station-keeping, collision-avoidance and “cargo moves”. For all, the future seems bright — the first commercial runs of unmanned vessels are underway or scheduled worldwide. These earliest movers have the support of governments, Google and grateful clients.

The Coast Guard announced the publication of a policy letter that exempts a number of mariners from the requirement to obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential when renewing or obtaining a Coast Guard-issued merchant mariner credential. The policy letter provides immediate relief for mariners who otherwise would need to obtain a TWIC to get or renew their Merchant Mariner Credential. The policy letter also provides the Coast Guard with an expedient means to comply with a portion of the requirements set forth in Section 809 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010. “These changes eliminate the TWIC requirement for…

ConAgra Inc., the second largest U.S. food manufacturer, has agreed to sell American Commercial Lines LLC (ACL) its large U.S. inland barge fleet and operations. Financial terms of the deal, which ConAgra said was part of ongoing series of strategic divestments, were not announced. ACL will acquire 930 owned and chartered barges, nine chartered towboats and one dry dock, the companies said in a joint statement. The deal includes Peavey Barge Lines, Brown Water Towing Inc. and Superior Barge Lines, Inc. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval but is expected to be completed in the next 30 days, the companies said. Greg Heckman, president and CEO, ConAgra Trade Group, said, "Our decision to sell the barge company is a strategic one.

Maritime Telecommunications Network (MTN), of Miramar, Florida, the leading provider of satellite-based communications, networking and other services to the cruise and offshore oil and gas industries, today said it welcomes the decision of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), adopted at the recently completed World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva, Switzerland (WRC-03), to establish a permanent regulatory regime for the licensing and use of satellite earth stations on board moving vessels (ESVs). MTN has been the driving force for ESVs within the ITU for more than seven years. With intensive technical study, MTN has been able to successfully demonstrate that even though ESVs are mobile in nature…

Avondale Industries, Inc. has agreed to pay $357,750 in penalties for safety and health violations at its shipyard in Avondale, La., and implement a revised safety and health program as part of a settlement agreement announced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). "We are pleased Avondale has agreed to resolve this matter," said Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman. "Avondale's new management has shown they are serious about eliminating safety hazards. OSHA originally inspected the shipyard in October 1998 following union complaints of possible imminent danger from falls, and other health issues. Based on that inspection, OSHA issued 60 citations against the shipbuilder last April and proposed fines of $537,000.