Class NK’s subM Strategy: Help is on the Way
Global reach, inland and bulk handling expertise, domestic acquisitions and new U.S. Coast Guard approvals all team up to make ClassNK a logical choice to help solve your emerging subchapter M problems. That’s just the beginning. America’s Inland operators, faced with the coming scrutiny of Coast Guard subchapter M regulations, have also stood largely on the sidelines as service providers announce one subM solution after another. Software providers, consultants and marine surveyors all claim to have the answers to a problem that has not yet arrived because the U.S. Coast Guard’s preliminary language has not yet been approved. In the meantime, there is a new kid in town.
(Sub) Chapter M Finally Surfaces
For inland operators, Compliance, Safety & Technology make for heavy river traffic as software providers descend on a rapidly approaching, potentially lucrative niche market. Is there a panacea for subchapter M? Pending USCG Subchapter “M” (SubM) regulations will eventually require towing operators to implement safety standards and use safety management systems, or alternatively, allow for an annual Coast Guard inspection regime. The new rules are expected to allow towing vessel organizations to customize their approach to meeting the requirements, while providing oversight using audits, inspections, and reviews of safety data. As many as 5,000 vessels and their operators will eventually feel the impact of the so-called subchapter M rules.
