Cooper Group Selects ABS for Sub M Services
ABS said it has been awarded a Third Party Organization (TPO) contract by the Cooper Group of Companies to support compliance with U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Subchapter M requirements.
“ABS anticipated the needs that would surface when the Subchapter M regulations were published and allocated resources to develop a range of solutions,” said ABS Americas Division President, Jamie Smith. “Today, we offer comprehensive services customized to individual fleet needs, supporting compliance with all regulatory requirements.”
The newly signed contract establishes ABS as the exclusive Subchapter M TPO for Cooper Group and its subsidiaries, Crescent Towing, Cooper Marine & Timberlands and Plimsoll Towing. ABS will be responsible for performing TPO surveys and Responsible Carrier Program (RCP) audits – a USCG approved Towing Safety Management System (TSMS) option on behalf of American Waterways Operators (AWO) – across Cooper Group’s 60 vessel fleet.
“We have consistently partnered with ABS on our premier fleet of harbor tugboats and are excited to expand their role, now as our TPO and compliance partner,” said Crescent Towing Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Keith Kettenring. “Over the years, we’ve seen firsthand how ABS is setting the standard of excellence in the industry. Recently ABS joined us for a full day of internal company training where they provided updates on regulatory timelines and interpretations, compliance options and other valuable information.”
As an USCG Recognized Organization (RO) and an approved TPO, ABS provides fully integrated solutions to help owners and operators achieve and maintain Subchapter M compliance through a combination of services including TSMS development, implementation and auditing, plan review on behalf of the USCG, ABS class in conjunction with the International Safety Management Code (ISM) and ABS Nautical Systems’ for fleet management software.