Third Party Organization News

An engine room fire aboard a towing vessel was the result of spraying diesel fuel hitting an uninsulated section of the engine's exhaust system, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in a marine investigation report released Tuesday.On March 17, 2021, the towing vessel Miss Dorothy was pushing 14 barges upbound on the Lower Mississippi River, north of Baton Rouge, La., when a fire broke out in the engine room. The eight crewmembers aboard briefly attempted to fight the fire but were unsuccessful and evacuated to the barges. No pollution or injuries were reported.

Make a Profit with a Safety Management System (SMS).Organizations in the maritime industry act no differently than any other successful global business unit. Major decisions are made with a certain underlying commitment – a commitment to customers, stakeholders and employees. That commitment can be oversimplified by stating the obvious, to generate revenue, but more specifically generate profits. Without profits, the company will not only fail to thrive, but will fail to survive.

The Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise (TVNCOE) posted on its website Aug. 5, 2019, that the Coast Guard has approved Inland Towing Operators Working Together (ITOW) as a third-party organization (TPO) to carry out certain functions in accordance with Subchapter M. A complete list of all ten Coast Guard approved TPOs can be found on the TPO webpage.

The U.S. towing and tug business is 5,500 boats, more than 31,000 barges with an estimated total impact on U.S. GDP of $33.8 billion.“At a macro level, the bigger ships are causing downward pressure on the ship assist business because there are fewer ship calls given the increased capacity of these vessels. However, certain ports have seen tremendous growth, based on strategic location and infrastructure investments that have attracted these larger ships and been a net plus for these areas.”Kate Fuhrman…

The evidence and industry subject matter experts both say ‘yes.’In its recently released SAFER SEAS DIGEST, Lessons Learned from Marine Accident Investigations (2017), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports investigating numerous accidents across all modes of transportation where a properly implemented safety management system (SMS) could have prevented injuries, loss of life, or material damage. That document spans analysis of casualties across the full spectrum of all manners of marine craft, blue water and brown, foreign and domestic.Different authorities and subject matter experts (SME) differ on how they might explain a SMS, but it all adds up to one thing. But, what is a Safety Management System?

... one year after the commandant’s Final Action Memo on the El Faro sinking.“… the Coast Guard is ultimately responsible to monitor the performance of third parties that perform delegated functions and also to guarantee the effectiveness of vessel inspections and surveys. Yet the Coast Guard failed to adequately oversee the third party in this case, and the investigation reveals that the Coast Guard has not sustained the proficiency and policy framework to do so in general. The…

Choosing the ‘top stories of 2018’ was, this year, a difficult task. Many compelling story threads played out, dramatically impacting the North American waterfront, and in particular, the workboat sector – each in their own unique way. Read on to find out how and why.Autonomous Vessels: Ready or Not, Here They ComeFuturistic, remote-controlled autonomous marine vehicles aren’t coming. They are here. As the pace of change quickens, autonomous vessels are already providing service and value on the water. Out ahead of the rulemaking process, autonomous technology providers already churn out not just prototypes and designs, but also countless workboats, many already in service.

Cenac Marine Services and its dynamic, third generation leader, Arlen “Benny” Cenac Jr., continue to flourish, in good times and bad. Through it all, leadership, philanthropy and investments that extend far beyond the company’s gates have made all the difference.As this year quickly churns to its inevitable close, Cenac Marine Services isn’t the nation’s biggest towboat operation, but its profound impact on the people and environment of the U.S. Gulf Coast and beyond is unquestionable. At a time when most operators are happy to simply strive for an environmentally correct and regulatory compliant business signature, Arlen “Benny” Cenac Jr.

Initial reports show that the towing industry is adjusting well to the new normal on inland rivers. In fact, it is business as usual for most.July 20, 2018 was a critical date for tow boat operators. That was the deadline for all U.S.-flag towing vessels – over 26 feet, or less if used to assist with transport of oil or hazardous materials – to be in compliance with Subchapter M, the U.S. Coast Guard’s towing vessel safety regulations. It’s been a long time coming. As a regulatory program…

Representatives from the Coast Guard, offshore oil and gas industries, recognized organizations and numerous industry associations attended the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee semi-annual public meeting in Houston, Texas Sept 11, 2018.Rear Adm. John Nadeau, assistant commandant for prevention policy, attended the meeting and discussed with the Committee the new Coast Guard commandant’s strategic vision for the service as well as the reorganization within the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance to put an increased emphasis on Third Party Organization oversight.During the meeting, the Committee heard presentations and discussions on the progress of a variety of issues, including reports and recommendations stemming from the Subcommittees’ deliberations.

Embracing and spanning the full breadth of Great Lakes geography and business mix, GLG’s Joe Starck has his multi-missioned firm looking to the future – in more ways than one.The Great Lakes Group (GLG) takes its beginnings from its 1899 incorporation by industrial icon John D. Rockefeller, who formed the Great Lakes Towing to satisfy the demands of a Midwest industrial revolution that brought bigger ships to the region. Existing vessels, unable to keep up with demand, were supplemented and replaced by a fleet of as many as 100 tugboats; the first steel tugs in the region. GLG still has a tug that was part of that original operation.

As of June 25, 2018, the Coast Guard has issued 22 certificates of inspection (COI) to towing vessels in both the Atlantic and Pacific areas of operation. Additional inspections are scheduled between now and July 20, 2018, when Subchapter M is fully implemented. The requirements for obtaining a certificate of inspection, as detailed in 46 CFR 136.210, begin when the owner/operator submits the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved Form CG-3752 “Application for Inspection.” New construction vessels use Form CG-3752A. Owners/operators are only required to complete OMB-approved forms and submit the information listed in the regulations.

Countdown to Subchapter M: Last-minute tips for choosing the USCG or TPO/TSMS option ...Subchapter M will finally be implemented in the tugboat and towing industry in only a few short months. It has taken over ten years to arrive, but the build-up and in some cases, hysteria, can only be compared to the Y2K scare at the end of 1999. During that period, the world said Y2K would cause computer crashes, commerce to end and daily life to come to a crashing halt.Now, fast forward almost twenty years and enter Subchapter M.

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued its very first certificate of inspection (COI) under the Subchapter M requirements, which set new rules for the inspection, standards and safety policies of towing vessels.The COI issued to Marine Towing of Tampa's 90-foot tug Endeavor was signed Wednesday by Capt. Holly Najarian, commander of Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., and was presented Thursday morning at the company’s corporate office in Tampa, Fla.The 4,200-horsepower Endeavor, built in 2000 in Lockport…

The Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise (TVNCOE) posted on its website February 2, 2018, that the U.S. Coast Guard has approved Meridian Global Consulting, LLC as a third-party organization (TPO) to carry out certain functions in accordance with Subchapter M. The current list of all Subchapter M approved TPOs is maintained on TVNCOE’s TPO webpage. In accordance with 46 CFR 139.110, classification societies that are recognized and/or authorized meet the requirements of a TPO.

In 2004 Congress reclassified towing vessels as vessels subject to inspection. Thus began a lengthy process of regulation drafting by the U.S. Coast Guard, with a great deal of input from the towing industry. In 2011, the Notice of Proposed Rule Making was published giving the public its first look at what has become known as Subchapter M. Over 3,000 comments were received by the Coast Guard on the Proposed Rule. After five years of responding to those comments and revamping Subchapter M, on June 20, 2016 the Final Rule was published.

ABS said it was awarded a Third-Party Organization (TPO) contract by Cenac Marine Services, owner and operator of a fleet of inland and offshore vessels, to support compliance with U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Subchapter M requirements. The contract establishes ABS as Cenac’s sole TPO, providing oversight of their Internal Survey program and additional support with ABS surveyors when required. “Tugboat owners and operators are urgently seeking and evaluating options for Subchapter M compliance,” said ABS Americas Division President, Jamie Smith.

Ivy Marine, LLC, a two-towboat company out of Mobile, AL has become one of the first companies in the United States to obtain their TSMS Certificate. They are also the smallest company in the country to have obtained this certification. “Ivy Marine partnered with Tug & Barge Solutions to develop a Towing Safety Management System (TSMS) that meets Subchapter M and the AWO RCP standard,” said Steve Wilson, Ivy Marine’s President. Ivy Marine, LLC also installed HelmCONNECT on its vessels which has helped them obtain their TSMS Certificate.

Seattle based Foss Maritime, owner and operator of a fleet of tugs offering maritime transportation and logistics services, has awarded a contract to classification society ABS to support compliance with U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Subchapter M requirements. The contract positions ABS as Foss’ Third Party Organization (TPO), providing a complete suite of Subchapter M services, including TPO surveys, International Safety Management (ISM) compliance, Load Line compliance and audits of its Responsible Carrier Program (RCP).

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. 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.

On June 23, 2017, Towing Vessel Inspection Bureau (TVIB) issued its first Towing Safety Management System (TSMS) certificate to Crounse Corporation, who successfully completed a full Subchapter M TSMS audit including a review of its operations for compliance with Subchapter M. Crounse is the first of a number of companies that have chosen TVIB as their U.S. Coast Guard Approved Third-Party Organization (TPO) for Subchapter M compliance. TVIB said it is working with a number of TPO customers to take advantage of the recent Coast Guard policy letter CG-CVC Policy Letter 17-02 and the AWO Alert issued on June 8, that provided guidance on how a company can use its previous RCP Management Audit toward the issuance of its initial TSMS Certificate.

July 20 marks a milestone in Subchapter M implementation. Towing vessels with keels laid or major conversions on or after July 20, 2017 are required to meet 46 CFR Subchapter M and obtain a Certificate of Inspection (COI) prior to operating. Additionally, starting July 20, 2018, a portion of existing towing vessels will have one year to meet all of Subchapter M and obtain COIs. By July 19, 2022, 100 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board. Owners or managing…

ABS mobile application is purpose-built for the workboat, inland sectors. ABS Nautical Systems, the ABS enterprise fleet management software suite, has launched a new mobile application, NS Workboat. The latest in a line of new tools that ABS has developed to help workboat operators gain compliance with the pending Subchapter M regulations, the ‘app’, which leverages the Nautical Systems enterprise software, is a mobile solution that is purpose-built for the workboat and inland-shipping sectors, where ease of use is of paramount importance.