Commercial Vessel Inspection (USCG)
Encyclopedia
Marine safety is one of the eleven missions
of the United States Coast Guard
.
Coast Guard personnel inspect commercial vessels, respond to pollution, investigate marine casualties and merchant mariners, manage waterways, and license merchant mariners. Coast Guard officials also draft recommendations for the transit of hazardous cargo by ship, such as liquid natural gas.
In addition to this mission, the Coast Guard carries out investigations to determine the cause of accidents on American-flagged (Flag State
) ships or foreign ships in American waters (Port State).
Among the activities of the Coast Guard is inspection of commercial boats carrying passengers for hire. Vessels carrying more than six passengers must show a Certificate of Inspection; this indicates the crews of such vessels have undergone drug testing, that the vessel's firefighting and lifesaving equipment is adequate and in good condition, and machinery, hull construction, wiring, stability, safety railings, and navigation equipment meet Federal standards.
. Coast Guard personnel that contribute to the marine safety program at field units are eligible to earn the Marine Safety Insignia
.
s or ship
s) that are registered in the United States or are foreign ships in U.S. waters.
The Coast Guard delegates this responsibility to the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection.
Inspections are done either under Flag State
responsibility or Port State responsibility. The four basic categories of vessels subject to inspection are:
There are two kinds of inspections: Safety and Security.
Inspections of vessel safety systems includes the following:
Inspections of vessel security systems includes the following:
actions to determine cause, and to prevent future occurrences under its Marine Safety mission
. There are two kinds of investigations
These investigations may result in a suspension and revocation action, which is an administrative process to determine the fitness of an individual to retain or continue to operate under the authority of his/her merchant Mariner document or license. These hearings are not criminal proceedings but rather administrative in nature.
primarily through the Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972. This Act resulted from several major groundings and oil spills and provided port safety authority for the COTP to protect the use of port transportation facilities, and to enhance efforts against the degradation of the marine environment.
The port safety mission is primarily concerned with the prevention of accidental damage to ports, facilities, and ships in order to protect the environment and facilitate commerce.
The major activities that support the Port Safety mission include:
While port safety is concerned with accidents that harm people or property, port security (as a part of maritime security
) is concerned with deliberate acts intended to harm people or property.
. Many mariners receive a Merchant Mariner Credential
from the Coast Guard, and most are also required to obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential from the Transportation Security Administration
.
Missions of the United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard carries out three basic roles, which are further subdivided into eleven statutory missions. The three roles are:* Maritime safety* Maritime security* Maritime Stewardship...
of the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
.
Coast Guard personnel inspect commercial vessels, respond to pollution, investigate marine casualties and merchant mariners, manage waterways, and license merchant mariners. Coast Guard officials also draft recommendations for the transit of hazardous cargo by ship, such as liquid natural gas.
In addition to this mission, the Coast Guard carries out investigations to determine the cause of accidents on American-flagged (Flag State
Flag State
The flag state of a commercial vessel is the state under whose laws the vessel is registered or licensed.The flag state has the authority and responsibility to enforce regulations over vessels registered under its flag, including those relating to inspection, certification, and issuance of safety...
) ships or foreign ships in American waters (Port State).
Among the activities of the Coast Guard is inspection of commercial boats carrying passengers for hire. Vessels carrying more than six passengers must show a Certificate of Inspection; this indicates the crews of such vessels have undergone drug testing, that the vessel's firefighting and lifesaving equipment is adequate and in good condition, and machinery, hull construction, wiring, stability, safety railings, and navigation equipment meet Federal standards.
Overview
The Coast Guard performs its marine safety mission by conducting marine inspection, marine investigation, waterways management, port safety, and merchant mariner credentialing activities. The marine safety mission is the largest mission performed by Prevention Departments at Coast Guard SectorsUnited States Coast Guard Sectors
A Sector is a shore-based operational unit of the United States Coast Guard. Each Sector is responsible for the execution of all Coast Guard missions within its Area of Responsibility , with operational support from Coast Guard Cutters and Air Stations. Subordinate commands within a Sector...
. Coast Guard personnel that contribute to the marine safety program at field units are eligible to earn the Marine Safety Insignia
Marine Safety Insignia
The Marine Safety Insignia is awarded to enlisted members and officers of the United States Coast Guard and United States Coast Guard Reserve, to Coast Guard Civilians, and to members of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary to recognize professional accomplishment in the Marine Safety program...
.
Marine inspection
The Coast Guard is responsible for inspecting vessels (e.g., boatBoat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s or ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s) that are registered in the United States or are foreign ships in U.S. waters.
The Coast Guard delegates this responsibility to the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection.
Inspections are done either under Flag State
Flag State
The flag state of a commercial vessel is the state under whose laws the vessel is registered or licensed.The flag state has the authority and responsibility to enforce regulations over vessels registered under its flag, including those relating to inspection, certification, and issuance of safety...
responsibility or Port State responsibility. The four basic categories of vessels subject to inspection are:
- Passenger vesselsPassenger shipA passenger ship is a ship whose primary function is to carry passengers. The category does not include cargo vessels which have accommodations for limited numbers of passengers, such as the ubiquitous twelve-passenger freighters once common on the seas in which the transport of passengers is...
.- This category of vessel includes crew boats, nautical school vessels, cruise ships, excursion vessels, charter fishing boats, etc., carrying six or more passengers.
- Tank vesselsTanker (ship)A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
.- This category of vessel includes tank ships and tank barges.
- Cargo vesselsCargo shipA cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
.- This category of vessel includes container vessels, freight vessels, roll on/roll off (RO/RO), etc.
- Special use vessels.
- This category of vessel includes mobile offshore drilling units (MODU) offshore supply vessels (OSV), oceanographic research vessel (ORV), oil spill response vessel (OSRV), nautical school vessels, sailing school vessels, etc.
There are two kinds of inspections: Safety and Security.
Inspections of vessel safety systems includes the following:
- Hull inspection to ensure seaworthiness of vessel.
- Main/auxiliary power inspection to ensure safe and operable machinery for vessel propulsion and emergency power.
- Boiler inspection to ensure that it is structurally sound with operable safety devices.
- Electrical systems inspection to ensure satisfactory installation of wiring and equipment.
- Lifesaving systems inspection to ensure satisfactory and adequate means to abandon ship.
- Firefighting systems inspection to ensure fixed and portable devices are suitable for the intended space and type of fire.
- Navigation inspection to ensure adequacy and operation of navigation equipment.
- Pollution prevention inspection to ensure compliance with international regulations and domestic laws.
Inspections of vessel security systems includes the following:
- Verification of security related documents and certificates such as the ship security plan, International Ship Security Certificate and Declaration of Security.
- Ensure appropriate training drills, and exercises are being conducted.
- Ensure required onboard security procedures are in place.
Marine investigation
The Coast Guard investigates marine casualties and allegations of improper Merchant MarinerUnited States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
actions to determine cause, and to prevent future occurrences under its Marine Safety mission
Missions of the United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard carries out three basic roles, which are further subdivided into eleven statutory missions. The three roles are:* Maritime safety* Maritime security* Maritime Stewardship...
. There are two kinds of investigations
- Marine casualties.
- Personnel actions.
Marine casualty investigations
Marine casualty investigations are carried out for the following:- Death of an individual.
- Serious injury to an individual.
- Material loss of property.
- Material damage affecting the seaworthiness or efficiency of the vessel.
- Significant harm to the environment.
Personnel actions
Investigations are also conducted to determine if personnel actions by licensed or documented merchant mariners constitute one or more of the following:- Misconduct.
- Negligence.
- Incompetence.
- Violation of law or regulation.
These investigations may result in a suspension and revocation action, which is an administrative process to determine the fitness of an individual to retain or continue to operate under the authority of his/her merchant Mariner document or license. These hearings are not criminal proceedings but rather administrative in nature.
Waterways management
The program manages, influences, and provides access to a safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sound waterways system by providing marine safety information to the public, processing marine event permits, bridge administration and marine transportation system services.Port safety
The port safety function has a long history in the Coast Guard. It was expanded during the 20th century to include the protection of ports, harbors, vessels, and waterfront facilities against accidents, negligence, and sabotage. These responsibilities have been assigned to the COTPCaptain of the Port
The Captain of the Port is an official who has different functions in the United Kingdom and the United States.-United Kingdom:In the Royal Navy, the Captain of the Port is the officer, usually with the rank of Captain, responsible for the day-to-day running of a Naval Dockyard under the authority...
primarily through the Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972. This Act resulted from several major groundings and oil spills and provided port safety authority for the COTP to protect the use of port transportation facilities, and to enhance efforts against the degradation of the marine environment.
The port safety mission is primarily concerned with the prevention of accidental damage to ports, facilities, and ships in order to protect the environment and facilitate commerce.
The major activities that support the Port Safety mission include:
- Pollution prevention.
- Pollution investigation.
- Harbor patrols and surveillance.
- Contingency planning.
- Drills and exercises.
- Monitoring of liquid and hazardous cargo transfers.
- Monitoring of fuel transfers.
- Container inspections.
- Facilities inspections.
- Explosive cargo loading supervision.
While port safety is concerned with accidents that harm people or property, port security (as a part of maritime security
Maritime Security (USCG)
Maritime security is concerned with the prevention of intentional damage through sabotage, subversion, or terrorism. Maritime security is one of the three basic roles of the United States Coast Guard has gradually developed in response to a series of catastrophic events, which began in 1917.There...
) is concerned with deliberate acts intended to harm people or property.
Merchant mariner credentialing
In the United States, the Coast Guard is responsible for evaluating, certifying, and credentialing U.S. merchant marinersSailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
. Many mariners receive a Merchant Mariner Credential
Merchant Mariner Credential
The Merchant Mariner Credential or MMC is a credential issued by the United States Coast Guard in accordance with the STCW guidelines to United States seafarers to show evidence of a mariner's qualifications. It will become the standard documentation required for all crew members of U.S...
from the Coast Guard, and most are also required to obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential from the Transportation Security Administration
Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the safety and security of the traveling public in the United States....
.