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Pages 11-26

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From page 11... ... 11 On February 12, 1983, the U.S.-flagged cargo ship Marine Electric capsized during a gale-force storm and sank off the coast of Virginia, costing the lives of 31 merchant mariners. An investigation by the U.S. Read the entire page →
From page 12... ... 12 STRENGTHENING U.S. COAST GUARD OVERSIGHT AND SUPPORT OF ROs of Investigation2 and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Read the entire page →
From page 13... ... INTRODUCTION 13 with all applicable U.S. requirements. Read the entire page →
From page 14... ... 14 STRENGTHENING U.S. COAST GUARD OVERSIGHT AND SUPPORT OF ROs the cognizant Coast Guard Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) Read the entire page →
From page 15... ... INTRODUCTION 15 behalf of the Coast Guard, it became the responsibility of MSC to perform the technical support and oversight of ACP design plan reviews on new construction, modifications (including major conversions) , and vessel re-flags.11 According to the program requirements, enrolled vessels continue to be subject to a Coast Guard inspection but one that is more abbreviated than a traditional inspection and referred to as an oversight examination.12 The annual oversight examination's main objective is to ensure that the RO is meeting its obligations under the ACP.13 For this purpose the Coast Guard has developed ACP-specific vessel examination booklets that list items the marine inspector could check during the examination, which usually includes a general walk-though of the vessel, review of its certificates and crew documents, evaluation of crew member proficiency during emergency drills, and verification of the vessel's security plan. Read the entire page →
From page 16... ... 16 STRENGTHENING U.S. COAST GUARD OVERSIGHT AND SUPPORT OF ROs BOX 1-1 International Safety Management Code Chapter IX of the Convention for the International Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Read the entire page →
From page 17... ... INTRODUCTION 17 about certain ACP procedures and the quality of the ABS and Coast Guard examinations.15 Similar concerns, including the effectiveness of the ACP, were raised during the Coast Guard's investigation.16 They included the following: • Incomplete Access to Vessel Compliance and Condition Records by Coast Guard Inspectors and RO Surveyors: Investigators noted that when Coast Guard inspectors normally conduct vessel inspections, they record observed deficiencies (nonconformities with regulatory requirements) in reports that are logged into the Coast Guard's Marine Information for Safety and Law Enforcement (MISLE) Read the entire page →
From page 18... ... 18 STRENGTHENING U.S. COAST GUARD OVERSIGHT AND SUPPORT OF ROs and therefore Coast Guard inspectors had little or no advance notice of the planned surveys, further reducing any potential for consultations before inspections and examinations or for the arrangement of joint inspections. Read the entire page →
From page 19... ... INTRODUCTION 19 inspectors who found serious safety deficiencies, including some that led to no-sail orders for the vessels. • Insufficient Coast Guard Oversight of RO Performance: Investigators found that the Coast Guard had no formal procedures in place for reviewing and assessing the performance of the ROs carrying out delegated inspections and audits. Read the entire page →
From page 20... ... 20 STRENGTHENING U.S. COAST GUARD OVERSIGHT AND SUPPORT OF ROs and auditing principles. Read the entire page →
From page 21... ... INTRODUCTION 21 Statement of Task specifies that the study should focus on the ACP, the Coast Guard indicated to the committee that a close look at this program is warranted given the augmented roles and responsibilities for ROs. As discussed above, owners and operators of ocean-going vessels routinely hire classification societies to review vessel designs and major modifications and to conduct vessel surveys and company audits to verify compliance with all applicable international requirements. Read the entire page →
From page 22... ... 22 STRENGTHENING U.S. COAST GUARD OVERSIGHT AND SUPPORT OF ROs BOX 1-2 Study Statement of Task To the extent that available data will allow, a study committee appointed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of the Coast Guard's oversight of recognized organizations (ROs) Read the entire page →
From page 23... ... INTRODUCTION 23 calls for a comparison of Coast Guard third-party oversight methods with those of other maritime administrations and safety regulatory agencies, presumably for insights applicable to the Coast Guard's oversight of ROs. Significantly, the study committee is not limited to considering only these topics as a basis for making recommendations. Read the entire page →
From page 24... ... 24 STRENGTHENING U.S. COAST GUARD OVERSIGHT AND SUPPORT OF ROs information management systems for vessel inspection processes, and (d) Read the entire page →
From page 25... ... INTRODUCTION 25 by other transportation safety and related regulatory agencies. Chapter 7 summarizes the findings and conclusions from the study, recaps the recommendations from earlier chapters, and provides an additional recommendation focused on the Coast Guard building and strengthening its safety partnership with ROs. Read the entire page →

From page 11...

... 11 On February 12, 1983, the U.S.-flagged cargo ship Marine Electric capsized during a gale-force storm and sank off the coast of Virginia, costing the lives of 31 merchant mariners. An investigation by the U.S.