The Coast Guard Auxiliary: Helping yourself while helping others.

Excerpt from U.S. Coast Guard Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council magazine by AUX Gary Nordlinger, The Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Each year the Coast Guard invests millions of dollars training auxiliarists in areas such as leadership, seamanship, public affairs, website design, instruction, and facilitation. Like active duty Coast Guard personnel, auxiliarists undergo background checks as part of their enrollment process to determine their suitability for service.

Auxiliarists are trained to Coast Guard standards and regularly serve alongside the active duty in various capacities and at venues ranging from cutters to command centers, medical facilities, and Coast Guard headquarters.

Accomplishments: In 2009, USCG Auxiliarists donated more than 4.5 million hours to public safety and support of the U.S. Coast Guard. Public outreach programs are among our most important activities, and span a wide range of missions, as noted below.

• Vessel safety checks: Auxiliarists conduct about 100,000 complimentary vessel safety checks each year on recreational craft to make sure safety equipment is in working order and sufficient in quantity and the vessel is seaworthy.


• Public education classes: Each year thousands of boaters complete auxiliary courses on boating skills, seamanship, navigation, sailing, and other related topics.


• Marine dealer visits: Auxiliarists make tens of thousands of visits each year to businesses selling boats and boating-related products to stock public displays of boating safety literature and publicize upcoming boating safety classes.


• Public affairs: In 2009 alone, auxiliarists devoted more than 180,000 hours staffing booths at boat shows, giving presentations to civic and educational organizations, and reaching out to the news media and boating public regarding boating safety and maritime security.


• Legislative outreach: Auxiliarists maintain close relationships with state legislatures, state boating administrators, and other public and non-profit organizations.


• Coast Guard recruiting: Hundreds of auxiliarists support Coast Guard active duty recruiting efforts and also visit high schools to encourage students to consider applying to the Coast Guard Academy.

Full article is available at http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/fall2010.

Subscribe online at http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/subscribe.asp.

Marine Inspector Competency and Consistency: Steam Certification Board Guide

The Vintage Vessel National Center of Expertise (NCOE) and the Office of Traveling Inspectors released the Certification Board Guide for the Steam Portion of the Machinery Inspector-Steam.  The purpose of this guide is to provide references, methods to develop questions, and memory keys for the members of Machinery Inspector-Steam Certification Boards.  The guide is not an all-inclusive list, but simply a suggested line of questioning. 

This is the first training product of its kind.  There are plans to produce similar Certification Board Guides by this and other NCOEs for additional types of certifications.

Note: The technical content of the guide was created through the collaboration of the CGHQ Traveling Inspection Staff and the Vintage Vessel National Center of Expertise (VVNCOE) in Duluth, MN, including Mr. Eugene Walroos, Chief Engineer, Ret.; Mr. Stephen Petersen, CWO4 Naval Engineer, Ret.; and CWO4 Andrew Adolphson. Final review and consultation was provided by the National Centers of Expertise Training Support Staff, Yorktown, VA.

Top 10 Towing Vessel Material Failures—Part III

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

See Part I here and Part II here.


Generator
Most of the failures that cause a towing vessel’s diesel generator to stall or trip off the line are related to the diesel end of the generator set. The most common failure items are voltage regulators and wires.

Control Air Valve
Mechanical linkage has been known to come loose, most commonly between the pilothouse control and the air supply.

Propeller and Shaft
Eliminating the occasions where a propeller was fouled by a floating object or a line, there are numerous instances of actual propeller loss. When a blade was lost, we see that overspeed and/or shutdown often follows, but not always.

When the entire propeller is lost, shutdown of its drive engine always follows promptly. Assuming a twin-screw vessel, the immediate consequence is reduced maneuverability until the speed drops to a point where single-engine maneuverability can be achieved.

A broken propeller shaft (especially a break in the tail-shaft section) has the same effect as a lost propeller, but with the added possibility of the shaft sliding aft, such that the propeller jams the rudder.

Hull Plating
Sometimes when cracked or defective hull plating is found, the origin of the defect cannot be determined. Given the age of some of the vessels, it can be assumed that the defect occurred naturally, without a collision, allision, or grounding.

Owner/operator recommendation: Inspect the underwater hull and bottom plating when the rudders, propellers, and shafts are inspected.

Top 10 Towing Vessel Material Failures—Part II

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

See Part I here.

Propulsion Diesel
The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Analysis compared larger propulsion diesels with smaller engines and concluded they’re at parity for failures related to cylinders and cylinder heads. Common failures include cracks and leaking gaskets.

Governor

• The three most common causes of governor malfunction:
  inadequate lubrication,
• improper adjustment of control linkage,loss of pneumatic pressure (control air) to the governor.

Reduction Gear/Clutch
With inflatable flexible gland clutches, either the elastomer gland or the wear elements in contact with it (typically friction shoes) are known to reach the wear-out point unexpectedly. Depending on what wore out and how, this component has been the cause of “failure to disengage” as well as the obvious failure to engage.

Many clutch-related loss of propulsion and/or maneuverability failures have also been due to loss of control air to the clutch.

The list concludes in part 3.

Top 10 Towing Vessel Material Failures—Part I

The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Analysis recently conducted an analysis of all material failures on towing vessels after a reportable marine casualty in 2004-2008.

This study analyzes material failures that are the “first events” of marine casualties for towboats on rivers and other inland waters; tugs engaged in harbor operations, ship dockings, and lightering barges; and tugs towing offshore barges on coastal routes.
Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

Towline
In many instances “towline” refers to a facing wire or to an inter-barge connection wire. Failure of these wires is at times attributed to operator error in the handling of the boat or error of the deck crew who might have fastened it incorrectly. In some instances the wire was either too small or too worn to be safe.

Fuel Filter
As a material failure, a fuel filter becoming clogged with dirt, water, or both is more common on towing vessels than it is on other commercial vessels.

Steering Gear
Linkage. Although the term “linkage” does not precisely identify a component in a steering system, we cannot overemphasize the number of different mechanical connecting components that exist in a vessel’s steering system.
Hose. Most hose failures are a burst along its length. Crimped-on end fittings also fail, occasionally without warning.Rudder. Less than half of all rudder casualties are the direct result of groundings or flotsam strikes, and the exact causes of most of these casualties are never attributed to one particular event. In more than 20 percent of these casualties the rudder has been lost.
Ram. Casualties related to this major component are both hydraulic and mechanical. Hydraulic failures are commonly stuck pistons and blown seals. Half of all mechanical ram-related failures involve the attachment of the ram to the rudder.
Pump. The same mounting and connecting failures noted with rams occur with steering pumps, accounting for approximately 40 percent of failures. Sixty percent of pump failures are with the pump internals—seals and bearings.

The list continues in part 2.

Top 10 Towing Vessel Deficiencies—Part II

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

See Part I here.

Fire Pumps 46 CFR 27.301
Owner/operator checklist:

• Ensure fixed pumps have been fitted with a remote-start control and that the control is in working order. If fire-main valves have to be operated from this remote location, ensure that the valves open properly.Portable pumps, along with the hose and nozzle, must be stowed outside the machinery space. A 50-foot hose is required. The portable pump must be a dedicated fire pump; it may not be used to pump oily mixtures.

Vessel Response Plan 33 CFR 155.1040, 155.1060
With regard to towboats that push tank barges, the most common items that are either lacking from or not sufficiently addressed in the response plan are:

• certification that response resources are able to respond to a “worst-case discharge,”
• volume and type of oil that would be discharged in a worst-case discharge,
• responsibilities of the qualified individual for immediate communication with the NRC,
• vessel-specific information and the captain of the port zone information for the areas in which the barge will operate.

Owners/operators must use the “Homeport” web portal, http://homeport.uscg.mil to submit a response plan for approval. Click “help” and navigate to the “vessel response plan submitter.”

Vessel Security Plan 33 CFR 104, Subpart D
Owner/operator checklist:

• The company security officer or vessel security officer must ensure that the vessel security plan (VSP) is audited annually. The plan must also be audited if the owner or operator of the vessel changes or if there has been any change in the operations of the vessel not addressed in the existing VSP.
• If the results of an audit indicate that the VSP must be amended, an amended plan must be submitted to the Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Center.
• Vessel security officers must conduct at least one drill that tests individual elements of the VSP every three months while the vessel is in service.
• Annual exercises are required to test communication and notification procedures and elements of resource availability, coordination, and response.
• Records of drills, exercises, and all other security activities must be kept for two years.

Wiring Materials and Methods
Missing junction box or switch plate covers and exposed dead-end wires account for 27 percent of inspection deficiencies.

Guards for Exposed Hazards Missing guards for moving machinery is the most common deficiency in this category.

Stay tuned for:
Top 10 towing vessel material failures.

Top 10 Towing Vessel Deficiencies—Part I

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Analysis recently examined vessel deficiencies in various vessel classes to identify the 10 most common deficiencies in each class.
We share these so that owners can take corrective action, rectify problems prior to scheduling the next Coast Guard examination, and ensure continual compliance with safety and environmental requirements.

General Alarm 46 CFR 27.201
Missing alarm placards and visual indicators as well as inoperable audible indicators are frequent deficiencies on towing vessels.

Running Lights Inoperable or Defective 46 CFR 25.10-3
Many towing vessels are found to have inoperable stern, masthead, and sidelights. In some instances the installation of these lights conflicts with the International and Inland Navigation Rules.

Owner/operator checklist:

• Inspect running lights periodically, paying particular attention to the condition of the lenses, wattage, and focal height of the light bulbs.
• The bulb’s filament must be at the same height as the middle portion of the lens.
• Household bulbs are not acceptable.

Remote Fuel Shut-off Valves 46 CFR 27.207
Any fuel line that supplies fuel directly to a diesel engine must have a shut-off valve that can be remotely operated from outside the space.

Owner/operator checklist:

• All mechanical linkages for the valve must be kept clean and lubricated.
• The valve control must be labeled in one-inch letters. Instructions should be posted in the vicinity of the emergency fuel shut-off valve control.

Fire Detecting Control Panel 46 CFR 27.203
Owner/operator checklist:

• Ensure all of the control panel’s required features function properly, including power-available indicator light, audible alarm, visible indication of the zone (or zones) of the fire’s origin, means to silence the audible alarm, and a circuit fault detector test switch.
• Labels for all switches and indicators must be in place.
• Documentation that the system was certified (by a registered professional engineer or a recognized classification society) should be on board.
• Be prepared to demonstrate proper operation during each examination or boarding.

Life Buoys SOLAS, Ch. III, Reg. 31, 46 CFR 160.050-6
Owner/operator checklist:

• Life buoys on UTVs are not required to be marked with the name of the vessel and the vessel’s hailing port, but the information on the manufacturer’s label must be readable.
• For UTVs operating under SOLAS, life buoy stowage positions should be marked with “life buoy” or with IMO’s life buoy symbol.
• Owners/operators should check that the required number of life buoys are equipped with self-igniting lights, self-activated smoke signals, and that the buoyant line is not oxidized.

The list continues in part 2.

Top 10 Small Offshore Supply Vessel Deficiencies—Part II

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

See Part I here.

Light Fixtures 46 CFR 129.410, Guards for Exposed Hazards 46 CFR 127.330
Approximately 30 percent of light fixture deficiencies are due to missing or damaged fixtures.

Missing guards for moving machinery and missing insulation on exhaust piping are the most common findings in this category. Additionally, hot surface guards are sometimes missing from cooking appliances.

Battery-Operated Lanterns 46 CFR 129.440 & 129.450
Inspectors occasionally discover that the portable lantern for the pilothouse or the one at the access to the engine room is missing.

Fire Control Plan 46 CFR 131.945
Common deficiencies:

• The plan is not properly posted or is missing.


• The plan is not modified when the vessel is altered.

Junction Boxes 46 CFR 111.81
The most common deficiency is a missing cover. Inspectors also observe that junction boxes are insecurely mounted.

General Alarm 46 CFR 131.805 & 131.810, 46 CFR 111.15 & 112.55
The switch must be clearly labeled “General Alarm” and each bell must be labeled in half-inch upper-case letters: “GENERAL ALARM—WHEN BELL RINGS GO TO YOUR STATION.” A common deficiency is a missing label.

Stay tuned for:
Top 10 towing vessel deficiencies.

Top 10 Small Offshore Supply Vessel Deficiencies—Part I

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Analysis recently examined vessel deficiencies in various vessel classes to identify the 10 most common deficiencies in each class.

We share these so that owners can take corrective action, rectify problems prior to scheduling the next Coast Guard examination, and ensure continual compliance with safety and environmental requirements.

Oily Water Separator 33 CFR 151.10
Common deficiencies:

• Documentation of routine preventive maintenance is not available to the inspector.
• Documentation that attests to OWS calibration is not on board.

Owners/operators: Ensure that an appropriate crewmember is available to demonstrate proper operation for the inspector.

Hull Plating 46 CFR 126.140, USCG NVIC 7-68
Inspectors typically find breaches in the hull plating, a temporary repair that had not been previously documented, and wastage of structural members.

Watertight Doors 46 CFR 174.210, 46 CFR 131.893
Common findings include hinges and dogs that need lubrication or adjustment, warped doors, and deteriorated gaskets.

Occasionally inspectors find required “watertight door” markings have been painted over.

EPIRB 46 CFR 133.60(a)
All offshore supply vessels must have a (Category 1) 406-MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) installed in a float-free system.

Most noteworthy is the number of unregistered EPIRBs.

Owner/operator checklist:

• Check the status of EPIRB registration at (888) 212-SAVE or BeaconRegistration.NOAA.gov.
• Inspect the EPIRB and the hydrostatic release mechanism before leaving port.
• Occasionally remove the EPIRB from its bracket to exercise the hydrostatic release.
• Ensure that the EPIRB is switched off before manually releasing the bracket to inspect the mechanism.
• Ensure the hydrostatic release unit for the EPIRB is replaced prior to its expiration date.

Running Lights Inoperable or Defective 46 CFR 129.430
Many vessels have inoperable stern, mast, and sidelights, and, in some instances, the installation of these lights was also found to conflict with the International and Inland Navigation Rules.

Vessels of 65 feet or more in length or 100 gross tons or more in size must also have navigation lights that are compliant with UL 1104 standards.

For more information:
For more information about small passenger vessel inspections, contact your local Coast Guard Sector/Inspections Division. For a listing of sector offices, click on “Sector Map” on http://homeport.uscg.mil.

The list continues in part 2.

Top 10 Cargo Vessel Deficiencies—Part II

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

See Part I here.


Lighting Fixture 46 CFR 111.75-20
All light fixtures subject to damage must have a guard or be made of high-strength material. The majority of deficiencies are related to the guard or missing or damaged fixtures.

Generators 46 CFR 111.12 & 112.50
More than 40 percent of all generator deficiencies indicate that the crew and/or shipyard personnel were either unavailable or unable to demonstrate proper operation.

Twenty percent are due to water, oil, or exhaust leakage, where any visible leakage will result in an “835” deficiency.

Fixed Carbon Dioxide 46 CFR 91.25-20 and 147.65, NVIC 6-72
Owner/operator checklist:

• All piping controls, valves, and alarms need to be checked for proper operation and 90 percent charge must be verified.


• The pressure drop through cylinder connections may not exceed 150 psi per minute over a two-minute period while subjected to the test pressure.


• All carbon dioxide cylinders must be retested every 12 years.

Wiring Materials and Methods 46 CFR 111.60, 46 CFR 111.81
Using temporary wiring where equipment must be hard-wired is the most common finding (40 percent), and dead-end wires account for 18 percent of inspection deficiencies.

General Watertight Integrity
Owner/operator checklist:

• After a drydocking, ensure that any labels removed by the shipyard are replaced.


• If modifications involve removing cables or pipes that ran through watertight bulkheads, ensure that the shipyard sealed the holes.


• Inspect all weatherdeck tank vents for rust-thru perforations.

For more information:
For more information, contact your local Coast Guard Sector/Inspections Division. For a listing of sector offices, click on “Sector Map” on http://homeport.uscg.mil/.

Stay tuned for:
Top 10 Offshore Supply Vessel Deficiencies

Top 10 Cargo Vessel Deficiencies—Part I

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Analysis recently examined vessel deficiencies in various vessel classes to identify the 10 most common deficiencies in each class.

We share these so that owners can take corrective action, rectify problems prior to scheduling the next Coast Guard examination, and ensure continual compliance with safety and environmental requirements.

Oily Water Separator 33 CFR 151.10
Common deficiencies:

• Documentation of routine preventive maintenance is not available to the inspector.
• Documentation that attests to OWS calibration is not on board.

Owners/operators: Ensure that an appropriate crewmember is available to demonstrate proper operation for the inspector.

Hull and Deck Plating 46 CFR 126.140, USCG NVIC 7-68

Hull Plating. Inspectors typically find breaches in the hull plating or a temporary repair that had not been previously documented, as well as wastage of structural members.

Deck Plating. Common deficiencies include cracked (hatch) corner brackets, cracks in the vessel’s winch foundations, and deck plating wastage.

Watertight Doors 46 CFR 170.270
Common findings include hinges and dogs that need lubrication or adjustment, warped doors, and deteriorated gaskets.

Operators should be prepared to demonstrate manual closing, in addition to closing doors under power. All hardware for the hydraulics must be approved by an appropriate classification society.

Fire Main 46 CFR 95.10
The most common deficiencies are leaks and wasted piping.

Owners should have enough personnel on hand to demonstrate proper operation of all fire pumps so the appropriate pressures (at remote outlets) can be verified.

Survival Craft 46 CFR 199.150 & 199.190
Miscellaneous davit-related items include worn rollers/wasted track, badly rusted gripes, bent/twisted hooks on the falls and the gripes, and wastage of the davit arms where the gripes make contact.

For more information:
For more information, contact your local Coast Guard Sector/Inspections Division. For a listing of sector offices, click on “Sector Map” on http://homeport.uscg.mil/.

The cargo vessel list continues in part 2.

Top 10 Tank Barge Deficiencies—Part II

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

See Part I here.




Cargo Pump 46 CFR 32.50
Before inspection, owners/operators should look for (and repair) common deficiencies. Checklist:

• Besides checking for obvious leakage, check the pump’s discharge pressure gauge.


• The diesel’s water temp and oil press gauges must be in good working order.


• Be sure the lagging on the diesel’s exhaust pipe is in good condition and its fan belt protective guard is in place.


• Ensure that there’s a guard covering the reduction gear shaft assembly between the diesel and the pump.


• Operating personnel must be prepared to demonstrate emergency shut-down procedures.

Vapor Control Components 46 CFR 39.20-1
Common deficiencies:

• cracks and pinhole leaks in the vapor piping,


• the half-inch diameter permanent stud on the vapor connection flange is often broken or missing.

Vessel Response Plan 33 CFR 155.1030, 1040 & 1060
The most common items that are either lacking from or not sufficiently addressed in the response plan are:

• certification that response resources are able to respond to a “worst-case discharge,”


• volume and type of oil that would be discharged in a worst-case discharge,


• responsibilities of the qualified individual for immediate communication with the NRC,


• vessel-specific information and the captain of the port zone information for the areas in which the barge will operate.

Owners/operators must use the “Homeport” web portal, http://homeport.uscg.mil/, to submit a response plan for approval. Click “help” and navigate to the “vessel response plan submitter.”

Cargo Control and Gauging Devices 46 CFR 38.10-20, 39.20-3 & 39.20-9
Owner/operator checklist:

• If the barge is equipped with magnetically coupled rising-stick gauges, ensure that the sticks aren’t bent and that the markings on the sticks are legible.


• If equipped with automatic-float continuous-reading tape gauges that are fitted with sight-glasses, ensure that no glass piece is cracked and that the assemblies are vapor-tight.


• Be prepared to test the high-level alarms in the inspector’s presence.

Hull and Deck Plating USCG NVIC 7-68

• Hull Plating. Inspectors typically find breaches in the hull plating as well as wastage of structural members. Occasionally an inspector notices a temporary repair that had not been previously documented.


• Deck Plating. A common defect is a crack where a cargo tank’s main access trunk meets the deck.

Cargo Tanks

• Leaking welds are sometimes found along the perimeters of bulkheads.

For more information:
For more information, contact your local Coast Guard Sector/Inspections Division. For a listing of sector offices, click on “Sector Map” on http://homeport.uscg.mil/.

Stay tuned for:
Top 10 Cargo Vessel Deficiencies

Top 10 Tank Barge Deficiencies—Part I

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Analysis recently examined vessel deficiencies in various vessel classes to identify the 10 most common deficiencies in each class.

We share these so that owners can take corrective action, rectify problems prior to scheduling the next Coast Guard examination, and ensure continual compliance with safety and environmental requirements.

Cargo Transfer Hoses 33 CFR 154.500, 156.170
The most common deficiency: Required marking that identifies hose use and maximum allowable working pressure is missing or illegible.

The hose’s date of manufacture and the date of its last pressure test must also be recorded, but not necessarily marked on the hose. If a hose is kinked, gouged, or otherwise deformed, it should be removed from service regardless of its ability to pass the pressure test. Unmarked hoses that are not in service should not be on board.

Running Lights 33 CFR 84.09, 17, & 19 and 46 CFR 153.953
The most common deficiencies:

• lack of a recent coat of “matte black” paint on the background screens,
• bent mounting stanchions,
• cracks where the stanchion meets the deck.

If a stanchion was straightened or replaced, check that the light sectors are in compliance and the wires weren’t damaged. All portable lights must be presented for inspection.

Cargo Transfer Piping, Valves and Gauges 33 CFR 156.170
The most common deficiency: Packing glands on valve stems need maintenance.

The maximum allowable working pressure must be stenciled on the piping. Operators must document all pressure testing.

Thermal Fluid Cargo Heater 46 CFR 61.30
Gauges are often found to be out of calibration, and sight glasses are sometimes cracked.

The operational test includes verification of the flame safety guard and the automated controls and valves. The required pressure for a hydrostatic test is 1½ times the MAWP. The owner/operator must ensure that personnel are available to conduct testing.

Cargo Tank Access–Manholes and Gauging Ports 46 CFR 42.15-30, USCG NVIC 7-68
Common deficiencies include:

• wastage at the top of the trunk where the gasket on a manhole cover or a gauging port cover seats against the trunk,
• wastage of the cover around the gasket groove,
• deterioration of the gasket,
• wastage of the bolts and bolt holes that form the manhole cover,
• loose or missing bolts on tank access ladder brackets,
• wasted or holed cargo tank stand-pipes,
• stress cracks and pinhole perforations where the trunk meets the deck.

For more information:

For more information about commercial vessel inspections, contact your local Coast Guard Sector/Inspections Division. For a listing of sector offices, click on “Sector Map” on http://homeport.uscg.mil/.

The tank barge list continues in part 2.

Top 10 Small Passenger Vessel Deficiencies (Subchapter K)—Part II

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

See Part I here.

Lighting Fixtures 46 CFR120.410
All light fixtures subject to damage must have a guard or be made of high-strength material. Light fixtures on the open weather deck, in the engine room, or in other machinery space must be protected with guards. Light fixtures located in spaces that contain flammable vapors must maintain protective guards and vapor-tight seals.

Lights in accommodation spaces are normally exempted from these requirements.

The majority of deficiencies related to light fixtures are due to the guard. Additionally, many deficiencies are due to a missing or damaged fixture.

Life Jacket Stowage 46 CFR 117.78
Inspectors often find a potential for mix-up between adult- and child-size lifejackets. These may be stowed in the same container, provided that there is a separation partition in place and the two sections are appropriately marked.

EPIRB 46 CFR 117.64
All small passenger vessels certificated to operate on the high seas or three miles beyond the coastline of the Great Lakes must have a FCC Type Accepted Category 1, 406-MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) installed in a float-free system. Many small passenger vessels fail to replace the hydrostatic release prior to its expiration date.

Also see 46 CFR 122.728 for battery replacement and testing. Retain the customer copy of the invoice when the battery is replaced and ensure the registration certificate from NOAA is on board.

Wiring Materials and Methods 46 CFR 120.340
All cables or wires must serve some piece of equipment or system aboard the vessel. If equipment is removed and not replaced, the cable or wire that serviced it must also be properly removed from the power supply.

Inspectors commonly find:

• temporary wiring where equipment must be hard-wired,
• insufficient mounting of cables as they run along bulkheads,
• missing junction box covers,
• junction boxes that are insecurely mounted.

Battery Installation 46 CFR 120.350(d), 46 CFR 120.354
Terminal connections must be tight and free of corrosion, the battery box must be permanently secured, and the box cover must be fastened securely. Terminal connections should not be made with wing nuts.

For more information:
For more information about small passenger vessel inspections, contact your local Coast Guard Sector/Inspections Division. For a listing of sector offices, click on “Sector Map” on http://homeport.uscg.mil/.

Stay tuned for:
Top 10 Tank Barge Deficiencies

Top 10 Small Passenger Vessel Deficiencies (Subchapter K)—Part I

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.


The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Analysis recently examined vessel deficiencies in various vessel classes to identify the 10 most common deficiencies in each class.

We share these so that owners can take corrective action, rectify problems prior to scheduling the next Coast Guard examination, and ensure continual compliance with safety and environmental requirements.


Cooling Water Piping 46 CFR 119.420, .422 & .425
Piping is often corroded to the point of being considered wasted, and flexible hoses are often so badly dry-rotted that they crack. Additionally, piping and hoses are sometimes found with pin-hole leaks. On vessels with keel coolers, double hose clamps are required on both ends of all flexible hoses.

Deteriorated Hull Material 46 CFR 115.600; NVIC 7-68; NVIC 8-87; NVIC 7-95
Inspectors will typically find breaches in the hull plating and wastage of structural members while inspecting older vessels.

Exposed Hazards 46 CFR 116.960 & .970
Missing guards for moving machinery are the most common finding in this category. Additionally, hot surface guards are sometimes missing from cooking appliances in the galley.

Exhaust Piping 46 CFR 119.430(b) & 116.970
Inspectors routinely note leaking exhaust, which is true of both propulsion and generator diesels. Missing insulation and rusted-out pipe hangers are also common deficiencies.

F.C.C. Radio Compliance 46 CFR 121.502 and 47 CFR 80.13, .59, .903, & .1067
Note: since radio equipment requirements are structured according to the permissible operating distances from land, different vessels covered under the same Coast Guard inspection subchapter could be subject to different carriage requirements and certificates.

Many vessels are issued deficiencies for not having an FCC-issued ship station license, vessel bridge-to-bridge radiotelephony certificate, or a Communications Act safety radiotelephony certificate. SOLAS operation requires an additional certificate, FCC Form 806.


For more information:
For more information about small passenger vessel inspections, contact your local Coast Guard Sector/Inspections Division. For a listing of sector offices, click on “Sector Map” on http://homeport.uscg.mil/.

The subchapter K list continues in part 2.

Top 10 Small Passenger Vessel Deficiencies (Subchapter T)—Part II

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.

See Part I here.


Running Lights Inoperable 46 CFR 183.420
All vessels must have navigation lights in accordance with the International and Inland Navigation Rules. Many vessels have inoperable stern, mast, and sidelights, and, in some instances, the installation of these lights was also found to conflict with the International and Inland Navigation Rules. Vessels of greater than 65 feet in length must also have navigation lights that are compliant with UL 1104 standards.

Light Guards Missing 46 CFR 183.410, UL 595 & 1570/1/2/3/4
All light fixtures that may be subject to damage must have a guard or be made of high-strength material. Light fixtures on the open weather deck, in the engine room, or in other machinery space must be protected with guards. Lights in accommodation spaces are normally exempted from this requirement.

Expired First Aid Kit Medication 46 CFR 184.710, 46 CFR 160.041
All certificated small passenger vessels must have a first aid kit approved under 46 CFR 160.041 or an equivalent that contains all required contents listed in 160.041. Individual items in approved first aid kits may be replaced as necessary with equivalent medications. If one item in a first aid kit is expired, the whole kit does not need to be replaced.

Navigational Charts Outdated or Missing 46 CFR 184.420
All certificated small passenger vessels must carry appropriate navigational charts that cover the area in which they operate. These charts must be kept current using regularly published Notices to Mariners. Many vessels that received deficiencies for outdated or missing navigation charts were also found to be missing other required nautical publications, including the U.S. Coast Pilot, Coast Guard light list, tide tables, and current tables. Vessels may use extracts from these publications for the area of operations in lieu of carrying the complete publication.

Expired EPIRB Hydrostatic Release 46 CFR 180.64
All small passenger vessels certificated to operate on the high seas or three miles beyond the coastline of the Great Lakes must have a FCC Type Accepted Category 1, 406-MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) installed in a float-free system. Many small passenger vessels fail to replace the hydrostatic release prior to its expiration date.

For more information:
For more information about small passenger vessel inspections, contact your local Coast Guard Sector/Inspections Division. For a listing of sector offices, click on “Sector Map” at http://homeport.uscg.mil/.

Stay tuned for:
Top 10 Small Passenger Vessel Deficiencies (Subchapter K)

Top 10 Vessel Deficiencies

Excerpted from “Top Ten Deficiencies Found on Vessels.” Full text available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/. Navigate to missions/investigations/safety reports.


The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Analysis recently examined vessel deficiencies in various vessel classes to identify the 10 most common deficiencies in each class.

We share these so that owners can take corrective action, rectify problems prior to scheduling the next Coast Guard examination, and ensure continual compliance with safety and environmental requirements.

The lists:
Top 10 small passenger vessel deficiencies (Subchapter T)
Top 10 small passenger vessel deficiencies (Subchapter K)
Top 10 tank barge deficiencies
Top 10 cargo vessel deficiencies
Top 10 offshore supply vessel deficiencies
Top 10 towing vessel deficiencies
Top 10 towing vessel material failures

Top 10 Small Passenger Vessel Deficiencies (Subchapter T)—Part I

Dead-End Wires 46 CFR 183.340
All cables or wires must serve some piece of equipment or system aboard the vessel. If equipment is removed and not replaced, the cable or wire that serviced it must also be properly removed from the power supply.

Deteriorated Hull Material 46 CFR 189.40; NVIC 7-68; NVIC 8-87; NVIC 7-95

• Wood vessels are notorious for having wasted wood planking and deteriorated fasteners.
• Steel and aluminum-hulled vessels are prone to cracked welds following allisions with objects such as docks and due to routine operations in rough seas. Steel is also prone to rusting, especially in areas where the plating is uncoated or where the coating has failed.
• Fiberglass-hulled vessels are subject to hull deterioration due to delamination, blisters, or cracks/knicks in the gel coat that can allow water to permeate through the layers of fiberglass and weaken the hull structure.

Inoperable Bilge High-Level Alarm 46 CFR 182.530
All certificated small passenger vessels 26 feet or greater, regardless of build date, must have visual and audible bilge high-level alarms for:

• normally unmanned spaces that might flood,
• spaces containing charged sea water piping, and
• spaces with a non-watertight closure.

Vessels constructed of wood must also provide bilge level alarms in all watertight compartments except small buoyancy chambers.

Portable Hand Bilge Pump Inoperable or Missing 46 CFR 182.520(b); 46 CFR Table 182.520(a)
Specific small passenger vessels are permitted portable hand bilge pumps as secondary or emergency means of dewatering a space. Some examination activities showed that vessel owners failed to maintain a portable pump on board, but most found that the portable pump was either inoperable or not usable in all spaces of the vessel.

Regulations require that the portable hand bilge pump be capable of pumping water from all watertight compartments on the vessel, which means that the suction hose must be long enough to reach the deepest part of the vessel.

FCC Station License Missing 46 CFR 184.502, 47 CFR 80.13
Marine radios, EPIRBs, and AIS equipment required to be installed on small passenger vessels must comply with FCC requirements. Many certificated small passenger vessels are issued deficiencies for not having an FCC station license for the marine radio.

The subchapter T list continues in part 2.

For more information:
For more information about small passenger vessel inspections, contact your local Coast Guard Sector/Inspections Division. For a listing of sector offices, click on “Sector Map” on http://homeport.uscg.mil.

Looking Out for Seafarers—Part 2

Excerpt from U.S. Coast Guard Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council magazine. Click here for Part I.


In the summer of 2008, Coast Guard Sector Houston/Galveston staff worked with the Apostleship of the Sea to aid a mariner. Excerpts from the e-mail correspondence follow.


5/25/08 Seafarer’s spouse to Coast Guard

Coast Guard, Please help. My husband is aboard a vessel which is travels (sic)
on the high seas between the United States, Europe, and Trinidad. He is very
sick with the flu and the symptoms are causing him to slowly lose his hearing.
He is not able to see a qualified doctor because such doctors are not available
onboard the vessel or in Trinidad.

Now that the vessel has returned to the Gulf Coast of the United States, immigration personnel are unable to sign the referral form before the vessel leaves for the high seas. I do not know what to do because he will not be able to continue his work as a
seafarer with a loss of hearing, and my family of three children greatly needs his full health and support. Please help me and my husband.

—Signed … Wife of foreign crewmember aboard a foreign-flagged chemical carrier calling on the port of Houston in May 2008.


5/28/08 Coast Guard to seafarer’s spouse

Ma’am, we have inspected the vessel aboard which your husband works. During our
crew interviews and competency assessments, we found that he is able to perform
the tasks of his license and watchstanding duties, which are those of a third
engineer. Your husband’s medical needs are presently being taken care of by
doctors here in Houston.

—Signed … Chief, Inspections Division, Coast Guard Sector Houston/Galveston.


5/28/08 Seafarer’s spouse to Coast Guard

Thank you for your great help. Thank you very much because the medical attention
needed by my husband requires constant oversight.

6/3/08 Seafarer’s spouse to Coast Guard

Coast Guard, I am sorry if I interrupted you again but my husband has been
diagnosed by the doctor with a perforated eardrum. He is diagnosed as being fit
for work but is suffering through a lot of pain.

Can you help us to have my husband sent home and have the company provide medical assistance? The ship will be in the United States again on June 10. I am very sorry for my interruption but I do not know where to seek assistance. I hope you understand.

6/3/08 Coast Guard to seafarer’s spouse

Ma’am, researching the Notices of Arrival supplied to the Coast Guard by the
master, I see that the vessel trades regularly in the United States. May I
direct you to seafarer representatives, who will be able to provide you with
options of how to handle such requests? ...

... At the end of our correspondence, I have included a website that lists the people who minister to the needs of seafarers like your husband. I routinely work with two of the Texas port chaplains listed on this page. If you are not able to establish
communication with a port chaplain, please let me know.

6/3/08 Seafarer’s spouse to Coast Guard

Thank you very much. Indeed the information you gave me will give a lot of help
for us. Thank you and God bless.

6/4/08 Coast Guard to the president of the Apostleship of the Sea in the United States

Good morning. Late yesterday, I responded to an e-mail provided to me from the
wife of the third engineer aboard a foreign-flagged chemical carrier. The Coast
Guard has been in contact with the engineer and with the wife and there are some
areas of concern that are outside of Coast Guard jurisdiction.

I bring this to your attention in order to alert you of this ongoing situation, and of the reference I made to your good organization.

—Signed ... Chief, Inspections Division, Coast Guard Sector Houston/Galveston.

6/4/08 Apostleship of the Sea in the United States to Coast Guard

I will keep an eye out for the vessel. Thanks for thinking about us. I will try
to visit the ship when she comes into our port.

I will also pass the word along to other seafarer welfare organizations that might be able to help while the vessel is visiting another country.

—Signed ... president of the Apostleship of the Sea in the United States.

6/25/08 Resolution
Vessel arrives in Vancouver, Wash. Through the efforts of the Coast Guard, the Apostleship of the Sea, the owner of the vessel, and shipping agents, the third engineer of concern is removed and provided the necessary medical treatment in his country of origin.


For more information:
Full article is available at http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/winter2009.

Subscribe online at http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/subscribe.asp.

CG Inspectors Help Bring Waterfront Facility Into Compliance—Part III

Excerpt from U.S. Coast Guard “Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council” magazine. Click here for Part I and Part II.


Part III—The Results

The incident commander’s goals were developed in cooperation with the facility representative. The goals stressed:

• safety of nearby populations and response personnel,
• environmental protection,
• teamwork,
• regulatory compliance,
• a safe return to commercial operations.

Follow Up, Follow Through
Improvements were noted each day. Inspectors briefed the facility owner, his representative, and the tenants on progress, which helped increase their cooperation. Other agencies were often present to discuss the facility’s progress and become familiar with its new, safer operations.

The team provided continuous guidance and helped with various tasks to maintain the project’s progress. The facility representative and tenants became excited to show the visiting inspectors their progress, especially when they went above and beyond what was required for the next operational period.

The Results
After 40 days of intense work, more than 25,000 pounds of debris and over 500 drums and totes totaling more than 25,000 gallons of hazardous and flammable liquid waste were removed.

The firefighting system was repaired and fully operational, proper signage and markings were put up around the building, and a cargo stowage plan was implemented for each floor of the warehouse. The basement no longer flooded, the roof was repaired, and waste was no longer stored on the premises.

In completing these improvements, the facility met all requirements to the satisfaction of the captain of the port. Best of all, the clean-up operations were conducted without injury to any personnel or damage to the environment.


For more information:
Full article is available at http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/winter2009.

Subscribe online at http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/subscribe.asp.