Marine safety (USCG)

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 Sectors. Coast Guard personnel that contribute to the marine safety program at field units are eligible to earn the Marine Safety Insignia.

The Coast Guard is responsible for inspecting vessels (e.g., boats or ships) 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:

• Passenger vessels.
  • This category of vessel includes crew boats, nautical school vessels, cruise ships, excursion vessels, charter fishing boats, etc., carrying more than six passengers.[2][3]
• Tank vessels.
  • This category of vessel includes tank ships and tank barges.
• Cargo vessels.
  • 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 on board security procedures are in place.

Coast Guard Marine Investigator Badge

The Coast Guard investigates marine casualties and allegations of improper Merchant Mariner actions to determine cause, and to prevent future occurrences under its Marine Safety mission. There are two kinds of investigations: Marine casualty investigations, and personnel actions.

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.

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 COTP 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.

The Captain can close a port and direct private vessels to depart or take protective measures if necessary, such as to prepare for a hurricane.[4]

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.

In the United States, the Coast Guard is responsible for evaluating, certifying, and credentialing U.S. merchant mariners. All mariners receive a Merchant Mariner Credential from the Coast Guard, and are also required to obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential from the Transportation Security Administration.

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Coast Guard.