Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Coast Guard and STWC Convention

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Implementation of the 1995 Amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978.

In the Federal Register published today, the Coast Guard proposes to amend its regulations to fully incorporate the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended (STCW Convention), as well as the Seafarer’s Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code (STCW Code) in the requirements for the credentialing of United States merchant mariners as found in 46 CFR Parts 10, 11, 12, and 15. The proposed regulations can be accessed via the Internet by clicking HERE. The changes proposed incorporate lessons learned from implementation of the STCW Convention and STCW Code through the interim rule and attempt to clarify those regulations that have generated confusion in the past.

Comments and related material must either be submitted to the Coast Guard’s online docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or before February 16, 2010 or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date. Comments sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on collection of information must reach OMB on or before February 16, 2010.

If you have questions on this notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), call or email Mark Gould, Maritime Personnel Qualifications Division, U. S. Coast Guard, telephone 202–372–1409, e-mail Mark.C.Gould@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202–366–9826

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Foreign Flagged Ferry for Pacific NW Route - Marinelink.com

The Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division, operating as Washington State Ferries (WSF) issued this Request for Information (RFI) to determine the availability of a foreign flagged ferry for an international ferry route, as follows:

WSF is the world’s largest ferry system based on the number of vehicles carried each year and the third largest in the world based on the 23,000,000 passengers served each year. WSF operates mostly domestic ferry routes in Puget Sound, Washington USA, but also operates a ferry route from Anacortes, Washington to Sidney, B.C. Canada (the “International Route”).

WSF is seeking information on the purchase/sale availability of a foreign flagged ferry that WSF would operate on the International Route, contingent upon no intermediate stops in the San Juan Islands or elsewhere in the U.S. Direct sailing time would be approximately two hours one way. The ferry should have the following characteristics, and any exceptions should be so noted:
• Able to complete two Anacortes, WA – Sidney, B.C. round trips per day
• 1,200 passengers
• 90-160 vehicles
• Minimum 14 knots, 18 knots desirable
• Either double-ended or have enough power to maneuver into dock
• Single-ended vessel would need to have vehicle deck drive-around capabilities (always stern load)
• Built to current SOLAS standards
• Meets USCG 100% life raft capability
• Overhead passenger loading fit up
• American With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant
• Passenger elevator from vehicle deck on each end
• Freeboard of 6-8 feet for transfer span fit up
• Draft 17-20 feet for winter weather stability for a standard displacement hull
• Able to fit into existing docks (approximately 24-foot opening between wing walls that extend aft approximately 30-feet at angles of 34◦ to 40◦ from transfer span centerline
• Current USCG approved SOLAS Pilothouse Electronic suite
• Diesel powered using #2 marine diesel fuel
• Supportable non-obsolete equipment with reliable parts availability
• Sufficient fuel capacity to enable refueling no more frequently than every 3-4 days
• Adequate water capacity, using no evaporator(s), support the 1200 passenger capacity
• Adequate sewage holding capability – no Marine Sanitation Devices (MSDs)
• Sized for American vehicles. WSF standards 18.5’ long/8.5’ wide/8.5’ tall. 3’ walkway in between. At least partial 14-foot overhead clearance for tall vehicles
• Vehicle Deck: strong enough to support 80,000 lb vehicle weights

Interested parties should send a description of proposed vessels to the address listed below. The responses are non-binding. This RFI will also be posted on the following WSF web site: www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/contracts

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Washington State Ferry workers support Public Sydney Ferries - Maritime union of Australia

Workers on Washington State ferries have expressed solidarity with the workers at Sydney Ferries in the battle to maintain Sydney Ferries in public hands. Ferry workers on Seattle's ferry wharves have put on Save our Sydney Ferries t-shirts on the job and their Union, the Inlandboatman's Union (IBU) which is the marine Division of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), has declared that the fight of Sydney Ferry workers is their fight too.

n the last week Seattle's ferry workers and ferry workers in British Colombia Canada have come out and declared solidarity with the campaign to maintain Sydney's ferries in public ownership. The negative effects of privatisation of ferries in British Columbia are still being felt since they were privatised in 2003. President of the British Colombia Ferry and Marine Workers Union, Richard Goode has written to Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith highlighting the negatives of ferry privatisation in the Canadian experience.

IBU president Alan Cote recognises that Washington's public ferry system is only one step away from privatisation also and that privatisation in Sydney may well have eventual impacts upon US ferry workers.

The campaign to maintain Sydney Ferries in public ownership continues and there has been broad public support for maintaining ferries in public ownership. "The private mentality is for profit and not public service", said MUA Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith. "Privatisation will mean higher fares, the public will pay. It will mean less services as unprofitable routes will be slashed. If they are not slashed private operators will have their hand out for public funds. The public will pay in the end. With a public operation at least there is some public accountability."