Nov. 5, 2024

Invasive (freshwater mussel) detected in California

On Nov 1 2024, the Coast Guard Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance was notified by the State of California on the detection and identification of golden mussel (Limnoperna Fortunie) in the Port of Stockton. The Golden Mussels are similar in appearance, biology, and impacts to the quagga and zebra mussel, posing a future threat to infrastructure and water quality.

Nov. 1, 2024

REMINDER: 46 U.S.C. § 4901 Upcoming Compliance on December 23, 2024

Title 46 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) § 4901(c)(1) requires the installation of video and audio surveillance equipment aboard applicable vessels not later than December 23, 2024, or during the next scheduled drydock, whichever is later. The term “next scheduled drydock” is used without distinction of survey, the next scheduled drydocking in this case being scheduled for out of the water inspection or survey. This means that if a vessel had a scheduled drydock between December 23, 2022, and December 23, 2024, then the vessel must comply by December 23, 2024. If no scheduled drydock occurred between December 23, 2022, and December 23, 2024, then the vessel must comply by the next drydock date after December 23, 2024.

Oct. 31, 2024

Federal Register Notice: TWIC – Reader Requirements; Second Delay of Effective Date

The Coast Guard is further delaying the effective date for certain facilities affected by the final rule entitled “Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)—Reader Requirements,” published in the Federal Register on August 23, 2016. On March 9, 2020, the Coast Guard published a rule, delaying the implementation date to May 8, 2023. In December 2022, Congress statutorily extended the earliest implementation to no sooner than May 8, 2026. With this final rule, we are delaying the implementation date for certain facilities to May 8, 2029. This rule will not affect facilities receiving vessels certificated to carry more than 1,000 passengers.

Oct. 30, 2024

Commandant’s Final Action Memorandum on the Report of the Investigation into the Circumstances Surrounding the Passenger Deaths while on an excursion vessel launched from the Foreign Cruise Ship World Explorer

The Coast Guard’s Office of Investigations and Casualty Analysis (CG-INV) recently posted the Commandant’s Final Action Memorandum (FAM), to Marine Casualty Reports (uscg.mil), in response to the Report of Investigation (ROI) into the capsizing of an inflatable Zodiac excursion vessel launched from the foreign cruise ship WORLD EXPLORER, while on a sightseeing tour off the coast of Elephant Island, Antarctica, which resulted in the loss of two U.S. passenger lives on Nov. 15th, 2022.

Oct. 28, 2024

Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee; Vacancies

The U.S. Coast Guard is accepting applications to fill two vacancies on the Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee (Committee). The Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee provides advice and makes recommendations to the Secretary of Homeland Security via the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard on matters relating to Great Lakes pilotage, including review of proposed Great Lakes pilotage regulation.