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Alaska Maritime Newsletter |  |
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The Marine Exchange of Alaska is a non-profit, maritime organization established to serve the Alaska Maritime Community by providing information, communications and services to ensure safe, secure, efficient and environmentally responsible maritime operations.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a notice proposing a variety of regulatory amendments relating to maritime communications. In an effort to ensure its rules governing the Maritime Radio Services continue to promote maritime safety, the FCC has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). This NPRM addresses the phasing out of INMARSAT-E Emergency Position indication radiobeacons (EPIRBs), and requests comment on GPS capability in VHF-DSC handheld radios, requiring carriage of at least one VHF handheld radio on small passenger vessels without a reserve power supply, and several additional issues.
In the Federal Register dated Nov 2, 2006, the USCG announced supplemental guidance to the voluntary interim measures recommended in a previous Federal Register. This notice updates the existing voluntary measures for prudent operation and clarifies "reasonable operating conditions" for all small passenger vessels. This notice also announces that the USCG is in the process of formally addressing stability issues caused by increases in passenger/vessel weight for all domestic vessels. Comments on this draft guidance should be submitted by January 31, 2007.
On October 25, 2006, Polar Tankers christened the POLAR ENTERPRISE (shown at left while alongside the Navantia Shipyard in Spain), its fifth Endeavour Class, double hulled tanker specifically designed to carry crude oil from Alaska to the West Coast and Hawaii. POLAR ENTERPRISE is expected to load her first cargo of Alaska North Slope crude oil in late January 2007. (Photo courtesy of ConocoPhillips)
In the Federal Register dated October 26, 2006, the USCG announced the proposed decommissioning of the CGC STORIS (homeported in Kodiak), and the CGC ACUSHNET (homeported in Ketchikan). Both of these vessels have reached the end of their service lives after over 60 years of continuous service each. The picture at left shows STORIS during a recent, farewell visit to Juneau.
All vessels and facilities subject to Maritime Transportation Security Regulations (33 CFR 104 and 105 respectively) are reminded your training, exercise, and drill programs are year-round requirements. Both of these regulations require specific security training for your personnel, annual exercises, and quarterly drills. The Marine Exchange will be sending drill packages out to our member companies and/or those companies that use us as their outside security plan auditor. These packages will help to keep your maritime security programs compliant through the winter season. As always, the Marine Exchange is here to answer your compliance-related questions and to help you with your regulatory compliance needs. Just call us!
In a Press Release dated November 15, 2006 the Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Western Alaska announced the implementation of Phase One of the ice rules for Cook Inlet. Phase One rules currently address maritime operations in upper Cook Inlet.
As industry anxiously awaits the USCG to issue a
NPRM addressing increased AIS carriage
requirements, the Marine Exchange offers the
following tips for those of you already using AIS on
your vessels:
The following maritime-related events are scheduled in the upcoming months. Please contact the person listed for additional information regarding these events. If you know of a relevant event that should be highlighted in future newsletters, please contact the Marine Exchange of Alaska and we will be happy to post it.
January 22-23, 2007
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