Bryant’s Maritime Blog–14 January 2011

Headlines: USCG – TWIC card reader proposal; Coast Guard – cancellation of public meeting; EPA – two New England shipyards settle environmental violations; BOEMRE – strengthened oversight of offshore drilling and development; St. Lawrence Seaway – tonnage rebounded in 2010; House – bill introduced to prohibit drilling off Northern California; House – bill introduced re Arctic hydrographic surveys; Malaysia – robbers board tanker; and UK – application of Equality act to ships and hovercraft.

January 14, 2011

Bryant’s Maritime Blog
Bryant’s Maritime Consulting - 4845 SW 91^st Way - Gainesville, FL 32608-8135 - USA

Tel: 1-352-692-5493 – Email: dennis.l.bryant@gmail.com – Internet: http://brymar-consulting.com

Note: This blog is one section of the Bryant’s Maritime Consulting website. Visit the site for more extensive maritime regulatory information. Individual concerns may be addressed by retaining Dennis Bryant directly. Much of the highlighted text in this newsletter constitutes links to Internet sites providing more detailed information. Links on this page may be in PDF format, requiring use of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Comments on these postings are encouraged and may be made by clicking the envelope that appears at the end of each posting. Be aware that the daily blog entry is a single posting, even though it contains a number of individual items. Keep misbehaving.

USCG – TWIC card reader proposal

The US Coast Guard has forwarded for consideration by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) its proposed rule that would, if adopted, establish electronic card reader requirements for US maritime facilities and vessels to be used in combination with the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). OMB reviews generally take about three months. Once approved by OMB, a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) will be published in the Federal Register. (1/12/11).

USCG – cancellation of public meeting

The US Coast Guard submitted for publication in the Federal Register a Notice stating that the public meeting on the IMO guidelines for exhaust gas cleaning systems for marine engines, scheduled to be held in Washington, DC on January 19 and 20, has been cancelled. A future meeting date on this topic may be scheduled and, if so, will be announced in the Federal Register. (1/13/11).

EPA – two New England shipyards settle environmental violations

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a news release stating that two shipyards, one in Massachusetts and one in Rhode Island, have agreed pay civil penalties in the amounts of $130,00 and $290,000 respectively to settle claims by the EPA that they violated environmental laws. (1/13/11).

BOEMRE – strengthened oversight of offshore drilling and development

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) issued a news release containing remarks delivered by Director Michael R. Bromwich discussing strengthened oversight of offshore oil and gas drilling and development. In response to the Deepwater Horizon incident and consistent with the recent recommendations of the National Commission, BOEMRE is considering steps that it can take to improve the safety and environmental protection of the offshore oil and gas industry while allowing for continuity of operations. (1/13/11).

St. Lawrence Seaway – tonnage rebounded in 2010

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System issued a press release stating that cargo volume through the Seaway in 2010 increased by 15% over the volume in 2009, to an estimated total of 35.5 million tonnes. (1/13/11).

House – bill introduced to prohibit drilling off northern California

Representative Thompson (D-CA) introduced a bill (H.R. 264) to permanently prohibit oil and gas leasing off the coast of Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte Counties in the State of California, and for other purposes. Official text of the bill is not yet available. (1/12/11).

House – bill introduced re Arctic hydrographic surveys

Representative Young (R-AK) introduced a bill (H.R. 295) to amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 to authorize funds to acquire hydrographic data and provide hydrographic services specific to the Arctic for safe navigation, delineating the United States extended continental shelf, and the monitoring and description of coastal changes. Official text of the bill is not yet available. (1/12/11).

Malaysia – robbers board tanker

The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre issued an Incident Alert stating that a chemical tanker was boarded in the early morning hours of 13 January while anchored off Johor, Malaysia. The crew locked themselves in the accommodation room. When the crew came out about an hour later, the robbers were gone, after having inflicted minor damage to the ship. (1/13/11).

UK – application of Equality Act to ships and hovercraft

The UK Department for Transport (DfT) issued a Notice stating that it has commenced a Consultation on the application of Part 3 of the Equality Act to Ships and Hovercraft. The Equality Act, in pertinent part, prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and sex and sexual orientation. Comments should be submitted by April 7. (1/13/11).

If you have questions regarding the above items, please contact the editor:

Dennis L. Bryant

Bryant’s Maritime Consulting

4845 SW 91^st Way
Gainesville, FL 32608-8135

USA

1-352-692-5493
dennis.l.bryant@gmail.com

http://brymar-consulting.com

© Dennis L. Bryant – January 2011

Redistribution permitted with attribution