The U.S. Coast Guard has launched an unpublished model of its long-awaited Subchapter M last rule governing the inspection, requirements, and security administration methods of U.S.-flagged towing vessels.

Subchapter M began as a short snippet of textual content within the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004 that reclassified towing vessels as vessels topic to inspection and mandated the regulation of the towing trade in response to quite a few deadly accidents involving towing vessels. 

According to the Coast Guard, the rule creates a complete security system that features firm compliance, vessel compliance, vessel requirements, and oversight in a brand new Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) subchapter devoted particularly to towing vessels. The rule additionally creates many new necessities for design, development, tools, and operation of towing vessels. With sure exceptions, Subchapter M typically applies to all U.S.-flag towing vessels 26 ft or extra or which are transferring a barge carrying oil or hazardous materials in bulk.

The last rule is scheduled to be printed within the Federal Register on June 20.

The full 798-page advance copy of the ultimate rule could be discovered HERE.