The U.S. Coast Guard has moved to ease firefighting coaching necessities for towing vessels working on America’s inland waterways.
The company this week issued a ultimate rule revising the coaching necessities for nationwide Merchant Mariner Credential endorsements as grasp of towing vessels (restricted) or mate (pilot) of towing vessels on inland and western rivers routes, excluding the Great Lakes.
Consistent with suggestions from the National Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (NMERPAC) and the National Towing Safety Advisory Committee (NTSAC), this rule provides mariners in search of these endorsements the choice of taking a modified primary firefighting course that excludes coaching on gear not required to be carried on towing vessels working on inland waters or the western rivers.
The modified primary firefighting course is proscribed to towing vessel endorsements for western rivers and inland waters apart from the Great Lakes. Mariners in search of towing vessel endorsements for different routes should full a primary firefighting course.
The Coast Guard stated it’s delaying the efficient date of this rule till April 1, 2024, permitting time for coaching suppliers to develop—and for the Coast Guard to judge and approve—modified primary firefighting programs.
“While the Coast Guard didn’t go as far as we advocated for in providing flexibility to mariners and operators while upholding safety, we welcome the Coast Guard’s understanding that the current training course requirements are overly burdensome,” a spokesperson from The American Waterways Operators (AWO) instructed MarineHyperlink. “We’ll now work with our members to ensure Coast Guard approvals of operator and training provider courses occur in a timely manner so mariners have wide access to the modified basic firefighting course beginning in April 2024.”
