[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 195 (Monday, October 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52488-52490]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25661]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Coast Guard
[CGD 96-044]


Documentation and Marine Safety for an International, Private-
Sector, Tug of Opportunity System

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of meeting; supplemental information.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides a summary of the sections of the Interim 
Report that will be discussed at the meeting on an international, 
private-sector tug of opportunity system (ITOS) to be held on October 
17, 1996. Notice of this meeting was published in the Federal Register 
on September 12, 1996. This second notice provides additional 
information to improve the quality of input from the public at the 
meeting.

DATES: The meeting will be held October 17, 1996, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
Written statements and requests to make oral presentations should reach 
the Coast Guard on or before October 10, 1996. Other comments should 
reach the Coast Guard on or before October 30, 1996.


[[Page 52489]]


ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held on the fourth floor, North 
Auditorium, Jackson Federal Building, 915 Second Avenue, Seattle, 
Washington. Written materials may be mailed to the Executive Secretary, 
Marine Safety Council (G-LRA), U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street 
SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001, or may be delivered to room 3406 at the 
same address between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lieutenant W.M. Pittman, Office of Response (G-MOR-1), telephone (202) 
267-0426, fax (202) 267-4085. The telephone number is equipped to 
record messages on a 24-hour basis.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background Information

    On November 28, 1995, the President signed the Alaska Power 
Administration Asset Sale and Termination Act (Pub. L. 104-58), 
authorizing exports of Alaskan North Slope (ANS) crude oil when 
transported in U.S. flag tankers. Section 401 of the statute directs 
the Coast Guard to submit, within 15 months of enactment of the Act, a 
plan to Congress on the most cost-effective means of implementing an 
international private sector tug of opportunity system. The plan is to 
include a coordinated system of communication, using exiting towing 
vessels to provide timely emergency response to a vessel in distress 
transiting the waters within the boundaries of the Olympic Coast Marine 
Sanctuary or the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
    In order to implement this action, the Department of Transportation 
has required that the Coast Guard establish marine safety requirements 
concerning crew qualification, tug performance capabilities, and 
response times which any proposed international tug-of-opportunity 
system (ITOS) must meet to ensure marine environmental safety. In 
addition, the Coast Guard has proposed to establish specific ITOS 
documentation requirements needed to properly describe the operation of 
any proposed ITOS so that it may be fully evaluated as required by 
Public Law 104-58.
    These marine safety requirements and documentation requirements are 
contained in the Interim Report on the International, Private-Sector 
Tug-of-Opportunity System for the Waters of the Olympic National Marine 
Sanctuary and the Strait of Juan de FICA. Initial copies of this report 
were provided to interested parties. Additional copies of this report 
may be obtained by contacting the Office of Response (G-MOR-1), 
Directorate of Field Operations, U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street 
SW., Washington DC 20593-0001 or by contacting the person listed under 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. This notice provides a summary of the 
marine safety requirements and documentation requirements contained in 
the interim report.
    A meeting to be held on October 17, 1996, was announced in the 
Federal Register on September 12, 1996 (61 FR 48202). This meeting is 
to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the marine 
safety and documentation requirements contained in the interim report. 
The present notice provides a summary of those requirements to assist 
the public in preparing comments for the October 17, 1996, meeting.
    A discussion of both the documentation requirements and the marine 
safety requirements follows. Any international, private-sector plan 
submitted for review must respond to the following areas:

Documentation Requirements

1. The Organizational and Operations Structure

    (a) Identify the specific purpose of the international, private-
sector, tug of opportunity system, which should be to check disabled 
vessels and tow them, if necessary, using a tug of opportunity. A tug 
of opportunity is a vessel with towing capabilities designed to save a 
disabled vessel and to prevent a drift grounding.
    (b) Explain methods for tracking commercial vessel movement in 
relation to the tug of opportunity services provided.
    (c) Provide the status of available tugs and their performance 
capabilities.
    (d) Provide expectations for contracted tug response capabilities.
    (e) Provide a means for prioritizing competing tug needs for 
dispatch of tug resources.
    (f) Provide for cascading resource situations including 
identification of additional tug resources and replacement tugs to 
release other tugs for response.
    (g) Provide an explanation of the administrative, financial, 
technical, and legal processes necessary to ensure an effective tug of 
opportunity system.
    (h) Explain expected basic organization structures, governance, and 
administration.
    (i) Explain needed interactions with other organizations.
    (j) Define the mission, member responsibilities, financial 
commitments, terms of office, rules for operation and compensation, and 
other related matters.
    (k) Explain the expected registration and status of the tug of 
opportunity system as a legal entity.
    (l) Identify the day-to-day functions of the organization.
    (m) Identify the functions expected to be performed by contractors 
or other organizations.
    (n) Identify the organizational decision-making process by which a 
vessel may request assistance or another authority may direct 
assistance.
    (o) Identify the method for matching tug capabilities with vessel 
requirements per the marine safety requirements.
    (p) Identify the minimum performance requirements expected of the 
tug fleet to meet the range of expected assistance requests, and 
address special tug performance limiting factors such as specified sea, 
weather, wind, and current conditions.
    (q) Identify the method by which 24-hour, 7-day per week monitoring 
of tug of opportunity system operations will be achieved.

2. Technology Issues

    (a) Identify the hardware and software systems that will be used to 
identify and communicate with tugs, vessels, and organizations.
    (b) Identify vessel transit population characteristics.
    (c) Identify those vessel distress conditions that will most likely 
be encountered in order to assess possible instances of future need.
    (d) Identify tug resources and update methods.
    (e) Identify the system(s) and equipment that will be used to track 
a tug's location, onboard equipment, and performance capabilities.
    (f) Identify a method for maintaining ready access to the 
performance characteristics of any tug available for response.
    (g) Identify the towing equipment needed on a vessel and on a tug 
by using the International Maritime Organization towing package 
requirements or equivalent standards.
    (h) Identify any pre-staged equipment packages and plans available 
for deployment.
    (i) Indicate the international, tug of opportunity system response 
structure that will observe response times.
    (j) Identify unique geographical characteristics and seasonal 
changes pertinent to the area, as well as tug resources that are 
typically available.
    (k) Identify the method(s) by which response time requirements will 
be communicated, observed, and documented for assistance calls.
    (l) Identify the crew qualifications necessary to operate tugs of 
opportunity

[[Page 52490]]

to satisfy the marine safety requirements.
    (m) Identify training that is consistent with qualification 
requirements and the method for its provision.
    (n) Indicate the requirements and procedures for conducting 
periodic testing for certification of capability.

3. Legal Requirements

    (a) Identify applicable laws and regulations.
    (b) Include any international law, treaty, convention issues that 
would preclude or unnecessarily limit an international tug of 
opportunity system.
    (c) Identify salvage and operational legal constraints.
    (d) Identify cabotage legal constraints associated with foreign 
towing vessels operating in U.S. waters.
    (e) Indicate any liability coverage issues potentially affecting 
responders in the international tug of opportunity system.
    (f) Indicate the use of any contractual relationship between the 
international tug of opportunity system and service recipients to 
further limit liability.

4. Fiscal Administration

    (a) Identify the fee structure for organizational administration 
and incident-specific assistance services, the penalties for 
noncompliance, the billing process, and the method of collection.
    (b) Identify the difference between member and nonmember use of 
services.
    (c) Identify the process for reviewing service charges upon 
challenge.
    (d) Identify the procedure for reimbursement of contractor and 
governmental authorities.
    (e) Identify the requirements and expected methods to be used for 
initial capital investments.

Marine Safety Requirements

1. Tug Performance Criteria

    (a) A tug of opportunity must be able to transit and maneuver in 
the Strait of Juan de Fuca in wave heights of 3 meters or more with 
sustained wind speed of greater than 20 knots (kts), and in offshore 
wave heights of 4 meters or more with sustained wind speeds of greater 
than 30 kts to get a line onto a disabled vessel.
    (b) A tug of opportunity must meet the following requirements shown 
in the table in accordance with the wave heights listed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Bollard Pull                          Wave height        
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class A >60 tons..........................  5-6 meters.                 
Class B 40-59 tons........................  4 meters.                   
Class C 35-39 tons........................  3 meters.                   
Class D <35 tons..........................  calm.                       
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (c) The minimum speed capability for a tug of opportunity is 13 kts 
under calm conditions.
    (d) The minimum speed capability for a tug of opportunity is 10 kts 
under degraded conditions with offshore wave heights of 4 meters.
    (e) A tug of opportunity must provide a stable work platform in 
wave heights of 4 meters offshore or 3 meters in the Strait of Juan de 
Fuca.

2. Tug Equipment Criteria

    (a) Towline and terminal gear required for towing astern must be as 
per 33 CFR 164.74 or equivalent standard.
    (b) A tug of opportunity must provide tests and inspections for the 
gear required in item 2 of the documentation requirements as found in 
33 CFR 164.80.
    (c) A tug of opportunity must have on board a line handling winch 
with--brake capacity equal to 3 times the bollard pull, line pull equal 
to \1/3\ times the bollard pull, and an abort mechanism.
    (d) All required tow lines must have a minimum breaking strength 
equal to 5 times the bollard pull.

3. Crew Skills

    (a) Manning standards for tugs and the documents and licenses 
required for tug crews must meet U.S. Coast Guard regulations as per 46 
CFR 15.
    (b) The master of a tug of opportunity shall ensure crew 
proficiency in emergency operations and towing operations, and identify 
skills which must be developed and maintained through training and 
exercises.
    (c) The master of a tug of opportunity shall certify to the tug of 
opportunity system operator that the vessel has the capability to tow 
deep draft vessels under adverse conditions, and may be required to 
demonstrate that capability.
    (e) The master of a tug of opportunity shall ensure that the number 
of trained and skilled crew members on board is sufficient to meet tug 
of opportunity system requirements.

4. Training

    (a) Each tug of opportunity must have a training/certification 
program that ensures that crew members acquire and maintain the skills 
required to operate towing equipment. Each tug of opportunity must also 
document these skills.
    (b) Each tug of opportunity must have an exercise program for 
quarterly towing drills.

5. Substance Abuse Standards

    Uninspected vessels included in a tug of opportunity program must 
meet the drug and alcohol testing standards as described in 46 CFR 
16.230.

6. Response Times

    (a) The maximum response time is 2 hours for the area east of the 
line connecting New Dungeness Light with Discovery Light and all points 
north and south of these lights. This area includes those waters 
required for escort vessels in 33 CFR 168.40(b).
    (b) The maximum response time is 2.5 hours for the area of the 
Strait of Juan de Fuca west of the line connecting New Dungeness Light 
with Discovery Light to a north and south line through the buoy 
position at the western end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
    (c) The maximum response time is 6 hours from a north and south 
line through the buoy position at the western end of the Strait of Juan 
de Fuca extending in a 50-mile radius offshore.
    (d) The maximum response time is 12 hours for the remainder of the 
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary southward. The southern 
boundary of the area is to be avoided.

Procedural

    The original notice of meeting for CGD 96-044 was published on 
September 12, 1996 (61 FR 48202). Attendance is open to the public. 
Persons wishing to make oral presentations at the meeting should notify 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT no later than 
October 10, 1996.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: October 2, 1996.
G.N. Naccara,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard Acting Chief, Marine Safety and Environmental 
Protection.
[FR Doc. 96-25661 Filed 10-4-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-14-M