[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 29 (Friday, February 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7552-7553]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02890]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2016-0017]


Policy Letter: Guidance for Training of Deck Officers on Vessels 
Subject to the International Code for Ships Operating in the Polar 
Waters

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability, in the docket, of 
a policy letter which provides voluntary guidance for the training of 
deck officers on vessels operating in polar waters. It recommends 
training measures that will achieve a higher level of safety for 
mariners working in this specialized polar environment. It is 
applicable to SOLAS vessels operating outside the boundary line and 
subject to the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters 
(Polar Code). The draft policy letter and voluntary guidance would not 
apply to vessels on voyages that do not operate in areas subject to the 
Polar Code.

DATES: This policy letter is effective on February 12, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this 
document, contact Cathleen Mauro, Marine Personnel Qualifications 
Division (CG-OES-1), U.S. Coast Guard; telephone 202-372-1449, or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Viewing Materials in the Docket

    The policy letter is available in the docket and can be viewed by 
going to www.regulations.gov, inserting USCG-2016-0017 in the 
``Keyword'' box, and then clicking ``Search.''

Background and Purpose

    Current shipping trends show an increase in the number of vessels 
regularly transiting remote polar areas. Vessels in polar waters 
experience unpredictable and poor weather conditions, degraded 
navigation tools, threats to operating equipment and increased 
stability concerns. In response to the challenges faced by these 
vessels and the concern for their safe operation, the International 
Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted a mandatory code, the 
International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters, commonly 
referred to as the Polar Code. The Polar Code addresses safety and 
environmental requirements for vessels, as well as the level of 
training required for deck officers, and is expected to come into force 
on January 1, 2017.
    In order to obtain input from U.S. stakeholders and to facilitate 
the development of the U.S. position at the IMO on the training 
requirements needed to support the Polar Code, the Merchant Marine 
Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) chartered a working group in 2013 
to address mariner training in support of the polar code. The working 
group developed a proposal that included the training competencies for 
U.S. mariners serving on ships operating in polar waters. The working 
group held multiple meetings and provided recommendations on minimum 
standards of competence, sea service, and recency requirements for 
polar training at the basic and advanced levels. The group also 
developed recommendations on how existing mariners with experience 
operating in polar waters would be grandfathered under the new 
requirements. MERPAC adopted the working group's recommendations, which 
provided the basis of the U.S. position regarding the relevant 
amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, 
Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention), 1978, 
as amended, and the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping 
Code (STCW Code). The STCW Convention and Code provide the 
international standards for seafarers.
    Through the work of the IMO's Sub-committee on Human Element, 
Training and Watchkeeping (HTW), amendments to the STCW Convention and 
Code were developed to define the training requirements needed to 
support the implementation of the Polar Code. These amendments were 
approved by the Maritime Safety Committee on its Ninety Fifth Session 
(MSC 95), and are expected to be adopted by the IMO in July of 2016. 
The amendments are expected to enter into force on January 1, 2018.
    Cognizant that there is a gap between the time the Polar Code 
enters into force on January 1, 2017 and the adoption of the amendments 
to the STCW Convention by IMO in July of 2016, the Coast Guard has 
developed a policy letter that recommends training guidelines for deck 
officers on vessels operating in polar waters. The Coast Guard is 
providing this guidance to

[[Page 7553]]

ensure there are sufficiently trained mariners by the time the Polar 
Code enters into force.

Discussion

    Recognizing that the operation of ships sailing in polar waters 
calls for specific education, training, experience and related 
qualifications for officers, Resolution 11 of the 2010 amendments to 
the STCW Convention included non-mandatory guidance on training for 
deck and engineer officers serving on ships operating in polar waters. 
The guidance is contained in Section B-V/g of the STCW Code. The 
training requirements of the Polar Code, however, go beyond what is 
addressed in Section B-V/g of the STCW Code, by utilizing a risk-
assessment to addresses the applicability of different levels of 
training required for deck officers engaged on ships operating in polar 
waters. Chapter 12 of The Polar Code identifies the level of training 
required for deck officers on ships subject to the Polar Code taking 
into account the type of vessel and the ice conditions in the operating 
area. The levels of training are either Basic or Advanced Training for 
Ships Operating in Polar Waters. The interim guidance in this policy is 
based upon the amendments to the STCW Convention and Code supporting 
the mandatory training requirements in Chapter 12 of the Polar Code.
    The requirements to meet the standards of competence for Basic or 
Advanced Training for Ships Operating in Polar Waters are defined in 
the STCW amendments supporting the Polar Code. A mariner may satisfy 
the standard of competence for Basic or Advanced Training in Polar Code 
Operations by meeting the respective sea service and training 
requirements prescribed in Enclosure (1) of the Policy Letter.
    By meeting the basic or advanced training standard required by the 
Polar Code, mariners are also meeting the familiarization requirements 
of 46 CFR 15.405, which states that each credentialed mariner must be 
familiar with the relevant characteristics of the vessel appropriate to 
his or her duties and responsibilities prior to assuming those duties 
and responsibilities. On board a seagoing vessel, this responsibility 
rests with both the mariner and the employer as set forth in 46 CFR 
15.1105, which requires mariners subject to STCW to complete 
familiarization training before performing any duty or being assigned 
any responsibility unless they are familiar with those duties and 
responsibilities and with all of the vessel's arrangements, 
installations, equipment, procedures, and characteristics relevant to 
his or her routine and emergency duties or responsibilities.
    If training regulations are published, training completed to meet 
the requirements described in the policy letter may be evaluated on a 
case by case basis, and considered to meet part of the transitional 
provisions of the training requirements for Basic or Advanced Polar 
Waters Operations.

Voluntary Policy

    The guidance provided in this policy letter is voluntary, except 
where existing regulatory requirements are discussed. Although it may 
assist the industry, public, Coast Guard, and other Federal and State 
regulators in applying existing statutory and regulatory requirements, 
the policy letter and guidance it contains are not a substitute for 
applicable legal requirements nor are they regulations themselves. We 
note the ongoing work of the IMO in this area, in particular regarding 
training of personnel engaged in polar waters. Developments within this 
body will be taken into account during possible future revisions of the 
draft policy letter. During the course of local operations, each Coast 
Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) has discretionary authority on how 
best to address specific safety and security concerns within his or her 
area of responsibility consistent with 33 CFR 1.01-30. Nothing in the 
policy letter or the guidance it contains is meant to override or limit 
the discretion of the COTP when addressing the unique safety concerns 
of vessels operating in polar waters.
    This notice is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

    Dated: February 8, 2016.
J.G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards, U.S. Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 2016-02890 Filed 2-11-16; 8:45 am]
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