[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2425-2427]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-00372]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2020-0181]


Guidance for Voluntarily Obtaining Merchant Mariner Credential 
Endorsements for Basic and Advanced Operations on Vessels Subject to 
the International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Low 
Flashpoint Fuels

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of CG-MMC Policy 
Letter 01-21, titled ``Guidelines for Obtaining STCW Endorsements for 
Basic and Advanced IGF Code Operations.'' This policy provides guidance 
for the issuance of Merchant Mariner Credential endorsements in 
accordance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, 
Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended, and 
with the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code, for 
Basic and Advanced Operations on vessels subject to the International 
Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Low Flashpoint Fuels.

DATES: CG-MMC Policy Letter 01-21 was issued January 4, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Policy Letter 01-21 is available in docket number USCG-2020-
0181 on http://www.regulations.gov, and also on the National Maritime 
Center website at https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/policy_regulations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this policy, 
contact James Cavo, U.S. Coast Guard Mariner Credentialing Program 
Policy Division (CG-MMC-2); telephone (202) 372-1205, email 
James.D.Cavo@uscg,mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the 
International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low 
Flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code). The IGF Code addresses safety and 
environmental requirements for vessels using gases or other low 
flashpoint fuels as well as the level of training required for 
personnel serving on these vessels. Additionally, in order to define 
the training requirements supporting the IGF Code, IMO developed 
amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, 
Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended (STCW 
Convention) and to the Seafarers' Training, Certification and 
Watchkeeping Code, as amended (STCW Code)--the instruments that provide 
the international standards for mariner training. These amendments 
provide minimum standards of competence, sea service, and training for 
certification at the basic and advanced levels in IGF Code Operations.
    The IGF Code and the associated amendments to the STCW Convention 
and to the STCW Code entered into force on January 1, 2017. These 
provisions set minimum standards of competence, sea service, and 
training for certification at the basic and advanced levels in IGF Code 
Operations. These minimum standards

[[Page 2426]]

apply to personnel on vessels subject to the IGF Code who have 
designated safety duties associated with or immediate responsibility 
for the care, use, or emergency response to the fuels on board a vessel 
using gases or low flashpoint fuels.
    On February 19, 2015, the Coast Guard issued CG-OES Policy Letter 
01-15,\1\ ``Guidelines for Liquefied Natural Gas Fuel Transfer 
Operations and Training of Personnel on Vessels Using Natural Gas as 
Fuel,'' to provide voluntary guidance on fuel transfer operations and 
the training of personnel working on U.S. and foreign vessels that use 
natural gas as fuel and conduct liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel 
transfer operations in waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction.\2\
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    \1\ This policy letter is available at https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/5ps/MMC/CG-MMC-2%20Policies/CG%20OES%20Policy%20Letter%2001-15%20signature%20with%20Enclosures.pdf?ver=2018-06-07-131254-300.
    \2\ See Federal Register Notice, ``Policy Letters: Guidance for 
the Use of Liquefied Natural Gas as a Marine Fuel'', which announced 
the availability of CG-OES Policy Letter 01-15 (80 FR 10131).
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    On April 23, 2019, the Coast Guard issued CG-MMC Policy Letter 02-
19,\3\ ``Guidelines for Training of Personnel on Vessels Using Natural 
Gas and Other Low Flash Point Fuels.'' This policy republished the 
training guidance provided in CG-OES Policy Letter 01-15 without any 
change to the content, but aligned the policy name with the 
organizational structure of the Merchant Mariner Credentialing program, 
which was reorganized in 2016.
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    \3\ https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/5ps/MMC/CG-MMC-2%20Policies/CG-MMC%2002-19%20IGF%20Vessels.pdf?ver=2019-04-23-131748-703.
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    CG-OES Policy Letter 01-15 and CG-MMC Policy Letter 02-19 were 
interim measures to better ensure that U.S. mariners were sufficiently 
trained to work aboard vessels using natural gas and other low flash 
point fuels. The Coast Guard did not issue endorsements to mariners who 
completed training in accordance with either policy.

Discussion of Policy Letter CG-MMC Policy Letter 01-21

    The Coast Guard will now begin issuing STCW endorsements in Basic 
and Advanced IGF Code Operations to mariners who voluntarily meet the 
STCW requirements for certification at the basic and advanced levels in 
IGF Code Operations. CG-MMC Policy Letter 01-21 \4\ provides 
information on how to qualify for and request the endorsements. The 
Coast Guard is issuing these endorsements in response to industry 
requests and to facilitate maritime commerce. These endorsements are 
not currently mandated by Coast Guard regulation. However, because the 
United States is signatory to the STCW Convention, vessel owners and 
operators should be aware that their vessels are subject to foreign 
port state control actions, including detention, if mariners are not 
compliant with the STCW Convention and the STCW Code.
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    \4\ CG-MMC Policy Letter 01-21 is available in the docket where 
indicated under the ADDRESSES portion of this notice.
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    CG-MMC Policy Letter 01-21 was issued January 4, 2021. The National 
Maritime Center will begin accepting applications for IGF Code 
Operations endorsements when this notice is published.
    The difference between CG-MMC Policy Letter 02-19 and CG-MMC Policy 
Letter 01-21 is that the Coast Guard will now issue MMC endorsements 
for Basic and Advanced IGF Code Operations to mariners who have 
voluntarily met the requirements for the endorsements. The Coast Guard 
expects that industry has already incurred costs from attending 
training for Basic and Advanced IGF Code Operations. However, we do not 
have data on how many mariners have completed training in IGF Code 
Operations, or how many would ultimately complete training due to the 
issuance of CG-MMC Policy Letter 01-21. Therefore, we present here the 
total costs that may have occurred or would occur if our estimated 
population completes training for either Basic or Advanced IGF Code 
Operations.
    The Coast Guard estimates this policy will generate a total cost to 
industry and the Federal Government of $11,068,608 ($10,917,059 for 
costs to industry and $151,549 for costs to the Federal Government) in 
2019 dollars discounted at 7 percent over the next 10 years. Table 1 
presents the affected population, costs, and benefits associated with 
the implementation of the CG-MMC Policy Letter 01-21. Table 1 below 
demonstrates these costs.

Table 1--Summary of Affected Population, Costs, and Benefits for Issuing
                STCW Endorsements for IGF Code Operations
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                                                              Annual
                                                            average of
                                                           508 mariners
          Affected population  (annual average)             and 4 STCW
                                                             training
                                                             providers
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Total Costs Annualized (7% discount rate)...............      $1,575,921
Total 10-year (7% discount rate)........................      11,068,608
Total Costs to Industry Annualized (7% discount rate)...       1,554,344
Total 10-year (7% discount rate)........................      10,917,059
Total Costs to the Federal Government Annualized (7%              21,577
 discount rate).........................................
Total 10-year (7% discount rate)........................         151,549
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    The affected population may choose to submit CG-719B Application 
for Merchant Mariner Credential for an MMC endorsement in Basic or 
Advanced IGF Code Operations to the U.S. Coast Guard. Applications are 
submitted to a Coast Guard Regional Examination Center in accordance 
with 46 CFR 10.209.5 6 There is no fee associated with 
adding an STCW endorsement to an MMC. We estimate that 508 mariners 
would voluntarily submit MMC applications to the U.S. Coast Guard on an 
annual basis.\7\ The Coast Guard further estimates that this could lead 
to an increase of mariners' annual hourly burden for submitting 
documentation by approximately 42 hours (508 mariners x 0.083 hours).
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    \5\ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic applications are only being 
accepted via email. Under normal conditions applications may be 
submited in person at a Regional Examination Center or via email at 
the mariner's convenience.
    \6\ https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/merchant_mariner_credential/ 
provides detailed instructions on how to submit an MMC application 
to the National Maritime Center.
    \7\ According to the Liquefied Gas Carrier National Center, an 
annual average of approximately 508 mariners would need STCW 
endorsements for Basic or Advanced IGF Code Operations over the 10-
year period from 2020-2029. See Coast Guard ``IGF Code Policy Letter 
Cost Analysis,'' which is available in the docket where indicated 
under the ADDRESSES portion of this notice. This can be found in the 
docket USCG-2020-0181 under ``IGF Code Policy Letter Cost 
Analysis.''
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    CG-MMC Policy Letter 01-21 is not a substitute for applicable legal 
requirements, nor is it itself a rule. The Coast Guard does not 
currently require any mariner to obtain the endorsements discussed in 
CG-MMC Policy Letter 01-21. In other words, it is possible to comply 
with U.S. domestic legal obligations without undertaking the specific 
trainings, or obtaining the

[[Page 2427]]

specific endorsements, described in CG-MMC Policy Letter 01-21.
    Before creating any such requirement, the Coast Guard would 
undertake a separate rulemaking.
    We issue this notice of availability in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 
552(a) and under the authority of 46 U.S.C. 7101. If you have questions 
about the policy letter, or believe that changes are necessary, please 
contact the person in the For Further Information Contact section of 
this notice.

    Dated: January 7, 2021.
Jeffrey G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2021-00372 Filed 1-11-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P