Skip to main content

WHO TOW - TOW WHO

This has been a hectic few days and finally NAUTICAL LOG got a chance to relax which means writing a Post - something always enjoyed.


Amongst the e-mails today was one from C-PORT, for those of you not familiar with the organization it represents the assistance towing industry (you pay we tow) with federal, state and local agencies.  Here are some definitions:
  • Assistance towing is defined as towing a disabled vessel for consideration (money dude!) as per 46 CFR 10.107 (b)
  • Disabled vessel means needing assistance while docked, moored, anchored, aground, adrift or underway as per 46 CFR 10.107 (b)
  • Consideration means economic benefit, inducement, right or profit including pecuniary payment (once again money dude!!) as per 46 USC 2101 (5a)
There are organizations that do this professionally (see the 'Yellow policy guys' and the 'Red policy guys' in our Link List) while their level of professional skill varies greatly they do have to obtain USCG licensing and Marine Insurance. C-PORT is a good first reference point to find out about them.


Now it seems local agencies and marina operators are taking business away from them.  Local law enforcement agencies are performing routine towing operations and marina operators are offering towing to their customers.  This seems improper even illegal to NAUTICAL LOG who by the way has absolutely no involvement with the towing industry in any way or form.  Our interest are the professional and legal issues involved.


The problem we have with all this is Insurance when these people mess up as you can bet they will.  It is extremely difficult, to put it mildly, to sue or get satisfaction from a law enforcement agency. We know first hand from an Investigation NAUTICAL LOG is involved with all this week.  As to marinas, do you really want that summer job kid the marina sent in a rubber boat towing your private yacht.  He/she may be a good kid trying the best they can but they will have no license and little or no training in towing.  Not good and also illegal !!


The assistance towing people can correct this themselves, legally (!), and C-PORT can help.   Owners should remember it is against federal law to hire a person to tow without that person being licenced and your insurance is thus voided - so be careful of good samaritans as well.  Please note the person must hold their own USCG towing licence not the marina or company they work for.


Another point raised by C-PORT is vessel inspection.  NAUTICAL LOG is firm and clear on that point - ALL vessels should be Inspected Vessels and ALL Operators Licensed - NO EXCEPTIONS.  We are NOT open for discussion on this at all.


Good Watch

Please remember the seafarers held captive by pirates off Somalia - let us work with all those trying to free them.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CYCLONES AND SENTINELS

USCG Sentinel-class which are based on the Netherlands Damen Stan-class USCGC opened hull view USCG Sentinel-class interior layout USN Cyclone-class In the NAUTICAL LOG Press Release folder comes news of Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, LA. The United States Coast Guard has awarded a $166.1 million option to start production of four ' Sentinel-class' Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). This latest award brings a total of eight FRCs under production at Bollinger with a value of $410.7 million. The current FRC contract contains options for up to 34 cutters and is worth $1.5 billion if they are all exercised. Recently the United States Navy limited operation of its 'Cyclone-class' coastal patrol boats stationed in Bahrain and Norfolk, VA. Any vessel operation would depend on sea state and speed restrictions. This was due to structural damage as the vessels reach the 15 year mark which is considered close to the operational limit. This is apparently not a design fault but ...
Post a Comment
Read more

PAINT LOCKER FIRES

The photographs above are revealing in several ways, lets have a look. Clearly the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) vessel JS "Kurama" impacted the Korean container ship MS "Carina Star" just aft of the turn of the fo'cs'le on the Starboard side. Please note that's the Starboard side, thus it appears JS "Kurama" would have shown "Carina Star" the red port sidelight and "Carina Star" would have shown JS "Kurama" the green starboard sidelight. This impact point would tend to suggest that JS "Kurama" was the 'stand-on' vessel and the MS "Carina Star" is the 'giving-way' vessel. Until there is a complete plot of the tracks made good of both these vessels and the position in the Kanmon Strait of the point of collision no determination can actually be made. As a result of this impact there was severe bow damage to JS "Kurama" and in addition a massive f...
Post a Comment
Read more

LISTING SHIPS

MS Herald of Free Enterprise WSF Chetzemoka A FINAL WORD: Sunday, November 21, 2010. Between this Blog and comments in other maritime blogs we have pretty much discussed this vessel's issues fully. In fact we have beaten them to death!! The sad truth is that this is a politically operated ferry system to serve the public in the State of Washington. Being politicians they were able to convince another highly political federal agency, namely our USCG, to bend to their will. Nothing will be changed in this vessel and any further building will be done in the same way with the same results. The only possible change could be through the ballot box to replace those politicians and proceeding from there. So potential passengers may we suggest that prior to embarking you carefully check the current weather report. NAUTICAL LOG has been informed that the crossing is only 30 minutes and so doors are not an issue. We disagree and would refer you to the MS Herald of Free Enterprise ferry a...
Post a Comment
Read more