The USCG has put out the NPRM broaching the subject of regulating the US DP industry. Yes, I am aware that there is a thread for this in the Professional Mariner forum but it deserves more attention here. Have a look and please consider preparing comments for review by the USCG. The window closes in February.
[FONT=Gill Sans MT][SIZE=2][FONT=Gill Sans MT][SIZE=2][COLOR=#112e8c]www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-11-28/pdf/2014-27594.pdf
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This will be a game changer in the US DP sector and globally. I am eager to hear thoughts on this.
Cant see it effecting anything globally, just fixing the mess the USCG made entirely on their own in their own backyard.
I love the reference to IMO 645, the document thats 20+ years out of date and class has ignored it for years
I guess at least the USCG now has a document on DP when they had nothing before?
The USCG will at least be better funded and a lot more responsive and accountable than the Nautical Institute. Hopefully, this is also the first step toward reserving most jobs on the US OCS for American DPOs.
With the current cut backs and lay offs, and more oil field mariners out of work, the USCG should start cancelling waivers for foreign mariners to work in the US.
[QUOTE=tugsailor;149852]The USCG will at least be better funded …[/QUOTE]
The big budget “fix” that’s been in the news that keeps the government open until October 2015 doesn’t fund the Coast Guard (and all of DHS) past February 27.
The Nautical Institute has never budgeted for an adequate staff to timely process the growing worldwide applications for DP Certificates, and it never will. And they frankly don’t give a damn that the Yanks have to wait for six months on unemployment or underemployment while the NI twiddles its thumbs.
For the USCG to bury its head in the sand, and allow a foreign private membership club to be the exclusive de facto regulator of which US mariners are qualified to operate the DP systems (a fundamental modern seamanship skill) on US ships is beyond absurd.
The NI has staffed up in the last year or so.
I cant see there is any reason to discriminate to Americans, less your unclassed vessels they have to work with, they have far more porblems with fraud in other countries that delay issuing documents.
Written by the vessel owners as usual, trying to lower the standard of everything to make it cheap cheap and trap you in the USA so you cant work anywhere else.
140.315 training
Get your captain to sign a napkin that you are trained and your good to go…lol
The USCG will drag you all so far from STCW95 you will surely end up on the grey list again…
You wont even be qualified to be a 3rd mate at $60 a day on a foreign flagged cruise ship using DP in US water…lol??? ( they will require a DP license)
Just what the vessel owners want BTW.
I wonder what the definition of a DP system will be , joystick on a Volvo IPS, fishing hook on Mercury outboard system?