Coast Guard proposes requirement changes to PIC of fuel transfers

The U.S. Coast Guard is proposing to amend the requirements regulating personnel permitted to serve as a person in charge (PIC) of fuel oil transfers on an inspected vessel by adding the option of using a letter of designation (LOD) in lieu of aMerchant Mariner Credential (MMC) with a Tankerman-PIC endorsement.

Thousands of towing vessels are currently transitioning from being uninspected vessels to becoming inspected vessels. This proposal would allow a PIC currently using the LOD option on one of those uninspected vessels to continue to use that option to perform the same fuel oil transfers once the vessel receives its initial Certificate of Inspection. Under this proposal,obtaining a MMC with a Tankerman-PIC endorsement would become optional for PICs of fuel oil transfers on inspected vessels. 

The Coast Guard said that it must receive comments and related material by October 15. Comments sent to the Office of Management and Budget(OMB) on collection of information must reach OMB on or before that date, as well.