Notice of Policy Implementing the 2016 Amendments to STCW in Support of the Polar Code, 29131 [2018-13465]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 121 / Friday, June 22, 2018 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG–2018–0278]
Notice of Policy Implementing the 2016
Amendments to STCW in Support of
the Polar Code
Coast Guard, DHS.
Notice of policy; request for
comments.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Coast Guard is
announcing the availability of CG–MMC
Policy Letter No. 02–18 titled
‘‘Guidelines for Qualifications of
Personnel for Issuing STCW
Endorsements for Basic and Advanced
Polar 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, for Basic and Advanced Polar
Code Operations. This policy is effective
today, but the Coast Guard requests
public comments on it.
DATES: This policy is effective on June
22, 2018.
Comments and related material must
be received by the Coast Guard on or
before September 20, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Policy Letter No. 02–18 is
available in docket number USCG–
2018–0278 on https://
www.regulations.gov. You may also
submit comments identified at that
same online docket. See the ‘‘Public
Participation and Request for
Comments’’ portion of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for
further instructions on submitting
comments.
SUMMARY:
For
information about this policy, contact
Cathleen Mauro CG–MMC–1 by phone
at (202) 372–1449 or by email at
Cathleen.B.Mauro@uscg,mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
International Maritime Organization
(IMO) adopted the International Code
for Ships Operating in Polar Waters,
commonly referred to as the Polar Code,
to address safety and environmental
requirements for ships and the level of
training required for deck officers
serving on them. The Polar Code came
into force on January 1, 2017.
The International Convention on
Standards of Training, Certification and
Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as
amended, (STCW) Convention and Code
is the instrument that provides the
international standards for seafarer
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:16 Jun 21, 2018
Jkt 244001
training. Through the work of the IMO’s
Sub-committee on Human Element,
Training and Watchkeeping,
amendments to the STCW Convention
and Code were developed to define the
training requirements supporting the
implementation of the Polar Code.
These amendments provide minimum
standards of competence, sea service
and training requirements for
certification at the basic and advanced
levels. They also contain transitional
provisions for mariners with experience
operating in polar waters to meet the
new requirements. These amendments
enter into force on July 1, 2018. After
this date, deck officers on ships
operating in polar waters will be
required to have a Merchant Mariner
Credential (MMC) endorsement in Basic
or Advanced Polar Code operations.
To address the gap between the time
the Polar Code entered into force
(January 2017) and the time the
supporting STCW amendments enter
into force (July 2018), the Coast Guard
provided CG–OES Policy Letter No. 01–
16, ‘‘Guidelines for Training of
Personnel on Ships Subject to the Polar
Code’’ (81 FR 7552, Feb. 12, 2016).
CG–OES Policy Letter No. 01–16 was
an interim measure to ensure there
would be sufficiently trained U.S.
mariners by the time the Polar Code
entered into force. The Coast Guard did
not issue endorsements to mariners who
completed training in accordance with
that policy.
Cognizant of the approaching date
that the STCW amendments enter into
force, the Coast Guard will issue STCW
endorsements in Basic and Advanced
Polar Code Operations to mariners who
have voluntarily fulfilled the STCW
requirements and who request the
endorsement. CG–MMC policy letter
No. 02–18 provides information on how
to request the endorsement. These
endorsements are not currently
mandated by Coast Guard regulation;
however, since 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 Code.
The policy letter is effective today,
and the National Maritime Center is
now accepting applications for Polar
Code Operations endorsements. We
request public comments on the policy
letter, including the instructions for
requesting endorsements, so that we
may improve the letter if needed.
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4703
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29131
Public Participation and Request for
Comments
We view public participation as
essential to effective policy
development, and will consider all
comments and material received during
the comment period. If you submit a
comment, please include the docket
number for this action, and indicate the
specific section of CG–MMC Policy
Letter No. 02–18 to which your
comment applies. Please make your
comments as specific as possible, and
include any applicable supporting data
or other information, such as cost
information, you may have.
We encourage you to submit
comments through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov, using the
instructions on that website. If your
material cannot be submitted using
https://www.regulations.gov, contact the
person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section of this document for
alternate instructions. Additionally, if
you go to the online docket and sign up
for email alerts, you will be notified
when comments are posted or if a final
rule is published.
We accept anonymous comments. All
comments received will be posted
without change to https://
www.regulations.gov and will include
any personal information you have
provided. For more about privacy and
the docket, visit https://
www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice.
Authority: We issue this notice of policy
availability under the authority of 5 U.S.C.
552(a) and 46 U.S.C. 7101.
Dated: June 19, 2018.
Jeffrey G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and
Standards.
[FR Doc. 2018–13465 Filed 6–21–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–04–P
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Bureau of Land Management
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Bureau of Land Management,
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ACTION: Notice of auction and sale.
AGENCY:
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Office, is issuing this Notice to conduct
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SUMMARY:
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[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 121 (Friday, June 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 29131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13465]
[[Page 29131]]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG-2018-0278]
Notice of Policy Implementing the 2016 Amendments to STCW in
Support of the Polar Code
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of policy; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is announcing the availability of CG-MMC
Policy Letter No. 02-18 titled ``Guidelines for Qualifications of
Personnel for Issuing STCW Endorsements for Basic and Advanced Polar
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, for Basic and Advanced
Polar Code Operations. This policy is effective today, but the Coast
Guard requests public comments on it.
DATES: This policy is effective on June 22, 2018.
Comments and related material must be received by the Coast Guard
on or before September 20, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Policy Letter No. 02-18 is available in docket number USCG-
2018-0278 on https://www.regulations.gov. You may also submit comments
identified at that same online docket. See the ``Public Participation
and Request for Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section for further instructions on submitting comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this policy,
contact Cathleen Mauro CG-MMC-1 by phone at (202) 372-1449 or by email
at [email protected],mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The International Maritime Organization
(IMO) adopted the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar
Waters, commonly referred to as the Polar Code, to address safety and
environmental requirements for ships and the level of training required
for deck officers serving on them. The Polar Code came into force on
January 1, 2017.
The International Convention on Standards of Training,
Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended, (STCW)
Convention and Code is the instrument that provides the international
standards for seafarer training. Through the work of the IMO's Sub-
committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping, amendments to
the STCW Convention and Code were developed to define the training
requirements supporting the implementation of the Polar Code. These
amendments provide minimum standards of competence, sea service and
training requirements for certification at the basic and advanced
levels. They also contain transitional provisions for mariners with
experience operating in polar waters to meet the new requirements.
These amendments enter into force on July 1, 2018. After this date,
deck officers on ships operating in polar waters will be required to
have a Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) endorsement in Basic or
Advanced Polar Code operations.
To address the gap between the time the Polar Code entered into
force (January 2017) and the time the supporting STCW amendments enter
into force (July 2018), the Coast Guard provided CG-OES Policy Letter
No. 01-16, ``Guidelines for Training of Personnel on Ships Subject to
the Polar Code'' (81 FR 7552, Feb. 12, 2016).
CG-OES Policy Letter No. 01-16 was an interim measure to ensure
there would be sufficiently trained U.S. mariners by the time the Polar
Code entered into force. The Coast Guard did not issue endorsements to
mariners who completed training in accordance with that policy.
Cognizant of the approaching date that the STCW amendments enter
into force, the Coast Guard will issue STCW endorsements in Basic and
Advanced Polar Code Operations to mariners who have voluntarily
fulfilled the STCW requirements and who request the endorsement. CG-MMC
policy letter No. 02-18 provides information on how to request the
endorsement. These endorsements are not currently mandated by Coast
Guard regulation; however, since 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
Code.
The policy letter is effective today, and the National Maritime
Center is now accepting applications for Polar Code Operations
endorsements. We request public comments on the policy letter,
including the instructions for requesting endorsements, so that we may
improve the letter if needed.
Public Participation and Request for Comments
We view public participation as essential to effective policy
development, and will consider all comments and material received
during the comment period. If you submit a comment, please include the
docket number for this action, and indicate the specific section of CG-
MMC Policy Letter No. 02-18 to which your comment applies. Please make
your comments as specific as possible, and include any applicable
supporting data or other information, such as cost information, you may
have.
We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at https://www.regulations.gov, using the instructions on that
website. If your material cannot be submitted using https://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section of this document for alternate instructions.
Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up for email
alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or if a final
rule is published.
We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted
without change to https://www.regulations.gov and will include any
personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the
docket, visit https://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice.
Authority: We issue this notice of policy availability under the
authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 46 U.S.C. 7101.
Dated: June 19, 2018.
Jeffrey G. Lantz,
Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2018-13465 Filed 6-21-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P