Maritime Administration May 23, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice provides interested parties with the opportunity to comment on the Maritime Administration's (MarAd) new policy to certify cruise vessel security and safety training providers. As a result of the enactment of the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (``CVSSA''), the USCG, in consultation with the FBI, MarAd headquarters and the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), developed training standards and curricula to allow for the certification of passenger vessel security personnel, crewmembers, and law enforcement. In addition, the CVSSA provided the Maritime Administrator with the discretionary authority to certify organizations in the United States and abroad that offer the curriculum for training and certification. Pursuant to this authority, the agency is now proposing a voluntary certification program for training providers to assure the general public that passenger cruise vessel security and safety personnel have received training that is in strict compliance with the CVSSA mandated model standards. MarAd certification would serve to assist the cruise industry in identifying and obtaining qualified training services. MarAd invites public comment on this new proposed policy.