MSC and USCG admirals sign memorandum

WASHINGTON, (USTCNS) --- The U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command signed an historic memorandum of agreement on July 29, 2004. The MOA established the procedures regarding the inspection and certification of MSC's U. S. Naval Ship fleet by the U.S. Coast Guard. Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III, USN, Commander of MSC, and Rear Adm. Thomas H. Gilmour, USCG, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection, both signed the document at MSC headquarters in Washington, D.C., putting it into effect immediately. The new MOA replaces one from November 1997 and will be reviewed at least every two years and updated based on feedback, regulatory and statutory changes and the national defense climate.

"This MOA is a living document, and it will change as needed to keep current with the times," explained Coast Guard liaison officer to MSC, Lt. Cmdr. Joe Paitl, USCG.

The MOA provides for the continuation of USCG inspection of MSC ships and certification of civil service mariners. In addition to the many clarifications and updates that the new MOA contains, it also adds USCG consideration of mitigating factors unique to the operation of MSC vessels prior to taking any administrative action against a civil service mariner. This provision ensures civil service mariners are not penalized for taking appropriate military-related action due to the unique nature of their employment with MSC.

The MOA also covers the enrollment of MSC ships in special regulatory programs such as underwater hull surveys and alternate compliance, which allows surveys by an authorized party instead of the USCG. Further, it includes a process for documenting voluntary compliance with international agreements, such as the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, or SOLAS, and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, or MARPOL.

Both the Coast Guard and MSC benefit from the agreement. MSC obtains the impartial review of safety conditions and issues aboard its ships while the USCG continues to its role in maritime safety and security on U.S. bodies of water.

The mission of the USCG is to protect the public, the environment and U.S. economic interests - in the nation's ports and waterways, along the coast, on international waters or in any maritime region as required to support national security. MSC's signing of the MOA promotes safety on MSC ships, helping the USCG fulfill its goals.

MSC's engineering policy staff worked together with the USCG liaison officer for more than a year to revise and improve the previous MOA. They solicited input from MSC program managers, USCG program managers and field units. Together they have created a document that will change and grow in accordance to the needs of MSC and the Coast Guard.