Page 22: of Marine News Magazine (May 2018)

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COLUMN SPECIAL REPORT

Countdown to Subchapter M:

Last Minute Tips for Choosing the USCG or TPO/TSMS Option from an industry subject matter expert ...

By Richard J. Paine, Jr.

Subchapter M will ? nally be imple- date can yield the same uneventful Y2K results, if owner/ mented in the tugboat and towing in- operators have done their due diligence or at least are pre- dustry in only a few short months. It pared for a strong ? nish. To that end, a few last minute has taken over ten years to arrive, but planning tips can lead to a better result. Understanding the build-up and in some cases, hyste- of how the traditional USCG option and the differences ria, can only be compared to the Y2K offered in the Third-Party Organization (TPO) alterna- scare at the end of 1999. During that tive will impact Subchapter M compliance, in a crowded period, the world said Y2K would cause and growing inspected commercial vessel industry, will computer crashes, commerce to end make all the difference.

Paine and daily life to come to a crashing halt.

HE OAST UARD PTION

Now, fast forward almost twenty T C G O years and enter Subchapter M. The date, July 20, 2018, The USCG option is the traditional method for own- does not have the same media grabbing headliner im- ers/operators to become compliant with regulations and pact as 01.01.2000, but it does remain at the forefront receive a Certi? cate of Inspection (COI). The OCMI (Of- of owner/operators, as well as the United States Coast ? cer in Charge, Marine Inspections) has a dedicated team

Guard’s (USCG) attention. However, the Subchapter M of inspectors within each local Sector that performs this

Credit: Eric Norcross

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