Page 8: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 2020)

By the Numbers

U.S. Flag State Control 2019 Domestic Report

The U.S. Coast Guard’s 2019 Flag State Control Domestic Annual Report refects the entire U.S. fag feet, including barges, cargo vessels, passenger vessels, vessels operating on the Outer Continental Shelf, research and school ships, fshing vessels (though not part of the inspected feet), and the newest members of the inspected feet, towing vessels. With the addition of towing vessels, which started getting inspected under 46 CFR Subchapter M in July of 2018, the size of the U.S. inspected feet grew by approximately 6,500 vessels to 19,679 in 2018. The total feet grew again in 2019, standing at 20,064 vessels. Nota- bly, the average age of the U.S. fag feet grew signifcantly with the addition of inspected towing vessels, rising from 22 years in 2017 to 27.8 in 2018. But in 2019 this number decreased somewhat to 27.

Q 8 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • July 2020