BALANA

Each towing vessel must have a reliable means to provide notification when an emergency condition exists or an essential system develops problems that require attention. The following alarms must be provided: High bilge levels. Alarms must: Be visible and audible at each operating station. During test of the bilge alarms the galley alarms the galley alarms did not show visual indication. The engine room bilge alarms did not have audible or visual indication.

Each watertight door and watertight hatch must be marked on both sides in clearly legible letters at least 25 millimeters (1 inch) high: “WATERTIGHT DOOR—KEEP CLOSED” or “WATERTIGHT HATCH—KEEP CLOSED”. Marine inspectors identified the engine room water tight door, and the aft deck hatches were not marked.

Closure devices must be provided for deck house or hull penetrations, which open to the exterior of the vessel and which may allow water to enter the vessel. Marine inspector identified 03 port lights in the galley could not properly secure.

Each towing vessel operating in those regions must carry at least one appropriate-size immersion suit, approved under approval series 160.171, for each person on board. COI currently lists 06 immersion suits to be on board, marine inspector identified 02 were missing.

Where equipment in this subchapter is required to be of an approved type, such equipment requires the specific approval of the Coast Guard. A list of approved equipment and materials may be found online at http://cgmix.uscg.mil/Equipment/EquipmentSearch.aspx. Any OCMI may be contacted for information concerning approved equipment and materials. Marine inspector identified that the battery was not approved for that light and the wire connections were not of the screw down type.

An exposed hazard such as gears and rotating machinery, must be protected by a cover, guard or rail. Marine inspectors identified unguarded machinery on the forward part of the port and starboard main engines.

The alcohol testing of each individual must be conducted within 2 hours of when the SMI occurred, unless precluded by safety concerns directly related to the incident. Operator notified the marine inspectors that the alcohol strips were not on board.

Provide 04 immersion suits that are approved under approval series 160.171, one for each person onboard.

Towing vessels must be equipped with the following equipment, as applicable to the area of operation:(a) Fathometer. Vessel is not equipped with a Fathometer.

(a) Fire-detection systems. Except as provided in paragraph (a)(8) of this section, each towing vessel must have a fire-detection system installed to detect engine room fires. The owner or managing operator must ensure the following:(7) The design of the system and its installation on the towing vessel is certified and inspected by a registered professional engineer with experience in fire-detection system design, by a technician with qualifications as a National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) level IV fire alarm engineering technician, or by an authorized classification society with equivalent experience, to comply with paragraphs (a)(1) through (6) of this section.

Each towing vessel must carry the survival craft specified in Table 141.305 of this section, as appropriate for the towing vessel, in an aggregate capacity to accommodate the total number of individuals onboard. As set forth by this regulation, the towing vessel BALANA must place onboard an inflatable liferaft with an approval number of 160.151 equipped with SOLAS B Pack (Approved under 46CFR160.151, SOLAS B Pack) no later than January 21, 2020.