MAVERICK

Survival craft must be stowed in accordance with the requirements of 199.130 of this chapter. Each liferaft must be arranged for float-free launching. Liferaft painter, weak link, and hydrostatic release not correctly arranged in order for liferaft to float free in case of emergency.

A vessel that is certificated for limited coastwise, coastwise, or oceans routes whose contract for construction was prior to 8/27/2003 must be equipped with either a fixed fire extinguishing system or an approved 160-B fire-extinguishing system to protect the engine room. Hose of semi-portable fire extinguisher, as currently stored on aft portion of upper deck, cannot reach inside the engine room.

Piping and machinery components that exceed 428°F, including exhaust manifolds, must be insulated. Replace loose/missing lagging on starboard generator exhaust.

To stop the flow of fuel in the event of a fire or break in the fuel line, a remote fuel shutoff valve must be fitted on any fuel line that supplies fuel directly to a propulsion engine or generator prime mover. The valve must be installed in the fuel piping directly outside of the fuel oil supply tank. The valve must be operable from a safe place outside the space where the valve is installed. Fuel shutoff valve outside fuel supply tank not capable of being closed remotely from outside of the space. *Only fuel shutoff valves near the engines are capable of being closed remotely from outside the space, but not the ones near the tanks.

Machinery and electrical systems must be designed and maintained to provide for safe operation of the towing vessel and the safety of persons onboard under normal and emergency conditions. Propulsion machinery, including main engines, reduction gears, shafting, bearings, and electrical equipment and systems, must be maintained to ensure proper operation. Both port and starboard shafts were leaking excessively.

The vessel’s portable fire pump must be self-priming and power-driven. During inspection, portable fire pump would not draw suction and was not self-priming. *Vessel is fitted with fixed fire pump as well, but per company’s current TSMS procedures, each vessel must have a portable fire pump onboard that is to serve as the primary fire pump to be used in case of emergency.

Alcohol testing of each individual directly involved in a SMI must be conducted within 2 hours of when the SMI occurs. Vessel’s coastwise route endorsement means that it is not always within 2 hours of shore for alcohol testing. Alcohol test kits currently available onboard expired as of 6/30/22.

The owner or managing operator must implement procedures to identify and mitigate health and safety hazards, including by not limited to: confined space entry. Company’s Health and Safety Plan, as incorporated in their TSMS section 144, requires that “each vessel will be outfitted within a single gas oxygen meter”. No portable gas meter available onboard at time of inspection.

The owner, managing owner, or master of a towing vessel must ensure that the vessel’s lifesaving equipment complies with the applicable requirements of part 141 and is in good working order. The retroreflective tape on all 3 ring lifebuoys is faded and/or improper and requires replacement. Additionally, the 60 ft lifeline must be removed from one of the ring lifebuoys, as at least one lifebuoy must not have a lifeline attached.

Towing vessels certificated for a coastwise route must be equipped with an electronic position-fixing device (i.e. GPS). Installed Furuno GP-32 GPS has experienced the GPS date rollover problem and reads a date of 2002, instead of 2022. Update firmware in order for unit to reflect correct date, if possible, or replace unit.

Internal management audits must be conducted annually, within 3 months of the anniversary date of the TSMS certificate. TSMS certificate anniversary date is 01 Jun. Last internal management audit was carried out on 04 November 2020. This means the internal TSMS management audit is significantly overdue.

Survival craft must be stowed in accordance with the requirements of 199.130 of this chapter. A survival craft that weighs 407.8 lbs or less may be lifted not more than 1 foot in order to launch. Each liferaft must be arranged to permit it to drop into the water from the deck on which it is stowed. Current liferaft stowage/launching arrangements does not meet these requirements. Owner/operator to provide a proposal to the TPO and OCMI for modification and timeframe for rectification.

If the cognizant OCMI has reasonable cause to believe that the vessel’s survey program is deficient, that OCMI may require an audit or survey of the vessel in the presence of a representative of the cognizant OCMI and/or require that the vessel comply with the external survey program requirements. Due to the number and nature of technical and operational deficiencies identified during the course of the initial COI inspection, the TPO (Sabine Surveyors) is required to carry out a one-time additional external vessel survey. The scope of the external survey by the TPO shall be at least equivalent to that of an annual vessel survey as delineated in 46 CFR 137.215. Advance notice shall be provided to the local OCMI at least 72 hours prior to conducting the external survey, in order that a representative from the local OCMI may have the opportunity to attend, if so determined by the local OCMI.