The Coast Guard strongly reminds the towing industry of its responsibility to properly man their vessels with adequate numbers of qualified and licensed crewmembers.
Recently, a collision on the Mississippi river near downtown New Orleans between a Cargo Ship and a loaded oil barge being pushed by an Uninspected Towing Vessel (UTV) resulted in a major oil spill, significant environmental damage, a costly oil spill cleanup response, closed “The River” for six straight days, and caused significant economic loss to the local Louisiana economy. The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, convened a formal investigation into the incident. While the investigation continues, the preliminary findings of this inquiry have revealed that the tug was operated solely by an individual who held a Coast Guard Apprentice Mate (Steersman) license and who was not authorized to independently direct its movement. An apprentice is strictly prohibited from operating a towing vessel unless in the presence of a properly licensed Master or Mate (Pilot). Failure to properly man a vessel may result in significant penalties and fines, not to mention other, possibly more significant and costly civil litigation. Possible enforcement actions include issuing civil penalties, taking mariners who hold a Coast Guard issued credential (e.g. a license or merchant mariner's document) to a suspension and revocation hearing in order to suspend or revoke that credential, and/or refer a violation to the United States Attorney for criminal prosecution. The Coast Guard may also shut down the operation of vessel or facility, or prohibit a vessel from entering a particular port or place until such time a specific violation is corrected.
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