The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA-90) requires all oil vessel owners to ensure their crew members are properly trained to prevent and mitigate oil disasters. Furthermore, Regulation 37 of Annex I of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73/ 78), requires all oil ships to have an oil spill response plan.Vessel emergency plans pursuant to MARPOL 73/78 provide the actions that must be taken and the reporting...

Looking at recreational boating accidents may shed some light on hazards that ship owners and mariners might encounter. There were 4,515 recreational boating accidents in 2012 that resulted in 651 deaths, 3,000 injuries and an estimated $38 million in property damage, according to a U.S. Coast Guard report. Many maritime accidents are preventable with proper training and by following basic safety rules.4 Most Common Types of Boating AccidentsThe following are some common types of boating...

Mariners and boaters often use the phrase “Rules of the Nautical Road” to refer to the rules within the instruction manual, Navigation Rules, International-Inland (COMDTINST M16672.2D), published by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Navigation Standards Branch. This publication contains the navigation rules to which all vessels operating on U.S. waters must adhere.An Overview of the Navigation Rule HandbookThere are 38 rules contained within the publication, many containing several sub-rules. The...

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA-90) provided that after January 1, 2015, single hull oil barges will no longer be permitted to be commissioned; only double hull barges are to be used. This means that single hull barges will need to be decommissioned or refurbished to accommodate the new requirements.The Purpose behind the New RulesThe primary motivating factor behind upping the oil barge standards is environmental safety. Public outrage over the massive Exxon Valdez spill prompted...