A new policy letter from the U.S. Coast Guard provides a transparent pathway for U.S. vessels operating in the offshore energy sector to participate in disaster recovery activities, reports gCaptain Daily.
The policy letter provides guidance for when and under what circumstances and conditions the USCG will consider equivalencies and exemptions so that domestic offshore energy vessels, such as highly-capable offshore supply vessels (OSVs), can participate in disaster recovery operations and provides a pathway that vessel owners should utilize to request such equivalencies and exemptions.
The new guidance was issued one day after the Department of Homeland Security issued a “temporary and targeted” Jones Act waiver allowing a foreign tanker to deliver 300,000 barrels of diesel that was loaded in Texas to Puerto Rico following Hurricane Fiona. Read the entire story.
