33 CFR 155.5055: Training under nontank vessel response plans

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section covers training for people with responsibilities under a nontank vessel response plan. Vessels with an oil capacity of 250 barrels or greater must identify training in the plan and comply with the training requirements of 33 CFR 155.1055. Smaller vessels may use an alternative program instead.

Applies toNontank vessels, with different paths for those with an oil capacity of 250 barrels or greater and those with less than 250 barrels.

What it says

  1. For nontank vessels with an oil capacity of 250 barrels or greater, the vessel response plan submitted to meet § 155.5035 must identify the training to be provided to persons having responsibilities under the plan, including vessel crew members, the qualified individual, and the spill management team.

    33 CFR 155.5055(a)(1)“must identify the training to be provided to persons having responsibilities under the VRP, including members of the vessel crew, the qualified individual, and the spill management team.”

  2. For nontank vessels with an oil capacity of 250 barrels or greater, the training program must differentiate between training provided to vessel personnel and training provided to shore-based personnel.

    33 CFR 155.5055(a)(1)“The training program must differentiate between that training provided to vessel personnel and that training provided to shore-based personnel.”

  3. Appendix C of this part provides additional guidance regarding training.

    33 CFR 155.5055(a)(1)“Appendix C of this part provides additional guidance regarding training; and”

  4. For nontank vessels with an oil capacity of 250 barrels or greater, the vessel owner or operator must comply with the vessel response plan training requirements of 33 CFR 155.1055.

    33 CFR 155.5055(a)(2)“A vessel owner or operator must comply with the vessel response plan training requirements of 33 CFR 155.1055.”

  5. For nontank vessels with an oil capacity of less than 250 barrels, the vessel owner or operator must comply with either the VRP training requirements of paragraph (a) or the Alternative Training and Exercise Program requirements of § 155.5061.

    33 CFR 155.5055(b)“a vessel owner or operator must comply with the VRP training requirements of paragraph (a) of this section or the Alternative Training and Exercise Program requirements of § 155.5061.”

Common questions

Who must be covered by the training in a nontank vessel response plan?

The plan must identify training for persons having responsibilities under it, including vessel crew members, the qualified individual, and the spill management team.

“must identify the training to be provided to persons having responsibilities under the VRP, including members of the vessel crew, the qualified individual, and the spill management team.”

Can a small nontank vessel use an alternative to VRP training?

Yes. A nontank vessel with an oil capacity of less than 250 barrels may comply with the Alternative Training and Exercise Program requirements of § 155.5061 instead of the VRP training requirements of paragraph (a).

“a vessel owner or operator must comply with the VRP training requirements of paragraph (a) of this section or the Alternative Training and Exercise Program requirements of § 155.5061.”

Must the training program separate vessel and shore-based personnel?

Yes. The training program must differentiate between training provided to vessel personnel and training provided to shore-based personnel.

“The training program must differentiate between that training provided to vessel personnel and that training provided to shore-based personnel.”

The text of 33 CFR 155.5055

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Training

(a) For nontank vessels with an oil capacity of 250 barrels or greater—

(1) A vessel response plan (VRP) submitted to meet the requirements of § 155.5035 must identify the training to be provided to persons having responsibilities under the VRP, including members of the vessel crew, the qualified individual, and the spill management team. The training program must differentiate between that training provided to vessel personnel and that training provided to shore-based personnel. Appendix C of this part provides additional guidance regarding training; and

(2) A vessel owner or operator must comply with the vessel response plan training requirements of 33 CFR 155.1055.

(b) For nontank vessels with an oil capacity of less than 250 barrels, a vessel owner or operator must comply with the VRP training requirements of paragraph (a) of this section or the Alternative Training and Exercise Program requirements of § 155.5061.

Sections it refers to

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.