NVIC 06-91: Fire drills and on-board training guidance

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

NVIC 6-91 is Coast Guard guidance that calls attention to and endorses IMO MSC/Circular 544, "Fire Drills and On-Board Training." It says owners and operators should implement the recommendations of enclosure (1) to enhance vessel safety. It is a circular, not a regulation.

Applies toThe circular is addressed to ship owners and operators, and urges Officers in Charge, Marine Inspection to share enclosure (1) with the marine industry in their zones.

What it says

  1. The purpose of this circular is to call attention to and endorse IMO MSC/Circular 544, "Fire Drills and On-Board Training."

    “The purpose of this Circular is to call attention to and endorse IMO MSC/Circular”

  2. The U.S. Coast Guard endorses the proposed amendments for drills and on-board training set out in MSC/Circ.544.

    NVIC 06-91 a.“The U.S. Coast Guard endorses the proposed amendments for drills and on-board training set out in MSC/Circ.544.”

  3. The Coast Guard says that using these recommendations with IMO Resolution A.647(16) will increase safety aboard ships, reduce pollution, and improve crew preparedness in an emergency.

    NVIC 06-91 a.“will increase the level of safety aboard ships, reduce pollution, and improve the overall preparedness of the crews in the event of an emergency.”

  4. Owners and operators can improve vessel safety through a company policy that states the importance of vessel safety and is put into practice by holding drills and on-board training as delineated in MSC/Circ.544.

    NVIC 06-91 b.“Owners and operators can improve the safety of their vessels with company policy which states the importance of vessel safety”

  5. Officers in Charge, Marine Inspection are urged to bring enclosure (1) to the attention of appropriate individuals in the marine industry in their zones.

    NVIC 06-91 a.“Officers in Charge, Marine Inspection are urged to bring enclosure (1) to the attention of appropriate individuals in the marine industry in their zones.”

  6. Owners and operators should implement the recommendations of enclosure (1) in order to enhance the safety of their vessels.

    NVIC 06-91 b.“Owners and operators should implement the recommendations of enclosure (1) in order to enhance the safety of their vessels.”

Common questions

What is NVIC 6-91 about?

It calls attention to and endorses IMO MSC/Circular 544, "Fire Drills and On-Board Training."

“The purpose of this Circular is to call attention to and endorse IMO MSC/Circular”

Does NVIC 6-91 say owners and operators should follow MSC/Circ.544?

Yes. It says owners and operators should implement the recommendations of enclosure (1) to enhance the safety of their vessels.

“Owners and operators should implement the recommendations of enclosure (1) in order to enhance the safety of their vessels.”

What does the Coast Guard expect from using the MSC/Circ.544 recommendations?

The Coast Guard says use of the recommendations with IMO Resolution A.647(16) will increase safety aboard ships, reduce pollution, and improve crew preparedness.

“will increase the level of safety aboard ships, reduce pollution, and improve the overall preparedness of the crews in the event of an emergency.”

The text of NVIC 06-91

U.S. Coast Guard, NVIC 06-91 (main body; enclosures not shown)

Fire Drills and On-Board Training

COMDTPUB P16700.4 NVIC 6-91 28 Mar 1991 NAVIGATION AND VESSEL INSPECTION CIRCULAR NO. 6-91 Electronic Version for Distribution Via the World Wide Web Subj: Fire Drills and On-Board Training

Fire Drills and On-Board Training — PURPOSE. The purpose of this Circular is to call attention to and endorse IMO MSC/Circular

544, "Fire Drills and On-Board Training," which was approved by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) on 5 June 1990 pending introduction into the SOLAS Convention.

Fire Drills and On-Board Training — BACKGROUND. IMO has been putting great emphasis on the role of human factor

considerations. To this end, Assembly Resolution A.647(16) was adopted in 1989 to provide guidelines to ship owners and operators for improving operating practices and developing company policies on safe ship operation and pollution prevention. This in turn has been endorsed by the Coast Guard in NVIC 1-90. In addition, IMO issued an information circular MSC/Circ.544 in 1990, to provide recommendations and guidance for the proper conduct and recording of fire drills and on-board crew training.

Fire Drills and On-Board Training — DISCUSSION.

a. The U.S. Coast Guard endorses the proposed amendments for drills and on-board training set out in MSC/Circ.544. Use of these recommendations by ship owners and operators in conjunction with IMO Resolution A.647(16) will increase the level of safety aboard ships, reduce pollution, and improve the overall preparedness of the crews in the event of an emergency. b. Owners and operators can improve the safety of their vessels with company policy which states the importance of vessel safety, and then putting company policy into practice by holding drills and on-board training as delineated in MSC/Circ.544.

Fire Drills and On-Board Training — IMPLEMENTATION.

a. Officers in Charge, Marine Inspection are urged to bring enclosure (1) to the attention of appropriate individuals in the marine industry in their zones. b. Owners and operators should implement the recommendations of enclosure (1) in order to enhance the safety of their vessels. NAVIGATION AND VESSEL INSPECTION CIRCULAR NO. 6-91 End: (1) MSC/Circ.544, "Fire Drills and On-Board Training" Non-Standard Distribution: C:e New Orleans (90); Baltimore (45); San Francisco (40); Philadelphia, Port Arthur, Honolulu, Puget Sound (35); Miami, Houston, Mobile, Morgan City, Los Angeles/Long Beach (25); Hampton Roads, Jacksonville, Portland OR (20); Boston, Portland ME, Charleston, Galveston, Anchorage (15); Cleveland (12); Louisville, Memphis, Paducah, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Juan, Savannah, Tampa, Chicago, Buffalo, Detroit, Duluth, Milwaukee, San Diego, Juneau, Valdez (10); providence, Huntington, Wilmington, Corpus Christi, Toledo, Guam (5). C:m New York (70); St. Ignace (5); Sturgeon Bay (4). D:d Except Baltimore, Monterey, Moriches. D:1 CG Liaison Officer MILSEALIFTCOMD (Code N-7CG), CG Liaison Officer RSPA (DHM-22), CG Liaison Officer MARAD (MAR-720.2), CG Liaison Officer JUSMAGPHIL (1). NOAA (Fleet Inspection Officer, NCx5) (1).

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. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.