NVIC 20-14: High-speed craft type-rating endorsement guidance

Commandant 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE United States Coast Guard Washington, DC 20593-7501 Staff Symbol: CG-CVC-4 Phone: (202) 372-2357 E-Mail: MMCPolicy@uscg.mil COMDTPUB P16721 NVIC 20-14 August 25, 2014 NAVIGATION AND VESSEL INSPECTION CIRCULAR NO. 20-14 Subj: GUIDELINES FOR QUALIFICATION FOR HIGH-SPEED CRAFT TYPE-RATING ENDORSEMENTS Ref: (a) Title 46 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 11.821

Guidelines for Qualifications for High-Speed Craft Type-Rating Endorsements — PURPOSE. This Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) provides guidance for

qualification for and revalidation of high-speed craft (HSC) type-rating endorsements.

Guidelines for Qualifications for High-Speed Craft Type-Rating Endorsements — ACTION. The Coast Guard will use this NVIC and 46 CFR 11.821 when establishing

whether candidates are qualified to hold HSC type-rating endorsements. Officers in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMIs) should bring this NVIC to the attention of the maritime industry within their zones of responsibility. This NVIC is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvic/. The Coast Guard will distribute it by electronic means only.

Guidelines for Qualifications for High-Speed Craft Type-Rating Endorsements — DIRECTIVES AFFECTED. This NVIC supersedes National Maritime Center (NMC)

Policy Letter 06-01, Qualification for Issuance of Type Rating Endorsements Authorizing Service on High-Speed Craft.

Guidelines for Qualifications for High-Speed Craft Type-Rating Endorsements — BACKGROUND.

a. The International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft, 2000 (the HSC Code) provides guidelines for qualification of personnel serving on HSC. As a party to the HSC Code, the Coast Guard has implemented these portions of the HSC Code at 46 CFR 11.821, and this NVIC provides further guidance. DISTRIBUTION – SDL No. 162 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z A B X X X X X C X X D X X E X X F G H NAVIGATION AND VESSEL INSPECTION CIRCULAR NO. 20-14 b. The HSC Code is developed to be applied as a complete set of comprehensive requirements. The basic aim of the HSC code is to set levels of safety equivalent to conventional ships. This includes the training and competence of the crew. c. The HSC Code requires that the Master and all officers having an operational role on high-speed craft be type rated. Type rating is a periodic process that involves physical examination, operational and/or simulator training, and practical demonstrations leading to an assessment of competence commensurate with the tasks required for a particular class of craft operating upon a specific route.

Guidelines for Qualifications for High-Speed Craft Type-Rating Endorsements — DISCUSSION.

a. Masters, Mates, and Engineers seeking a HSC type-rating endorsement must hold a valid U. S. Coast Guard officer endorsement authorizing service in the appropriate grade, tonnage, horsepower, and route of the vessel(s) for which the type rating will be valid. Other members of the crew are required to receive training in accordance with section 18.3 of the HSC Code, but are not required to hold HSC type-rating endorsements. Guidance on qualification requirements is provided in Enclosure (1). b. Under 46 CFR 11.821(b)(2), qualification for a HSC type-rating endorsement requires successful completion of a Coast Guard approved training program. Guidance for the development of training programs leading to a HSC type-rating endorsement is provided in Enclosure (2). c. Mariners seeking to renew an HSC type-rating endorsement must demonstrate continued competency as specified in 46 CFR 11.821(e). Additional information concerning continued competency can be found in Enclosure (1). d. Excerpts from the HSC Code have been provided in enclosure (3) for informational purposes only.

Guidelines for Qualifications for High-Speed Craft Type-Rating Endorsements — DISCLAIMER. This guidance is not a substitute for applicable legal requirements, nor is it

itself a regulation. It is not intended to nor does it impose legally-binding requirements on any party. It represents the Coast Guard’s current thinking on this topic and is issued for guidance purposes to outline methods of best practice for compliance to the applicable law. You can use an alternative approach if the approach satisfies the requirements of the applicable statutes and regulations.

Guidelines for Qualifications for High-Speed Craft Type-Rating Endorsements — ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECT AND IMPACT CONSIDERATIONS.

a. The development of this NVIC and the general policies contained within it have been thoroughly reviewed by the originating office, and are categorically excluded (CE) under current USCG CE # 33 from further environmental analysis, in accordance with Section 2.B.2. and Figure 2-1 of the National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures and Policy for Considering Environmental Impacts, COMDTINST M16475.1 (series). Because this NVIC implements, without substantive change, the applicable Commandant Instruction or other federal agency regulations, procedures, manuals, and other guidance documents, Coast Guard categorical exclusion #33 is appropriate.