Lloyd’s Register and MarineCFO have signed an agreement to offer Subchapter M compliance services to the U.S. towing industry.
The companies announced that they will focus their efforts on small and mid-sized towing fleets operating in the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee River Valleys, as well as coastal tug fleets operating on the East Coast and Pacific Northwest.
London-based Lloyd’s Register is among the third-party classification societies that have been authorized by the Coast Guard to certify Subchapter M compliance. Subchapter M became effective on July 20 and expands inspection requirements for towing vessels. MarineCFO, Houma, La., offers marine-specific operational and business technology solutions, including the recently introduced Vessel365 software that helps operators manage Subchapter M documentation requirements.
“Lloyd’s Register is a known market leader in the global inland waterways segment, and we bring that practical knowledge, technical expertise, and innovative mindset to the U.S.,” said Rafael Riva, Lloyd’s Register’s marine and offshore business development manager for the Americas. “The recurring challenge for towing vessel owners will be to implement a compliant towing safety management system with as little impact on commercial operations as possible. LR has built a reputation in the U.S. on customer satisfaction through value and flexibility. The large LR survey and audit staff are strategically distributed throughout the country to meet the expansive delivery requirements created by Subchapter M.”
“Any viable towing safety management system must be complemented by a transparent, easy to use recordkeeping solution that is scalable, affordable, and dependable,” said David Hanowski, CEO of MarineCFO. “Vessel 365 exceeds Subchapter M recordkeeping requirements and is the natural complement to LR’s compliance and quality assurance service portfolio. The Subchapter M agreement between Lloyd’s Register and MarineCFO will be a tough combination to beat especially from a pricing, servicing, and technology perspective.”
More information on the new service is available on the Lloyd's Register website.
