Last week, the Marine Safety Center (MSC) has published Marine Technical Note (MTN) 1-17, “Guidance on Verification for Subchapter M Towing Vessels."

MTN 1-17 identifies the process for requesting and documenting verification of compliance with design standards. The MSC concurrently published a number of Design Verification Guides for Subchapter M vessels, which provide detailed discussion and interpretation of the regulatory requirements to ensure plan submitters understand the Coast Guard’s requirements.

Additionally, MTN 1-17 incorporates previously issued guidance. Design verification related "Frequently Asked Questions" are available on the Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise’s website.

MSC Bulletin 04-16 has been canceled. Following the publication of Subchapter M, inspection of towing vessels, the MSC published Bulletin 04-16, "Submittal of Documents to MSC for Review per 46 CFR Subchapter M." It provided initial information regarding submission of plans to the Coast Guard.

For more information and resources regarding Subchapter M, review other posts on Maritime Commons.