10
Mar
The USCG has updated the Coast Guard Headquarters issued Marine Safety Bulletin 02-20 NOVEL CORONAVIRUS
Highlights include:
- Vessels destined for a U.S. port are required to report to the CDC any sick or deceased crew/passengers during 15 days prior to arrival at the U.S. port.
- To report an illness or death onboard, use the Maritime Conveyance Illness or Death Investigation Form. Here is a link to that form —> (Click here)
- Use a separate form for each ill or deceased person.
- Masters should submit the form to the CDC Quarantine Station with jurisdiction over the next US Seaport of arrival via email, fax, or telephone.
- For a list of CDC Quarantine Stations —> (Click here). The CDC Quarantine Station for Louisiana Ports is located in Houston, TX. See information attached or (Click here).
Vessels Arriving in US Ports:
- Passenger vessels or any vessel carrying passengers that have been to Iran or China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) or embarked passengers who have been in Iran or China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) within the last 14 days will be denied entry into the United States. If all passengers exceed 14 days since being in Iran or China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) and are symptom free, the vessel will be permitted to enter the United States to conduct normal operations.
- Non-passenger commercial vessels that have been to Iran or China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) or embarked crewmembers who have been in Iran or China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) within the last 14 days, with no sick crewmembers, will be permitted to enter the U.S. and conduct normal operations, with restrictions. Crewmembers on these vessels will be required under COTP authority to remain aboard the vessel except to conduct specific activities directly related to vessel cargo or provisioning operations.
- The Coast Guard considers it a hazardous condition under 33 CFR 160.216 if a crewmember who was in Iran or China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) within the past 14-days is brought onboard the vessel during transit. This requires immediate notification to the nearest Coast Guard COTP.
- The Coast Guard will continue to review all “Notice of Arrivals” in accordance with current policies and will communicate any concerns stemming from sick or deceased crew or passengers to their Coast Guard chain of command and the cognizant CDC quarantine station, who will coordinate with local health authorities.
- Vessel masters shall inform Coast Guard boarding teams of any ill crewmembers on their vessel prior to embarking the team.
- Maritime facility operators are reminded that they are not permitted to impede the embarkation/ disembark of crew members as permitted under Seafarer’s access regulations. This authority resides with CBP, Coast Guard, or the CDC for medical matters. Facility operators should contact their local CBP, Coast Guard, or CDC/health department offices regarding specifics questions or concerns about their individual operations.
LCDR Corinne Plummer, USCG Sector New Orleans Waterways Management, provided the following:
Please find attached the UNCLAS sections of the AMSP and MTS Recovery Plans discussed in the 09 MAR COVID-19 update MSIB.
- Both documents (only the attached section of the AMSP) are releasable to our local stakeholders to familiarize themselves with the applicable sections of these plans.
- The MTS Recovery Plan generally describes how the CG and Partners will collaborate our responses to any disruptions to the MTS.
Attachments (links at the top of this post):
