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USCG Implements Annual Commercial Inspection User Fees Beginning May 1, 1995, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) inspections and examinations of U.S. and for- eign commercial vessels will no longer be performed free of charge. Under newly published regulations, U.S. vessels and foreign vessels re- ceiving a USCG Certificate of In- spection (COI) must pay an annual vessel inspection fee on or before a pre-established user fee anniver- sary date. Under the Omnibus Bud- get Reconciliation Act of 1990, the USCG is required to establish and collect user fees for its services re- lating to the inspection and exami- nation of U.S. and foreign commer- cial vessels. A collection system for vessel inspection fees has also been established. Vessel owners/opera- tors, for the most part, will mail the payments directly to a central col- lection point in Atlanta, Ga., and payment entries will be made in the USCG database. Approximately six weeks prior to a vessel's fee anniversary date, the USCG will send a user fee noti- fication letter to the owner of a vessel operating with a Coast Guard COI. Payment of the user fees will entitle a vessel owner or operator to all periodic and follow-on inspec- tion services related to the COI during the year. Foreign vessels, such as tankships that are required to have a USCG Tank Exam (TVE) Letter or USCG Letter of Compli- ance (LOC), or Mobile Offshore Drilling Units required to have a LOC, must pay the examination fee before any examination services are provided. For more specific infor- mation regarding the user fee pay- ment process, vessel owners may call (800) 941-3337. CSC Selected For Two U.S. Navy Contracts Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC) was awarded two contracts by the U.S. Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center in San Diego. The awards are valued at a total of $29.3 million if all options are exercised. Under a $24.8 mil- lion, five-year award, CSC will pro- vide systems engineering and inte- gration services for the Navy's Op- erations Support System (OSS) de- velopment program. The second award is a three-year contract val- ued at $4.5 million to perform Inde- pendent Verification and Valida- tion (IV&V) and engineering sup- port for tactical data systems for the Caribbean Regional Operations Center. Both contracts will be per- formed by CSC's Applied Technol- ogy Division. Team members with CSC on the OSS contract are FGM Inc., in Herndon, Va.; and Norex Co. and SAIC, both of San Diego. Collaborating with CSC on the Car- ibbean contract is Trandes Corp. of San Diego. For more information on CSC Circle 118 on Reader Service Card WCS Develops Window- Based Communications Accounting Software World Communication Systems (WCS) now offers AstroCount, a soft- ware package which allows the ship operator to accurately monitor, man- age and control communications overhead. With the advent of GMDSS, increased reliance on ship- to-shore communications is a sig- nificant element in the shipowner's profit and loss scenario. The new package provides a means for real- time management of these expendi- tures. AstroCount is designed to be simple and flexible. At menu prompts the operator enters the per- minute charges for the Inmarsat Coast Earth Stations which are used, identifies high and low peak peri- ods, and assigns area codes to the countries called. WCS President Armin Jabs an- nounced the appointment of Johan Hansen to the position of market- ing manager, responsible for Scandinavia. Mr. Hansen has an extensive professional knowledge of the maritime trade from his associa- tion in positions with Standard Elec- tric A/S, ITT Marine, Thrane and Thrane A/S and Skanti A/S. For more information on WCS Circle 131 on Reader Service Card QUALITY SYSTEM CERTIFIED BY IACS QSCS In September 1993, ABS launched the SafeHull™ System for tanker newbuildings. This computer-based tool simulates the real-life experience of ships at sea. Then we introduced our ABS SafeHull Condition Assessment Services for existing tankers. Now we offer the SafeHull System for new and existing bulk carriers. The system determines the specific dynamic loads which act upon a bulk carrier at sea. It identifies critical structural areas that require enhancement, to lower the ship's operating stresses. ABS SafeHull for bulk carriers benefits designers, owners and operators. It helps reduce the risk of structural failures, thereby lowering your life-cycle maintenance and repair costs. SafeHull fulfills the ABS mission of promoting the safety of life and property at sea. For more information, call your nearest ABS office. £ Seatrade AWARDS 1994 New York 212 839-5000 Houston 713 873-0700 Singapore 65 276-8700 London 44-71 247-3255 THE ABS SAFEHULIT SYSTEM April, 1995 Circle 348 on Fleader Service Card 39
