View non-flash version
tions under certain limited conditions. The conclusion was that they could, and Policy Letter 3-98 was the result. Now, owners of all types of passenger vessels (not just casino vessels) operat- ing in "benign, low-risk" environments may conduct a series of underwater sur- veys and internal examinations in accor- dance with the Policy Letter and receive a 30-month extension of the drydock requirement. Each vessel must be oper- ating in "benign, low-risk environments, defined as which are operated in "...fresh water, (less corrosion risk), near-shore and/or shallow water, mud- bottom rivers, limited routes and limited time underway." In the past year, more than a dozen casino vessels have completed Special Drydock Extension Surveys and have been granted 30-month extensions. Since the underwater surveys have been recently completed, it is difficult to make a definitive statement as to long- term reliability of the results compared to actual drydock examinations. There have been no safety problems or techni- cal issues which might cause USCG to reconsider allowing this alternative pro- cedure. Underwater survey reports have documented hull conditions in detail, sometimes in more quantitative terms than is normally done at a traditional drydock examination. Undeniably, the video and ultrasonic gauging records are much more extensive than those normal- ly made during a traditional drydock examination. In fact, confidence in the program is strong enough that the exist- ing policy is being refined and incorpo- rated into a Notice of Proposed Rule- making which will eventually result in new regulations. For the gaming vessel owners who have opted to conduct Special Drydock Extension Surveys, the impact has been extremely positive. In every case, both USCG and the cognizant state gaming agency have allowed gaming to continue while the vessel was examined at the dock, except for brief periods when the hull was opened for valve, shaft or rud- der removals, passenger operations were not interrupted. In order for the Special Drydock Extension Survey program to be reliable and successful, all involved parties must know their roles and perform them cor- rectly. The vessel owner must first decide whether the Special Drydock Extension (underwater) Survey is the right choice for his operation. Currently, for vessels operating more than six months of the year in fresh water, the drydock and tailshaft inspection interval is five years. To determine whether actu- al drydocking or underwater survey makes the most economic sense, he should consider all costs (direct and indirect) of each drydocking versus underwater survey. For the underwater survey program, a commitment must also be made to perform the Hull Main- June, 1999 tenance and Assessment Program speci- fied in the policy letter. For casino ves- sels, the underwater survey is the hands down winner because of the ability to continue dockside gaming throughout the process. Owners of non-casino pas- senger vessels may conclude that the rel- atively higher expense, in most cases, of an underwater survey (especially if in- water hull repairs or shaft replacements are required) makes the traditional dry- dock examination more advantageous. The owner should become familiar with Policy Letter 3-98 and the applicable references, such as the Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) for underwater surveys. Next, proposals should be solicited from qualified diving NORTHEAST INDUSTRIAL & MARINE EQUIPMENT SUPPLY 661 ROUTE 9, CAPE MAY NJ 08204 800-884-3152 609-884-3152 Fax: 609-884-3170 H * WE SPECIALIZE IN REPLACEMENT PARTS AND EQUIPMENT FOR ALL MAJOR HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC MANUFACTURERS • Hydraulic Motors • Control Valves • Hydraulic Pumps • Winches • Industrial Hardware • Electric Motors • Winch & Motors Repairs • Custom Hydraulic Power Units ELECTRIC MOTORS 1/2 H.P. 1,000 H.P. WATER PUMPS 20 TO 1,000 Gal. per Minute Machine Shop Services National & International Services Custom Capstan's 1,000 to 50,000 Line Pull Oil Water Separators Water Makers Custom Built Winches & Work Platforms Anchoring Systems Used Equipment Refurbishing HARD TO FIND ITEMS AHB SneMAI w OUR arcwIAL i Y Welding Services Circle 236 on Reader Service Card Need An EXPERT? USCG-Accepted Third Party Examiners For Underwater Hull Surveys New Construction & Repair Oversight Regulatory Liaison Accident Investigation Expert Witness Testimony Crew Training EACH of ourfive consultant-surveyors has over 20 years of experience in the marine industry & regulatory agencies MARINE SAFETY EXPERTS, INC. GARY JET CENTER 5401 INDUSTRIAL HIGHWAY • GARY, INDIANA 46406 (800) 617-9288 FAX (630) 305-9379 CAPT. CLAY A. FUST, USCG (ret.) Marine/Industrial Supplies & Safety Equipment LYNN PETERSON, PRESIDENT PH/FAX: (847) 742-6674 Certified Woman-Owned Business M E C A MARINE I N North American Shipbuilding chose Jastram steering when building this 260ft. anchor handling tug and supply vessel. Jastram Hydraulic Steering Systems are the ideal choice when designing a new vessel or planning a retrofit. ENGINEERING LTD. 467 Mountain Highway North Vancouver, B.C. Canada V7J 2L3 Tel: (604) 986-0714 Fax: (604) 986-0334 Web: www.jastram.ca e-mail: marketing@jastram.ca Circle 196 on Reader Service Card Circle 311 on Reader Service Card 105 Next time you think of steering