RCP Accepted by USCG as Existing Safety Management System Under Subchapter M

On November 21 the U.S. Coast Guard formally accepted the AWO Responsible Carrier Program as an existing Safety Management System that complies with the requirements of Subchapter M. In a letter conveying the acceptance, RADM Paul Thomas, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, wrote, “This is a significant milestone in the implementation of Subchapter M and . . . your staff and your members are to be commended on this remarkable achievement. This is an important first step in instilling a culture of safety across the towing industry.”
 
RADM Thomas’s letter confirms that “With confirmation of full compliance with the RCP and of the requirements in Part 138.225 by a Third Party Organization (TPO), the TPO may issue a member company a TSMS certificate.” AWO will be meeting with the Coast Guard’s Subchapter M Implementation Team in December to discuss transition issues and facilitate members’ use of the RCP as a vehicle for compliance with the TSMS option under Subchapter M.
 
For more information, please contact Jennifer Carpenter or Caitlyn Stewart at (703) 841-9300, extensions 260 or 262, respectively, or jcarpenter@americanwaterways.com or cstewart@americanwaterways.com.