§ 138.80 - Applying for COFRs.

§ 138.80 Financial responsibility, how establishedApplying for COFRs.

(a) General. In addition to submitting an Application, requests for renewal, and fees, an applicant must file How to apply for a COFR. To apply for a COFR of any type, the COFR Operator must -

(1) Submit, or cause to be

filed

submitted,

with

to the Director,

NPFC, evidence of financial responsibility acceptable to the Director, NPFC, in an amount equal to the total applicable amount determined under

by one of the submission methods provided in § 138.

80

60(

f

c):

(

3). A guarantor may file the evidence of financial responsibility on behalf of the applicant directly with the Director, NPFC.

(b) Methods. An applicant or certificant must establish and maintain evidence of financial responsibility by one or more of the following methods:

(1) Insurance. By filing with the Director, NPFC, an Insurance Guaranty (Form CG-5586) or, when applying for a Master Certificate under § 138.110, a Master Insurance Guaranty (Form CG-5586-1), executed by not more than four insurers that have been found acceptable by, and remain acceptable to, the Director, NPFC, for purposes of this subpart.

(2) Surety bond. By filing with the Director, NPFC, a Surety Bond Guaranty (Form CG-5586-2), executed by not more than 10 acceptable surety companies certified by the United States Department of the Treasury with respect to the issuance of Federal bonds in the maximum penal sum of each bond to be issued under this subpart.

(3) Self-insurance. By filing with the Director, NPFC, the financial statements specified in paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section for the applicant's fiscal year preceding the date of Application and by demonstrating that the applicant or certificant maintains, in the United States, working capital and net worth each in amounts equal to or greater than the total applicable amount determined under § 138.80(f)(3), based on a vessel carrying hazardous substances as cargo. As used in this paragraph, working capital means the amount of current assets located in the United States, less all current liabilities anywhere in the world; and net worth means the amount of all assets located in the United States, less all liabilities anywhere in the world. For each fiscal year after the initial filing, the applicant or certificant must also submit statements as follows:

(i) Initial and annual filings. An applicant or certificant must submit annual, current, and audited non-consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and audited by an independent Certified Public Accountant in accordance with Generally Accepted Auditing Standards. These financial statements must be accompanied by an additional statement from the Treasurer (or equivalent official) of the applicant or certificant certifying both the amount of current assets and the amount of total assets included in the accompanying balance sheet, which are located in the United States. If the financial statements cannot be submitted in non-consolidated form, a consolidated statement may be submitted if accompanied by an additional statement prepared by the same Certified Public Accountant, verifying the amount by which the applicant's or certificant's -

(A) Total assets located in the United States exceed its total (i.e., worldwide) liabilities; and

(B) Current assets located in the United States exceed its total (i.e., worldwide) current liabilities. This additional Certified Public Accountant statement must specifically name the applicant or certificant, indicate that the amounts so verified relate only to the applicant or certificant, apart from any other affiliated entity, and identify the consolidated financial statement to which it applies.

(ii) Semiannual self-insurance submissions. When the self-insuring applicant's or certificant's demonstrated net worth is not at least ten times the total applicable amount of financial responsibility determined under § 138.80(f)(3), the applicant's or certificant's Treasurer (or equivalent official) must file affidavits with the Director, NPFC, covering the first six months of the applicant's or certificant's current fiscal year. The affidavits must state that neither the working capital nor the net worth have, during the first six months of the current fiscal year, fallen below the applicant's or certificant's required total applicable amount of financial responsibility as determined under this subpart.

(iii) Additional self-insurance submissions. A self-insuring applicant or certificant -

(A) Must, upon request of the Director, NPFC, within the time specified in the request, file additional financial information; and

(B) Must notify the Director, NPFC, within 5 business days of the date the applicant or certificant knows, or has reason to know, that its working capital or net worth has fallen below the total applicable amounts required by this subpart.

(iv) Time for self-insurance filings. All required annual financial statements must be received by the Director, NPFC, within 90 days after the close of the applicant's or certificant's fiscal year, and all affidavits required by paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this section must be received by the Director, NPFC, within 30 days after the close of the applicable six-month period. The Director, NPFC, may grant an extension of the time limits for filing the annual financial statements, semi-annual affidavits or additional financial information upon written request and for good cause shown. An applicant or certificant seeking an extension of any deadline must set forth the reasons for the extension request and deliver the request to the Director, NPFC, at least 15 days before the annual financial statements, affidavits or additional information are due. The Director, NPFC, will not consider a request for an extension of more than 60 days.

(v) Failure to submit. The Director, NPFC, may deny or revoke a Certificate for failure of the applicant or certificant to timely file any statement, data, notification, or affidavit required by paragraph (b)(3) of this section.

(vi) Waiver of working capital. The Director, NPFC, may waive the working capital requirement for any applicant or certificant that -

(A) Is a regulated public utility, a municipal or higher-level governmental entity, or an entity operating solely as a charitable, non-profit organization qualifying under Section 501(c) Internal Revenue Code. The applicant or certificant must demonstrate in writing that the grant of a waiver would benefit a local public interest; or

(B) Demonstrates in writing that working capital is not a significant factor in the applicant's or certificant's financial condition. An applicant's or certificant's net worth in relation to the amount of its required total applicable amount of financial responsibility and a history of stable operations are the major elements considered by the Director, NPFC.

(4) Financial guaranty. By filing with the Director, NPFC, a Financial Guaranty (Form CG-5586-3), or, when applying for a Master Certificate, a Master Financial Guaranty (Form CG-5586-4), executed by not more than four financial guarantors, including, but not limited to, a parent or affiliate acceptable to the Director, NPFC. A financial guarantor must comply with all of the self-insurance provisions of paragraph (b)(3) of this section. In addition, a person who is a financial guarantor for more than one applicant or certificant must have working capital and net worth no less than the aggregate total applicable amounts of financial responsibility determined under § 138.80(f)(3) provided as a financial guarantor for each applicant or certificant, plus the total applicable amount required to be demonstrated by a self-insurer under this subpart if the financial guarantor is also acting as a self-insurer.

(5) Other evidence of financial responsibility. The Director, NPFC, will not accept a self-insurance method other than the one described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section. An applicant may in writing request that the Director, NPFC, accept a method different from one described in paragraph (b)(1), (2), or (4) of this section to demonstrate evidence of financial responsibility. An applicant submitting a request under this paragraph must submit the request to the Director, NPFC, at least 45

i) An Application;

(A) For an Individual Certificate, list the name of the covered vessel, and the vessel's gross tonnage information, including the measurement system(s) used on the application;

(B) For a Fleet Certificate, instead of listing each individual barge, mark the box with the following statement: “This is an Application for a Fleet Certificate. The largest unmanned, non-self-propelled, non-tank barge to be covered by this Application is [INSERT APPLICABLE GROSS TONS] GT ITC and [INSERT GROSS TONNAGE] GRT”; and

(C) For a Master Certificate, instead of listing each individual vessel, mark the box with the following statement: “This is an Application for a Master Certificate. The largest tank vessel to be covered by this Application is [INSERT APPLICABLE GROSS TONS] GT ITC and [INSERT APPLICABLE GROSS TONS] GRT, as applicable. The largest vessel other than a tank vessel to be covered by this Application is [INSERT APPLICABLE GROSS TONS] GT ITC and [INSERT APPLICABLE GROSS TONS] GRT, as applicable.”

(ii) The evidence of financial responsibility using one of the guaranty methods provided in § 138.110;

(A) For a Fleet Certificate, the evidence of financial responsibility must be in the total applicable amount, determined as provided in § 138.100, for the largest unmanned, non-self-propelled, non-tank barge to be covered.

(B) For a Master Certificate, the evidence of financial responsibility must be in the total applicable amount determined as provided in § 138.100 for the largest tank vessel and largest non-tank vessel to be covered by the Master Certificate.

(iii) The agent for service of process designations required by § 138.130; and

(iv) All other supporting documentation required by this subpart.

(A) At the time of Application for a Master Certificate, the COFR Operator must submit a report to the Director, indicating: the name; previous name, if applicable; type; gross tonnage and measurement system(s) used, for each vessel covered by the Master Certificate, indicating which vessels, if any, are tank vessels. If a vessel has both a GT ITC and GRT tonnage, specify both gross tonnages.

(B) Six months after receiving a Master Certificate, and every 6 months thereafter, each COFR Operator must submit to the Director, an updated report, separately listing the vessels no longer covered by that Master Certificate. If a vessel has both a GT ITC and GRT, both gross tonnages must be specified. If a vessel has been transferred to another responsible party and the COFR Operator to whom the Master Certificate was issued ceases to be the vessel's operator, the COFR Operator must report the date and place of the transfer, and the name and contact information of the responsible party to whom the vessel was transferred. If the vessels covered by the Master Certificate have not changed from the previous report, the COFR Operator may submit an updated report that indicates no change from previous report.

(2) Pay, or cause to be paid, all fees required by § 138.120.

(b) Application deadline. The Director must receive the Application, evidence of financial responsibility, and other required supporting documentation, at least 21 days prior to the date the Certificate is required. The

applicant must describe in detail the method proposed, the reasons why the applicant does not wish to use or is unable to use one of the methods described in paragraph (b)(1), (2), or (4) of this section, and how the proposed method assures that the responsible parties for the vessel are able to fulfill their obligations to pay costs and damages in the event of an incident or a release or threatened release. The Director, NPFC, will not accept a method under this paragraph that merely deletes or alters a provision of one of the methods described in paragraph (b)(1), (2), or (4) of this section (for example, one that alters the termination clause of the Insurance Guaranty (Form CG-5586). An applicant that makes a request under this paragraph must provide the Director, NPFC, a proposed guaranty form that includes all the elements described in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section. A decision of the Director, NPFC, not to accept a method requested by an applicant under this paragraph is final agency action.

(c) Forms -

(1) Multiple guarantors. Four or fewer insurers (a lead underwriter is considered to be one insurer) may jointly execute an Insurance Guaranty (Form CG-5586) or a Master Insurance Guaranty (Form CG-5586-1). Ten or fewer sureties (including lead sureties) may jointly execute a Surety Bond Guaranty (Form CG-5586-2). Four or fewer financial guarantors may jointly execute a Financial Guaranty (Form CG-5586-3). If more than one insurer, surety, or financial guarantor executes the relevant form -

(i) Each is bound for the payment of sums only in accordance with the percentage of vertical participation specified on the relevant form for that insurer, surety, or financial guarantor. Participation in the form of layering (tiers, one in excess of another) is not acceptable; only vertical participation on a percentage basis and participation with no specified percentage allocation is acceptable. If no percentage of participation is specified for an insurer, surety, or financial guarantor, the liability of that insurer, surety, or financial guarantor is joint and several for the total of the unspecified portions; and

(ii) The guarantors must designate a lead guarantor having authority to bind all guarantors for actions required of guarantors under the Acts, including but not limited to receipt of designation of source, advertisement of a designation, and receipt and settlement of claims.

(2) Operator name. An applicant or certificant must ensure that each form submitted under this subpart sets forth in full the correct legal name of the vessel operator to whom a Certificate is to be issued.

(d) Direct action -

(1) Acknowledgment. Any evidence of financial responsibility filed with the Director, NPFC, under this subpart must contain an acknowledgment by each insurer or other guarantor that an action in court by a claimant (including a claimant by right of subrogation) for costs or damages arising under the provisions of the Acts, may be brought directly against the insurer or other guarantor. The evidence of financial responsibility must also provide that, in the event an action is brought under the Acts directly against the insurer or other guarantor, the insurer or other guarantor may invoke only the following rights and defenses:

(i) The incident, release, or threatened release was caused by the willful misconduct of the person for whom the guaranty is provided.

(ii) Any defense that the person for whom the guaranty is provided may raise under the Acts.

(iii) A defense that the amount of a claim or claims, filed in any action in any court or other proceeding, exceeds the amount of the guaranty with respect to an incident or with respect to a release or threatened release.

(iv) A defense that the amount of a claim or claims that exceeds the amount of the guaranty, which amount is based on the gross tonnage of the vessel as entered on the vessel's International Tonnage Certificate or other official, applicable certificate of measurement, except when the guarantor knew or should have known that the applicable tonnage certificate was incorrect.

(v) The claim is not one made under either of the Acts.

(2) Limitation on guarantor liability. A guarantor that participates in any evidence of financial responsibility under this subpart will be liable because of that participation, with respect to an incident or a release or threatened release, in any proceeding only for the amount and type of costs and damages specified in the evidence of financial responsibility. A guarantor will not be considered to have consented to direct action under any law other than the Acts, or to unlimited liability under any law or in any venue, solely because of the guarantor's participation in providing any evidence of financial responsibility under this subpart. In the event of any finding that liability of a guarantor exceeds the amount of the guaranty provided under this subpart, that guaranty is considered null and void with respect to that excess.

(e) Public access to data. Financial data filed with the Director, NPFC, by an applicant, certificant, and any other person is considered public information to the extent required by the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and permitted by the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a).

(f) Total applicable amount. The total applicable amount is determined as follows:

(1) The applicable amount under OPA 90 is equal to the applicable vessel limit of liability, which is determined as provided in subpart B of this part.

(2) The applicable amount under CERCLA is determined as follows:

(i) For a vessel over 300 gross tons carrying a hazardous substance as cargo, the greater of $5,000,000 or $300 per gross ton.

(ii) For any other vessel over 300 gross tons, the greater of $500,000 or $300 per gross ton.

(3) The total applicable amount is the applicable amount determined under paragraph (f)(1) of this section plus the applicable amount determined under paragraph (f)(2) of this section.

COFR Operator may seek an exception to the 21-day submission deadline only as provided in § 138.60(e)(3).

(c) Where to obtain Application forms. COFR Operators may create an Application using the online eCOFR web process (located at https://npfc.uscg.mil/cofr/default.aspx) or, if not using eCOFR, may obtain an “Application for Vessel Certificate of Financial Responsibility (Water Pollution)” at the same website.

(d) Requirement to verify, or sign and date, the Application.

(1) The COFR Operator must complete and either verify the Application in eCOFR as provided in § 138.60(c)(1)(i) or, if not using eCOFR, sign and date the hard-copy signature page of the Application and submit the signed Application to the Director, by one of the methods specified in § 138.60(c)(1)(ii) through (iv).

(2) The Application must include the title of the person signing it.

(3) If the person signing the Application is acting under a Power of Attorney, they must include a copy of the Power of Attorney with the Application.

(e) Requirement to update Applications. The COFR Operator must report any changes to the Application to the Director in writing, no later than 5 business days after discovery of the change. The Director may require that the COFR Operator submit a revised Application and provide additional evidence of financial responsibility, and pay any additional fees required by § 138.120.

(f) Amending Fleet and Master Certificates. Before operating a barge or vessel that exceeds the maximum gross tonnage indicated on the COFR, the COFR Operator must:

(1) Submit a new or amended Application, or a written request to supplement the Application, to reflect the new maximum gross tonnages on the COFR;

(2) Unless the COFR Operator qualifies as a self-insurer at the higher total applicable amount, submit, or cause to be submitted, evidence of financial responsibility using one of the guaranty methods provided in § 138.110 to the Director, demonstrating increased coverage based on the new maximum gross tonnage; and

(3) Pay a new certification fee, as required by § 138.120.