Justin M. - Comments

Hello, I have worked in the towing industry for the last 7 years, working mostly as an engineer. I have worked for 3 companies, the last company i worked for towed fuel barges up and down the west coast. I have read most of the proposed changes to the uninspected towing vessel industry, and I find it hard to believe that there is nothing in the proposed changes which require a licensed engineer to be onboard these vessels. 35% of accidents are caused by equipment failures, yet companies are still allowed to hire the most inexperienced people to maintain their vessels. Who knows how many gallons of fuel and bilge waste are pumped over the side yearly by people with nothing to lose, as opposed to a licensed and trained individual, who realizes the impact of such actions, and who understands the systems onboard a given vessel. I would like to see a requirement such as this, for many reasons. Fewer failures, less impact to the environment, more transparency during audits, and greater crew safety.