Offshore Marine Service Association

Congress mulls Jones Act changes that could affect offshore energy operations

Congress is considering changes in federal law that could affect how the Jones Act is applied to vessels working in the offshore oil and gas and offshore wind industries.

At issue are provisions in the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2019 that passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on June 26.

The Jones Act restricts domestic maritime commerce — including that occurring beyond the U.S. territorial limits offshore —  to qualified U.S.-flag vessels that are built, owned and...

https://www.workboat.com/news/offshore/congress-mulls-jones-act-changes-that-could-affect-offshore-energy-operations/

OMSA announces formation of wind committee

The Atlantic Pioneer built by Blount Boats is the first and so far only U.S. flag offshore wind crew transfer vessel. Blount Boats photo

The Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) announced today the formation of the OMSA Wind Committee and announced that membership on the committee is now open to all OMSA members.

The committee was officially created by a resolution unanimously adopted by the OMSA board of directors. The board charged the committee with making recommendations to the board and OMSA staff on strategies and initiatives that increase U.S. maritime industry involvement in the offshore wind sector. The committee...

https://www.workboat.com/news/offshore/omsa-announces-formation-of-wind-committee/

Trump may waive Jones Act for LNG shipments, Bloomberg report says

The Jones Act tanker Liberty. NASSCO photo.

Bloomberg reported Tuesday that President Donald Trump is considering waiving the Jones Act requirement that only U.S.-flagged vessels can move natural gas from U.S. ports to Puerto Rico or the Northeast.

The issue was debated during an Oval Office meeting on Monday after the administration received requests from Puerto Rico and after getting pressured by the oil industry to waive Jones Act requirements, according to three people familiar with the deliberations, Bloomberg said. The report said...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/trump-may-waive-jones-act-for-lng-shipments/

New rules coming for OSV use in disaster recovery

The Hornbeck OSV Red Dawn. With their big cargo decks and massive tank capacity, OSVs can be suitable for disaster recovery operations, industry advocates say. Easter Shipbuilding photo

The Coast Guard’s advisory panel on offshore safety has completed recommendations for how offshore supply vessels, crewboats and other vessels in the energy industry can be safely put to work assisting in disaster relief.

Those proposed steps include creating a new ‘response, restoration, and recovery vessel’ Certificate of Inspection (COI) endorsement. The so-called “Triple R Vessel” or TRV endorsement would allow operators to get preapproval of vessels that would be available to assist after...

https://www.workboat.com/news/offshore/new-rules-coming-for-osv-use-in-disaster-recovery/

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