Each officer employed on any vessel subject to this subchapter must have his or her license or merchant mariner credential onboard and available for examination at all times when the vessel is operating.

[USCG-2006-24371, 74 FR 11267, Mar. 16, 2009]

(a) The owner, charterer, master, or managing operator of a vessel carrying overnight passengers shall have a suitable number of watchmen patrol throughout the vessel during the nighttime, whether or not the vessel is underway, to guard against, and give alarm in case of, a fire, man overboard, or other dangerous situation.

(b) Vessels described by 46 CFR 175.110(d) must submit plans to the cognizant OCMI, in accordance with 46 CFR 176.700, for the installation and use of monitoring device to ensure the wakefulness of the watchmen required in paragraph (a) of this section. Vessels with a keel laid date after March 28, 2022, must include plans for the monitoring device(s) within the plan submissions required in 46 CFR 177.202. The Coast Guard will work with the vessel operators to determine a reasonable implementation schedule once the plans are accepted. The monitoring device(s) must:

(1) Ensure the wakefulness of the crew in the event that the watchman required in paragraph (a) of this section is unresponsive;

(2) Remain operable during the nighttime watch; and

(3) Be arranged to ensure proper coverage of the passenger accommodation spaces, common areas, and spaces with potential fire hazards.

[CGD 85-080, 61 FR 1005, Jan. 10, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 51359, Sept. 30, 1997; USCG-2021-0306, 86 FR 73172, Dec. 27, 2021]

(a) The owner, charterer, master or managing operator shall instruct each crew member, upon first being employed and prior to getting underway for the first time on a particular vessel and at least once every three months, as to the duties that the crew member is expected to perform in an emergency including, but not limited to, the emergency instructions listed on the emergency instruction placard required by § 185.510 of this part and, when applicable, the duties listed in the station bill required by § 185.514 of this part.

(b) For a vessel described by 46 CFR 175.110(c), the training program in paragraph (a) of this section must address firefighting proficiency and must include, but need not be limited to—

(1) Training in the use and location of firefighting equipment and general firefighting knowledge, including:

(i) Location of firefighting appliances and emergency escape routes;

(ii) Types and sources of ignition;

(iii) Flammable materials, fire hazards and spread of fire;

(iv) The need for constant vigilance;

(v) Actions to be taken on board;

(vi) Fire and smoke detection and automatic systems on board; and

(vii) Classification of fire and applicable extinguishing agents.

(2) The drills required by § 185.524, including fire location and fire type; and

(3) Emergency egress training for each member of the crew, to occur for all members of the crew—

(i) At least monthly while such members are employed on board the vessels; and

(ii) Each time a crew member joins the crew of such vessel.

(c) Training conducted on a sister vessel may be considered equivalent to the initial, monthly, and quarterly training requirements contained in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

(d) Crew training shall be logged or otherwise documented for review by the Coast Guard upon request. The training entry shall include the following information.

(1) Date of the training; and

(2) General description of the training topics.

[CGD 85-080, 61 FR 1005, Jan. 10, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 51359, Sept. 30, 1997; USCG-2021-0306, 86 FR 73173, Dec. 27, 2021]