Coast Guard extends deadline on proposal to expand offshore training

Washington – The U.S. Coast Guard has extended its deadline to Sept. 8 for public comment on a proposed rule that would expand maritime safety training requirements.

In April, the Coast Guard announced it would consider expanding safety training to include all people who work on offshore supply vessels and mobile offshore units on the Outer Continental Shelf. The safety training regulations, which currently pertain only to maritime crew members, would apply to ships from any country.

The Coast Guard said the expansion of the offshore mineral and oil industry on the Outer Continental Shelf has prompted operations to move farther offshore and into deeper water. Such actions limit the availability and response time of emergency resources, and recent incidents such as the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion have highlighted the need for crew and non-crew members to know proper response actions during emergency situations.

The comment period 60-day extension was prompted by a request from the International Association of Drilling Contractors, the Coast Guard said.