The letter requests the elimination of the type-approval regulatory system that forces manufacturers into costly, duplicate certification processes and limits vessel operators’ access to cutting-edge equipment
New Orleans, LA — As the federal government intensifies efforts to reduce burdensome maritime regulations, the Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) is calling on the Administration to eliminate all 95 U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) "type-approval" requirements for equipment installed on U.S.-flagged vessels.
“Type-approvals impose heavy costs, stifle competition, and create needless barriers for American mariners and vessel owners,” said OMSA President Aaron Smith. “Eliminating them would streamline equipment procurement without compromising safety, environmental protection, or property.”
USCG’s type-approval rules require pre-installation approval of certain equipment, even when that equipment already meets rigorous international standards, such as those set by the International Standards Organization (ISO). This duplicative process delays deployment of advanced technologies, limits equipment options, and strains both industry and Coast Guard resources.
“Type-approvals impose heavy costs, stifle competition, and create needless barriers for American mariners and vessel owners,” said OMSA President Aaron Smith. “Eliminating them would streamline equipment procurement without compromising safety, environmental protection, or property.”
USCG’s type-approval rules require pre-installation approval of certain equipment, even when that equipment already meets rigorous international standards, such as those set by the International Standards Organization (ISO). This duplicative process delays deployment of advanced technologies, limits equipment options, and strains both industry and Coast Guard resources.
Two engines. Same specs. Same lifesaving capability. One approved, one denied, not because of performance, but because of paperwork and a required USCG factory inspection.
One stark example is with inflatable liferafts, where the USCG’s 11,000-word rule repeats the ISO requirements that the rafts already meet, adding only expensive and time-consuming requirements for the factories and companies that make the rafts. OMSA urges the Coast Guard to cut the extra steps and adhere to accepted international standards.
“With all these rules, USCG inspectors are being diverted from critical safety work to duplicate tasks already handled by global standards bodies,” says Smith.
Type-approvals have been noted to cause artificial shortages of maritime equipment. In Louisiana, there are currently no USCG-approved rescue-boat engines available, despite the state being one of the nation’s primary offshore hubs. After an approved engine model was discontinued in 2020, Louisiana vessel owners were required to source engines from distant suppliers, driving up costs and causing unnecessary delays.
In cases where no internationally recognized standards exist, OMSA recommends that the USCG shift from prescriptive sourcing rules to performance-based standards, allowing vessel owners to demonstrate compliance through evidence.
“This is about making smart, efficient decisions that support American jobs and industry,” says Smith. “Streamlining the system will save time, reduce costs, and keep our fleet competitive.”
Read the full letter submitted to Admiral W. R. Arguin, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy (CG-5P), citing four concrete examples and a bulleted list of additional problematic USCG type-approval regulations.
“With all these rules, USCG inspectors are being diverted from critical safety work to duplicate tasks already handled by global standards bodies,” says Smith.
Type-approvals have been noted to cause artificial shortages of maritime equipment. In Louisiana, there are currently no USCG-approved rescue-boat engines available, despite the state being one of the nation’s primary offshore hubs. After an approved engine model was discontinued in 2020, Louisiana vessel owners were required to source engines from distant suppliers, driving up costs and causing unnecessary delays.
In cases where no internationally recognized standards exist, OMSA recommends that the USCG shift from prescriptive sourcing rules to performance-based standards, allowing vessel owners to demonstrate compliance through evidence.
“This is about making smart, efficient decisions that support American jobs and industry,” says Smith. “Streamlining the system will save time, reduce costs, and keep our fleet competitive.”
Read the full letter submitted to Admiral W. R. Arguin, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy (CG-5P), citing four concrete examples and a bulleted list of additional problematic USCG type-approval regulations.
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The Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) OMSA is the advocate for the offshore marine transportation service industry in the United States. The Association represents 170-member companies and their 12,000 U.S. employees based throughout the U.S.
Media Contact:
Anna Stallmann, Ascent Strategic Communications
media@ascentcomms.com
Media Contact:
Anna Stallmann, Ascent Strategic Communications
media@ascentcomms.com