Coast Guard Proposed Changes to Offshore Crane Inspection and Certification

On May 13, 2013, the U.S. Coast Guard published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would modify existing crane regulation standards for mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs), offshore supply vessels and floating outer continental shelf facilities. Existing regulations at 46 C.F.R. Part I-A are based on 1972 American Petroleum Institute (API) standards. The new regulation would update the standard to the current API standards for operations and maintenance immediately upon effective date of the rule (some time in the future after comments are received and analyzed) and for specifications for any new crane installed after the rule's effective date. The proposed rule would also expand potential plan review and inspection persons to include qualified foreign classification societies. Comments on the Notice are due August 12, 2013.