JUNEAU, Alaska – Coast Guard Sector Juneau and the Marine Exchange of Alaska will host industry days for operators of Un-inspected Passenger Vessels (UPVs)-commonly known as “six-packs”-in Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka this month.
These meetings will give UPV operators a chance to meet local Coast Guard representatives and learn more about the federal regulations that govern UPV operations. Topics to be addressed include drug and alcohol testing requirements, marine casualty reporting requirements, Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC), the 5-Star UPV Safety Program, and Coast Guard boarding procedures.
UPV operators will also learn how to minimize the potential impact of the Coast Guard’s plans to board more UPVs this summer. Operators can schedule a safety check at the dock without passengers. Those vessels that pass the safety check will be less likely to be subject to an underway boarding. The Coast Guard’s goal is to identify safety deficiencies and ensure they are addressed.
The Juneau meeting will be on Monday, April 14, 2008 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at the Travel Lodge Hotel. The Ketchikan meeting will be on Monday, April 21, 2008 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at the Cape Fox Hotel in Meeting Room A. The Sitka meeting will be on Saturday, April 26, 2008 from 9:00am to noon at the UAS Campus, Room 106.
To pre-register, call the Marine Exchange at 907-463-4640 or email brettfarrell@mxak.org. There is no charge for the events.
