Tidewater Attains First Sub M COI on the West Coast
Tidewater Transportation and Terminals of Vancouver, Wash., announced today that the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance and the Coast Guard Sector Columbia River has issued a Certificate of Inspection (COI) to the towing vessel Crown Point for compliance under the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) Subchapter M safety regulations governing the inspection, standards and safety management systems of towing vessels.
This COI is the first issued to a west coast (PACAREA) tugboat/towboat operator.
The Crown Point is the first of three custom-built river towboats built for Tidewater in 2015. Measuring 102’x38’x14’ with 2,240 BHP, the Crown Point was specifically designed and built for the Columbia-Snake River system, and incorporates many advanced concepts to set new standards in safety and efficiency.
“We operate under a safety management system that puts the health and safety of the public, our environment, and our employees first,” explained Bill Collins, Director of Environmental, Health, Safety and Security (EHS&S). “All of our tugs meet or exceed the increasingly stringent industry requirements for towing vessels.”
“The issuance of this COI represents a significant accomplishment by Tidewater,” said Bruce Reed, Tidewater Vice-President and Chief Operations Officer. “It is a testament to the skills, dedication, and thoroughness of our marine employees, and Operations and EHS&S departments.”