The Master shall operate the vessel with the safety of the passengers and crew foremost in mind by directing the vessel in order to prevent a casualty. In addition, the Master shall operate the vessel in a safe manner to minimize the risk of pollution to the environment.
The Master is required:
· to be adept with the vessel’s structure and layout;
· to be fully familiar with the vessel’s safety management system;
· to familiarize all first time crew members for the first time with the management system, safety requirements, instructions, and facilities on board the vessel; and
· to update established personnel whenever any changes occur in the management system, equipment or safety instructions.
Repairs and Alterations
The Master shall:
· notify the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) as soon as practicable after repairs or alternations are made during an emergency.
· notify the cognizant OCMI as soon as practicable that the seal on a boiler safety valve on a vessel is broken.
· conduct the inspection and enter the results of the inspection in the vessel logbook when not in a port or a place in the United States or its territories and possessions, and when a marine chemist or a person authorized by the cognizant OCMI is not available.
· obtain a copy of certificates issued by the certified marine chemist or the other person authorized by the cognizant OCMI, and ensure that all conditions on the certificates are observed and that the vessel is maintained in a safe condition.
· maintain safe conditions on the vessel by requiring full observance, by persons under his or her control, of all requirements listed in the certificate.
Material Inspections
The Master shall destroy each fire hose found to be defective and incapable of repair in the presence of a marine inspector.
Marine Casualties and Voyage Records
The Master shall report:
· damage to a boiler, unfired pressure vessel, or machinery that renders use of the item unsafe until repairs are made, to the OCMI at the port where the casualty occurred or nearest the port of first arrival, as soon as practicable.
· the following entries in the Official Logbook:
- each legal conviction of a seaman of the vessel and the punishment inflicted;
- each offense committed by a seaman of the vessel for which it is intended to prosecute or to enforce under a forfeiture, together with statements about reading the entry and the reply made to the charge as required by 46 U.S.C. 11502;
- a statement of the conduct, character, and qualifications of each seaman of the vessel or a statement that the master declines to give an opinion about that conduct, character, and qualifications;
- each illness of or injury to a seaman of the vessel, the nature of the illness or injury, and the medical treatment;
- each death on board, with the cause of death, and if a seaman, the following information required by 46 U.S.C. 10702:
* the wages due to a seaman who dies during the voyage and the gross amount of all deductions to be made from the wages;
* the sale of the property of a seaman who dies during the voyage, including a statement of each article sold and the amount received for the property;
- each birth on board, with the sex of the infant and name of the parents;
- each marriage on board, with the names and ages of the parties;
- the name of each seaman who ceases to be a crew member (except by death), with the place, time, manner, and the cause why the seaman ceased to be a crew member; and
- immediately after a marine casualty occurs, write a statement about the casualty and the circumstances under which it occurred.
Miscellaneous Operating Requirements
The Master shall:
· determine vessel compliance with all applicable stability requirements in the vessel's trim and stability book, stability letter, Certificate of Inspection, and Load Line Certificate after loading and prior to departure and at other times necessary to assure the safety of the vessel.
· take necessary precautions to see that all vehicles have their motors turned off and their emergency brakes set when the vessel is underway. Also, that the motors are not started until the vessel is secured to the landing, and a vehicle at each end of a line of vehicles or next to a loading ramp has its wheels securely blocked while the vessel is being navigated.
· ensure that appropriate "NO SMOKING" signs are posted.
· take all necessary precautions to prevent smoking or carrying of lighted or smoldering pipes, cigars, cigarettes or similar items in the deck area where automobiles or other vehicles are located.
· prior to getting underway, ensure that vehicles are properly distributed consistent with the guidance in the vessel's stability letter and Certificate of Inspection, if applicable.
· ensure that whenever an automatic pilot is used:
- it is possible to immediately establish manual control of the vessel's steering;
- a competent person is ready at all times to take over steering control; and
- the changeover from automatic to manual steering and vice versa is made by, or under the supervision of, the master or the mate on watch.
Preparations for Emergencies
The Master shall:
· conduct sufficient drills and give sufficient instructions to make sure that all crew members are familiar with their duties during emergencies that necessitate abandoning ship, or the recovery of persons who have fallen overboard.
· conduct sufficient fire drills to make sure that each crew member is familiar with his or her duties in case of a fire.
The master of the vessel is responsible for directing the movement of the vessel and the actions of the crew in an emergency.
Unless otherwise delegated, the Master of a small passenger vessel is responsible for the following tasks in an emergency:
· MAY DAY call to Coast Guard/maintain communications with rescue resources.
· Maneuvering vessel to minimize the effects of wind on a fire.
· Issuance of clear orders/instructions to the crew and passengers.
The Master has the overriding authority to make decisions with regard to safety and environmental protection.
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