U.S. Ports - Charterer Information Required In Notice of Arrival

September 2002

With effect from 18 September 2002 the Notification of Arrival regulations additionally require that the charterer of vessels visiting U.S. Ports be identified.

The charterer information must be shown on the Notice of Vessel Arrival form to be submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard’s  National Vessel Movement Center (NVMC). This form, and all the others required to be completed in accordance with the advance notification requirements, can be found in the NVMC website "Downloads" section. 

The new requirement has been implemented to assist the U.S. Coast Guard Port State Control Program in its aim to eliminate sub-standard foreign vessels from U.S. waters. The Coast Guard has developed a risk-based targeting matrix for this purpose; The matrix evaluates Flag State, owner, operator, classification society, vessel type and compliance history - all details given in a vessel's Notification of Arrival. The resulting score assists the Coast Guard in deciding which vessels will be boarded for inspection. The Coast Guard is aware that some charterers are more concerned than others to ensure that the vessels they charter are sound and pose minimal risks. This information will provide a valuable additional factor in the Port State Control matrix. 

(Federal Register Aug.19, 2002, Docket USCG-2001-8659, RIN 2115-AG06. Click here for link to Federal Register for 19 August 2002.)