OMSA and U.S. Coast Guard Form Quality Partnership

Agreement, designed to promote safety and security within the offshore industry and to protect marine environments, signed by Otto Candies, III, Chairman of OMSA, and Rear Admiral Brian M. Salerno, U.S. Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security, and Stewardship.

Washington, DC: The Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) and the United States Coast Guard have formally executed the Offshore Support Vessel Industry Quality Partnership with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the association and the Coast Guard.

Specifically, the purpose of the partnership is to promote safety and security within the offshore industry and to protect marine environments.

The agreement was signed by Otto Candies, III, Chairman of OMSA, and Rear Admiral Brian M. Salerno, U.S. Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security, and Stewardship.

"The Coast Guard remains committed to working with our partners in the offshore support vessel industry to create a common culture for achieving our shared goal of safe and secure maritime trade," said Rear Adm. Brian Salerno, assistant commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship. "An open dialog with our maritime stakeholders is a critical component of the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Program and this new partnership provides a forum for that two-way communication."

“OMSA is delighted to enter into a formal partnership with the Coast Guard that will mutually benefit the agency as well as our members. Because OMSA members carry the equipment, supplies and many of the workers needed to explore, develop and produce offshore resources, they can be called the lifeline to America’s offshore energy supplies and a true partner to the Coast Guard in its efforts to maintain maritime security, safety and marine protection,” said Ken Wells, President, OMSA.

OMSA and the Coast Guard have had a long, successful history of working together on safety and security. An OMSA/Coast Guard working group developed the first prototype for the Streamlined Inspection Process. OMSA also lead the way in developing an alternate security plan that is used by much of the membership. As well, one of the keys to the offshore industry’s safety record is its reliance on “Stop Work Authority,” a philosophy that stresses that every member of the crew from the captain to the least senior deckhand has the authority and responsibility to halt any operation that does not appear safe.

The Offshore Marine Service Association is the nation trade association representing the owners and operators of U.S. flag vessels that support the offshore oil and gas industry.