On January 1st, new rules for offshore support and supply vessels set out by Germanischer Lloyd, went into effect. The rules apply to ships meant for offshore supply and support, offshore towing vessels and other vessels offering specialized services.
An offshore supply vessel may include supply boats, anchor handling ships, standby ships, well stimulation vessels and special support vessels built to help in fire fighting activities. Offshore vessels are designed differently from general cargo vessels. These vessels are now larger, and come with more sophisticated technical capabilities to assist in complex deepwater tasks.
The new rules are meant to support these increasingly sophisticated designs, and to build safer and stronger vessels. These rules are subdivided into 32 sections, and relate to design and operation, requirements for particular types of ships like those that are mainly meant to help in putting out fires, design specifications for anchor handling ships, fire protection, design loads as well as other specifications. The new rules are available for downloads as PDF files or CD ROMs from GL-Group.com.
An offshore supply vessel can often qualify as a Jones Act vessel. As such, a worker on these vessels may qualify as a Jones Act seaman, making him eligible for all the protections that the Jones Act offers. However, for that, he must meet the three criteria laid out in the Jones Act seaman test.
- He must be assigned to a vessel or fleet of vessels.
- The vessel or fleet of vessels must be in navigation
- The seaman must have a substantial connection with the vessel.
If you have questions about whether you qualify as a Jones Act seaman, or your rights under the Jones Act, contact my office for a free initial consultation.
Maritime lawyer Brian Beckcom is a Board Certified trial lawyer, whose primary focus is the representation of injured Jones Act seamen, tankermen, galleyhands, deckhands, drillers, oilrig workers offshore workers and other maritime workers in accidents in Texas, around the country and in international waters.
