ABS Awarded Subchapter M Solutions Contract

(Houston) ABS, a leading provider of classification and technical services to the marine and offshore industries, has been awarded a Third Party Organization contract by The Great Lakes Towing Company (GLT) to support compliance with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Subchapter M regulations.

“Every organization operating towing vessels in US inland waterways will have to comply with Subchapter M,” says ABS Americas Division President Jamie Smith. “As an industry leader in towing vessel safety, ABS helps guide companies through the available compliance services to find the solution that best meets their unique needs.”

The recently signed contract with GLT, which is a member of the American Waterways Operators (AWO), establishes ABS as the company’s Third Party Organization (TPO), providing surveys for its fleet and audits of its Responsible Carrier Program (RCP). The company has long recognized the advantages of being proactive in demonstrating compliance. By partnering with ABS, GLT is on course to achieve complete Subchapter M compliance through a customized strategy of solutions specialized for its fleet.

“GLT has spent the past several years planning for the adoption of Subchapter M requirements into our operation and tug fleet,” says GLT President Joseph Starck. “We looked to ABS as our exclusive SubM partner based on their commitment to vessel safety, specialized technical understanding of towing vessels, and comprehensive range of services conveniently available to cover all our Subchapter M compliance requirements. We have enjoyed an excellent working relationship with ABS for years and feel certain that, with the addition of Subchapter M compliance services, ABS will continue to contribute to our success. 

As a USCG Recognized Organization (RO) and approved TPO, ABS provides fully integrated solutions to help owners and operators achieve and maintain Subchapter M compliance. Each organization’s needs for compliance can be realized through a suite of services, which includes Towing Safety Management System (TSMS) implementation and auditing, comprehensive plan review on behalf of the USCG avoiding additional USCG submissions, ABS class in conjunction with the International Safety Management Code (ISM), and ABS Nautical Systems – a digital platform for fleet management. Additionally, ABS can administer RCP audits – a USCG approved TSMS option on behalf of the AWO – and has developed USCG recognized Rules and Guides to support owners and operators that choose classification as their compliance option.

With more than 30 locations in the US supported by a seasoned team of surveyors, engineers and auditors, ABS has the geographic coverage and experience to meet Subchapter M compliance needs.

For more information on ABS Subchapter M compliance solutions please visit www.eagle.org.

About ABS

Founded in 1862, ABS is a leading international classification organization devoted to promoting the security of life and property and preserving the natural environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine and offshore assets.