U.S. Coast Guard Eases Standards for Kuwaiti Ships
The Coast Guard, acting at the request of the Pentagon, has relaxed U.S. shipping laws to accommodate the reflagging of Kuwaiti tankers, congressional documents show.
A Coast Guard spokesman said Wednesday that the waivers are temporary and pose no threat to the safety of the 11 oil tankers or their crews.
The waivers, involving safety and operating standards, lift requirements that the ships have American officers and crews, although it has been agreed that they will have American captains. Details are outlined in a May 21 “memorandum of agreement” presented to Kuwaiti shipping officials by the Coast Guard and included among documents collected by a House committee.
The Reagan Administration plans to place the tankers under American flags and protect them from possible attack in the Iran-Iraq War.
Concerned about being able to meet higher U.S. standards, Tim Stafford, manager of fleet development for the Kuwait Oil Tanker Co., the vessels’ original owner, wrote the Coast Guard, detailing “possibly problematical” areas including lifesaving and fire protection. He requested a streamlining of inspection procedure.
Coast Guard personnel are in the Persian Gulf inspecting the ships.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
