US Coast Guard to enforce commercial vessel mask mandate
The guard reaffirmed the face mask positions of the White House and the federal government.
By Michael McGrady, Maritime Direct Americas Correspondent
The US Coast Guard issued a nationwide Maritime Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) to workers and firms, restating that the maritime service is tasked with enforcing the face mask mandate aboard commercial vessels.
With the bulletin, the Coast Guard — serving as one of the federal government’s primary maritime safety regulators — reaffirms President Joe Biden’s position on masks and the need to curtail the transmission of COVID-19 at home, abroad, and offshore.
Per the executive order, masks should be worn on all “public maritime vessels, including ferries” to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 offshore.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also issued an order on January 29, requiring all people traveling on commercial vessels to wear masks.
This includes the CDC’s action requiring masks for cruise vessels and privately operated pleasure craft.
MSIB 02-21 was issued by the Coast Guard’s Inspections and Compliance Directorate on February 1.
The US Coast Guard clarified that federal law charges it with enforcing CDC public health quarantine orders once declared.
As noted, CDC currently mandates masks and empowers law enforcement entities to levy civil and criminal penalties for violation.
“Furthermore, based on the scientific determination of the CDC, the Coast Guard finds that failure to wear a mask creates an undue safety risk by increasing the risk of transmission of COVID-19 between passengers, the crew of the vessel, and port operators,” the MSIB notes.
“COVID-19 is known to cause severe illness and death which impacts the safe operations of ships and port facilities,” the order declares. “Vessels that have not implemented the mask requirement may be issued a Captain of the Port (COTP) order directing the vessel’s movement and operations; repeated failure to impose the mask mandate could result in civil penalties and/or criminal action.”
