Maritime Technical Services
Hudson Marine works closely with its clients to help them move forward with confidence in today's technically complex and environmentally sensitive world. Hudson Marine's comprehensive services encompass all areas of risk management, emergency and regulatory preparedness, incident prevention and response.
Our perspective is informed by the technical, operational, commercial, regulatory and environmental factors governing our industry. Our strength is based on our experience and our history. But our success is based on our commitments, our relationships and our ability to help our clients operate more successfully in today's increasingly challenging industry.
The maritime technical services available through Hudson Marine include:
United States Vessel Pre-Arrival Compliance Services Provide ship owners and managers a reliable inspection service for vessels calling to the USA. Learn More
Regulatory services help you maintain compliance and reduce detentions and potential fines. Learn More
OPA 90 services encompass Qualified Individual/Spill Management Team services, Vessel Response Plan development, contingency planning and training. Learn More
Port State Control & ISM services that allow you minimize inspections, delays and potential fines. Learn More
Surveys, Audits and Vetting Assistance for petroleum product, LNG and chemical tankers, as well as Dry Cargo vessels. Learn More
Vessel and Technical Services are available to help our clients streamline operations and manage ongoing needs and challenges. Learn More
Environmental Compliance Program (ECP) Support services are provided to assist ship owners to comply with compulsory ECPs as required by regulatory and law enforcement authorities. Learn More
VGP/NOI Service Hudson’s VGP/NOI service facilitates client compliance with U.S. EPA Vessel General Permit requirements. Learn More
Service:
- Provide ship owners and managers a reliable inspection service for vessels calling to the USA focused on US Port State Control compliance, Certificate of Compliance examinations and State regulatory compliance. Service is offered in foreign ports by local experts trained by Hudson using proprietary methods based on Hudson years of US compliance expertise.
- Attendance in the US by compliance experts to assist with Port State Control already knowing the status of the vessel based on last port of call before US inspection service.
Benefits:
The ship owner/operator will realize:
- Savings of time and money by:
- Minimizing observations and deficiencies by identifying them early and able to correct before arrival in the U.S.
- Minimizing the chances of being detained.
- Awareness of current USCG of State focus for inspections at arrival port and be able to prepare for inspections.
- Ability to engage with experts early to correct known or previously unknown shipboard issues.
- Ability to schedule technicians and spare parts in the U.S. to avoid any delays.
- Trained local inspectors at reasonable local rates.
Managing compliance with complex regulations as well as clarifying their various interpretations and accepted compliance methods can be overwhelming when staff is dedicated to operational processes.
Hudson can help reduce the burden by monitoring changing regulations on your behalf. We are available to advise you, guide you and to develop and submit plans for approval. In difficult or controversial issues, we even work closely with the regulatory agencies, providing our technical and practical expertise to minimize financial and operational impacts.
Hudson Marine offers comprehensive OPA 90 services and expertise. We work with clients to develop their VRP Plans, complete PREP Drill Coordination, Training and Table Top exercises (TTX) annually and to deliver highly coordinated and effective spill response whenever necessary. We serve both as Qualified Individuals (QI) in the United States and under Canadian guidelines within the OPA 90 framework.
No matter where you are, our worldwide response network allows us to provide efficient and well managed spill response and environmental management services. As your Qualified Individual and Spill Management Team, we work on the behalf of the owner/operator to keep good communication between owner's representation and Federal and State authorities to minimize liability and maximize response effectiveness.
Port State Control and ISM inspections can be intensive and costly for those who are unprepared. But when they are anticipated, coordinated even, they can be manageable and efficient, with fewer delays, shorter inspections and better results.
Comprising former regulators and maritime experts, our team's knowledge of technical and regulatory requirements — SOLAS, MARPOL 73/78 & Annexes, STCW, ILLC, ILO, BCH/IBC Codes, ISM, IMSBC Code and HSC — prepares our clients for their inspections. Our team is also available for Classification Representation, documentation support, and general vessel husbandry.
Surveys and Audits
Hudson Marine has the qualified personnel, resources and experience to provide owners, companies and managers with a wide range of survey, inspection and support services to meet the everyday and emergency needs of ship operations, insurance and environmental interests. These surveys are among the most rigorous in our industry and available anywhere in the world. Our staff includes fully accredited inspectors who have completed more than 500 surveys, inspections, pre-inspections and audits. Their expert and thorough approach is invaluable for CDI inspections, Pre-examination for USCG's annual Tanker Vessel Examination (TVE), Environmental Audits of Passenger Ships, Sale and Purchase, Vetting and On-hire off-hire surveys.
Vessel and Technical Services
Our industry experience informs our perspective and enables us to minimize the burden, costs and operational challenges facing our clients.
Emergency and Environmental Management and Response
With clearly established rules governing petroleum incidents, and emerging regulations covering chemicals and hazardous materials, operators need a partner who can provide timely and effective resolutions. To date, we have responded to many such incidents and performed Natural Resource Damage Assessments. Our Spill Management Team includes marine experts, chemical engineers, industrial hygienists and toxicologists who are able to provide comprehensive, client-focused and environmentally sensitive solutions.
Expert Witness
HudsonAnalytix and Hudson Marine's expertise is available to you in the wake of any maritime-related incident or regulatory concern. Our team encompasses professionals from all areas of the shipping industry who offer sound consultative services and informed perspectives. Throughout our history, they have served as expert witness, providing testimony for clients in general maritime, legal and insurance situations.
Maintenance Program Development
Our team's vessel experience makes us as a valuable partner for developing and implementing maintenance programs. All Hudson-prepared programs emphasize quality and efficiency in operations and performance as well as regulatory compliance with all local, national and international regulations.
Plan Development and Implementation
Hudson Marine works with its clients to draft plans that optimize safety, security, regulatory compliance and business operations. Particular areas of expertise include VRPs, SSPs, CSPs, PFSPs, Ship Arrival Services for eNOA/AMS, MARPOL, Ballast Water Management, Bunker Oil Transfer, Emergency Muster, Fire Control and Safety, Garbage Management, Corporate Emergency Response and Pollution Prevention.
We develop all plans in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements and submit them for approval to Flag State. We maintain all plans on behalf of our clients, and develop posters and educational materials to ensure consistency.
Re-flagging Services
Our knowledge of the legal, financial and regulatory issues allows us to provide strategic and streamlined re-flagging services for our clients. Throughout the process, we manage all aspects of communication and documentation, and serve as liaisons with the appropriate parties to assure efficiency. Our process is thorough and comprehensive, designed to minimize the likelihood of future Port State Control inspections and to allow you to achieve operational, regulatory and financial goals.
Technical Services
Hudson Marine has extensive experience in solving many different types of technical issues, inspections, surveys, etc., which will allow us to present a detailed technical plan to the U.S. Coast Guard and the EPA, and assist in avoiding operational delays. Our goal is to ensure that you resume normal operations as quickly as possible.
Environmental Compliance Program (ECP) Support
Hudson Marine Management Services has leveraged over thirty years’ experience in compliance, onboard operations, auditing and continuous improvement to develop a comprehensive methodology for supporting shipowners experiencing compulsory Environmental Compliance Program (ECP) across individual vessels and fleets.
In recent years, marine regulatory and law enforcement bodies in the United States have continued to impose expanded post-incident safety and environmental control requirements on ocean-going commercial ships, and this process can be daunting and costly to shipping businesses. Hudson Marine Management Services engages with shipping clients on various levels to support the implementation of enhanced onboard and shoreside procedures with the goal of ensuring not only compliance, but efficiency and functionality for the shipowner.
Our ECP Team is composed from shipping executives, Master Mariners, marine engineers, naval architects, environmental management professionals, former USCG inspectors, environmental engineers, and vetting experts, and are supported where required by sector-leading maritime legal advisors.
HMMS has served in various designated roles within the US ECP framework including Court Appointed Monitor, Third Party Auditor, and Independent Third Party Advisor to shipowners. We have worked on behalf of both US and international shipowner’s interests, prescribing and undertaking robust audit and review schedules for large fleets working with various wet and dry cargoes, including container vessels. Our ECP team has worked closely with shipowners, legal counsel, regulators and law enforcement agencies to negotiate and agree on sensible, efficient, effective auditing schemes to the satisfaction of both owner and law enforcement. Our auditing and reporting has provided measurable, demonstrable improvement results for vessel operators which has allowed HMMS to deliver value to shipowners while improving onboard practices.
In addition to HMMS’s ECP capabilities, our team has also conducted over 850 onboard inspections and surveys, including comprehensive post-inspection reporting, within the past ten years, the majority of which have been primarily focused on marine environmental management and improvement.
Hudson’s VGP/NOI service facilitates client compliance with U.S. EPA Vessel General Permit requirements. This service includes a user driven training module, VGP document resource library, Checklist and Logs, vessel-specific VGP manuals and support for preparation and submission of Notice of Intent/Terminations and Annual Reports with the U.S. EPA as well as general VGP/NOI question support.