US Coast Guard Steps Up Y2K Checks Of Cargo Ships

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US Coast Guard Steps Up Y2K Checks Of Cargo Ships

Updated 7:22 PM ET September 9, 1999

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - About 150 commercial ships checked by the U.S. Coast Guard during a special year 2000 computer test failed to have all their equipment ready for potential year-end glitches, officials said Thursday.

The Coast Guard Wednesday and Thursday halted vessels to find out if they had submitted Y2K readiness reports and contingency plans that documented potential problems with motors, steering mechanisms, ship-to-shore communications and other equipment.

Several ships whose crews did not produce a detailed survey of their equipment or did not have required contingency plans, were barred from entering U.S. ports, the Coast Guard said.

"A number of vessels had to drop anchor and make repairs, or seek some kind of assistance in finding a port in another country," Rear Adm. George Naccara told Reuters.

"We think this enforcement action will help educate those who didn't believe we were serious," he added.

The Y2K bug could occur because many older computers and their software only allocated two digits for the year in a date. Unless computers are repaired or replaced, the year 2000 may be read as 1900, causing computer systems to make mistakes or shut down.

Industries and governments around the world have spent billions of dollars to prevent computer failures on Jan. 1.

About 150 of the ships checked by the Coast Guard were found not to be prepared for Y2K problems, officials said.

The Coast Guard and other many other agencies conducted Y2K readiness checks Thursday because of the "9/9/99" date. Some older computer programs were written to read the unusual sequence of numbers as an end code instead of a date.

Late Thursday, the Coast Guard still was compiling the results of its Y2K checks throughout the United States.

While most public attention has been focused on commercial airline Y2K readiness, ships handle about 95 percent of cargo entering or leaving the United States. Most of the massive cargo or container ships and oil tankers are run by a dozen or fewer crew members because they rely so heavily on electronic communications and equipment.

The Coast Guard has said it is especially concerned that ships identify potential Y2K problems with the steering mechanism, the motor and propulsion systems, and equipment used to offload goods, Naccara said. The failure of any of those systems could mean ship collisions, groundings or oil spills.

PORT FACILITIES ALSO CHECKED FOR Y2K

In addition to its regulation of ship safety, the Coast Guard has ordered about 40 U.S. petroleum and chemical handling port facilities to clear up potential Y2K problems, Naccara said. Those terminals typically use computer-controlled pipes and hoses to offload oil shipments in port.

Some 7,700 commercial ships, mostly foreign-flag vessels, sail in and out of U.S. ports annually, according to government figures.

The Coast Guard also has launched a series of Y2K mock emergencies at the 30 biggest U.S. ports, with the port of New York due to stage an exercise next week.

In the exercises, ships simulate a loss of engine power, steering mechanisms or communications and are expected to show they can still navigate safely with a contingency plan.

"These will show the public that the maritime industry will be safer and better prepared for Y2K and any potential disruptions," Naccara said.

"The United States will keep its ports open and operating on January 1," he said.

The Coast Guard's Y2K readiness questionnaires for ship owners have been adopted by several dozen other nations to ensure maritime safety.

========================================= End

Ray

-- Ray (ray@tottacc.com), September 09, 1999

Answers

So, did they check 151 ships and found just one ready or was it 1,000,000 ships with 9,999,850 ready? Reuters ought to have done better, as this is the central issue.

-- Gus (y2kk@usa.net), September 09, 1999.

The fact that the Coast Guard turned back even a handful of ships (defining 150 as a handful) sends a clear warning to the shipping lanes. It makes me slightly more optimistic about the supply chain next year, if somebody at the CG is cracking the whip now. At least one link in the chain will be half-way prepared.

Still hoping for somebody to do that for the oil wells in Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, and the shoes in China and Brazil, and the autos and electronics in Japan and So.Korea, and Social Security and the P.O. and the banks in the USA . . .

-- Margaret J (janssm@aol.com), September 09, 1999.


Donno Margaret,

Kind'a late in the fix-it game. This sure "ups the ante" though.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 10, 1999.


Hotlink...

http:/ /news.excite.com/news/r/990910/03/tech-yk-ships



-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 10, 1999.


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