🔍 Key Concepts

• 33 CFR requirements for Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plans (SOPEP)/Vessel Response Plans • Difference between plan approval period and review/update frequency • Where in 33 CFR pollution prevention and response planning requirements are located (Parts 151, 155)

💭 Think About

• Think about how often the Coast Guard typically requires re-approval or renewal of major pollution prevention documents on inspected vessels. • Compare this to other certificates or plans you know (COI, Safety Management, etc.)—are they renewed yearly, every few years, or longer? • Ask yourself whether the regulation talks about annual reviews by the company versus formal USCG approval periods.

✅ Before You Answer

• Confirm in 33 CFR whether owner/operator must review the plan annually, and whether that is the same as the approval period. • Check if the regulation states that the plan remains valid until withdrawn, superseded, or after a fixed number of years. • Verify that you are looking at the specific section dealing with plan approval and duration of approval, not just submission requirements.