🔍 Key Concepts

• Towing Safety Management System (TSMS) requirements under 46 CFR Subchapter M • Difference between COI (Certificate of Inspection) duration and TSMS Certificate duration • How often a company must undergo external audits to maintain TSMS compliance

💭 Think About

• Think about whether the TSMS certificate follows the same time frame as a vessel’s Certificate of Inspection, or a different management-system style cycle • Consider how frequently the Coast Guard and third-party organizations expect to re-verify a company’s safety management practices • Ask yourself: Is the TSMS certificate designed for very short-term, medium-term, or long-term validity in a safety management context?

✅ Before You Answer

• Check what 46 CFR Subchapter M says about TSMS Certificate validity and renewal • Verify whether the TSMS certificate duration is tied to audit cycles (external audits) rather than annual inspections • Make sure you are not confusing the duration of a COI with the duration of a TSMS Certificate