Inspection or COI renewal
Inspection readiness ↗Begin a focused readiness review ideally 60–90 days before your inspection. Organize records, drills, open findings and responsible owners.
Operator readiness
What is your next deadline
or operating milestone?
A practical view of the work to begin now—and the responsibilities, records and decisions that need to come together.
Use the checklist to identify your priorities, responsible owners and next steps.
Download the checklist ↓Cybersecurity readiness / July 16, 2027
Begin the assessment.
Build a workable plan.
Covered operators must complete a cybersecurity assessment and submit their Cybersecurity Plan to the U.S. Coast Guard no later than July 16, 2027. Submission is required by that date; the plan is submitted for review and approval.
Start by confirming applicability, identifying your IT and operational technology, and assigning a responsible lead. Begin the assessment now to allow time for vendor coordination, corrective actions and plan development. Training requirements already apply and include annual refreshers.
Requirements depend on applicability. Applicability · Assessment & training · Plan submission date
Discuss your assessment and readiness plan ↗Vessel repowering / DERA National
Funding starts
with project readiness.
The 2026 DERA National competition accepts applications through January 22, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. The deadline for questions is November 24, 2026. Eligible projects include marine engines, subject to the funding notice’s requirements.
TPWC helps operators assess project fit, organize engine and operating information, coordinate estimates and prepare application materials. Private operators generally need an eligible public or nonprofit applicant partner for this National competition.
Begin preparation before the conference season: identify the applicant route, assess the project, establish the budget and coordinate supporting information.
State-administered opportunities have separate schedules. Dates and eligibility reviewed October 13, 2026. EPA National DERA guidance
Discuss repowering and grant readiness ↗Recommended preparation windows
Align the work with your operation.
These lead times are planning recommendations. Inspection schedules, regulatory applicability and project requirements must be confirmed for each vessel.
Drydock or major refit
Yard & operational planning ↗Define scope during project development, ideally 3–6 months ahead. Connect inspection needs, yard work, operating priorities and return-to-service planning.
CARB annual reporting
Environmental readiness ↗Covered California harbor craft reports are due March 31 annually. Gather engine, operating and reporting information early; check vessel-specific obligations and extension dates.
Peak operating season
Workforce readiness ↗Review crew qualifications, onboarding, drills and supervisory capacity ideally 60–120 days before the season. Identify gaps while there is time to address them.
Vessel acquisition or ownership change
Transition readiness ↗Begin before closing and continue through the transition. Review operational records, responsibilities and system dependencies. Covered operators must reassess cybersecurity sooner than annually following an ownership change.
New route, terminal or technology
Change readiness ↗Review the change before implementation. Consider operating procedures, crew training, security, vendor access and the interaction with existing systems.
Leadership capacity or recurring safety findings
Leadership & follow-through ↗When a capacity gap or a pattern of concerns emerges, define the support needed: a focused assessment, HSSQE coordination, fractional leadership or a good catch reporting process.
Regulatory references: CARB reporting · Cybersecurity reassessment. Dates reviewed October 13, 2026.
Define the priority