Members are reminded that the Coast Guard final rule amending the salvage and marine firefighting regulations for tank vessels carrying group I-IV oils [1] as primary cargo, which was published on 31 December 2008 and became effective as of 12 February 2009,  requires the owners and operators of such vessels to identify the resources necessary to comply with the new requirements and to update and resubmit their vessel response plans (VRPs) to the Coast Guard to address these requirements no later than 1 June 2010. Background In February 1993 the Coast Guard issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that required tank vessel owners and operators carrying petroleum oil as primary cargo to identify salvage and marine firefighting resources in their VRPs capable of being deployed within 24 hours of an oil spill from their vessels (the so-called “24 Hour Rule’).  This requirement was the subject of much criticism during the rulemaking process, and recognizing the lack of extensive private salvage and firefighting capability in the United States,  as well as the lack of clear standards for evaluating the capabilities of salvage and marine firefighting companies, the Coast Guard suspended the effective dates for deployment of these resources until 12 February 2009.  New Requirements On 31 December 2008 the Coast Guard issued its final rule amending the salvage and marine firefighting requirements for tank vessels carrying oil as primary cargo, which became effective on 12 February 2009.  The requirements apply to vessels carrying group I-IV oils that are required to have a vessel response plan.  Owners and operators of these vessels must identify resource providers with whom they have contracted for specific services such as structural stability assessments, salvage planning,  emergency towing and lightering, and special salvage operations, and must ensure by contract or other approved means that the resource providers are capable of providi