The regulations for vital systems piping list what material standards are permitted, and also authorize the use of standards that are not listed if they are specifically accepted by MSC. MSC has responded to material standards requests on a case-by-case basis, which can result in duplication of effort and does not give the public visibility on past decisions.
MSC has published Change 1 to MSC Technical Note (MTN) 02-10, its guidance document for material selection for vital piping systems. The updated MTN now includes a list of “pre-vetted” standards for which MSC has already performed a technical analysis to determine that the material’s properties are acceptable for its intended usage. It also introduces a streamlined process for requesting additional standards to be authorized.
The MTN is available here. (The revisions also include the removal of other guidance that was made redundant by the 2024 updates to 46 CFR Subchapter F.) This action supports the Coast Guard’s commitment to modernizing policy, providing transparency, and reducing the overall cost of compliance. Questions regarding this blog post should be directed to msc@uscg.mil.