Marc Cruder
Traveling Inspection Staff (CG-5P-TI)
Marc Cruder 202-372-1200 marc.c.cruder@uscg.mil
Re-joined the staff as a civilian in October of 2001. Previously the Corporate Director of Vessel Construction Compliance and Safety at Hornblower Marine Services (HMS), Marc was responsible for regulatory/safety issues on their managed fleet of Subchapter T, K and H domestic passenger vessels as well as a HSC Code vessel. He was also consulted on a number of historic vessels.
While at HMS, he chaired the Passenger Vessel Association’s High Speed Subcommittee and was retained by the Department of Justice incident to litigation against the Coast Guard in the 1999 MISS MAJESTIC DUKW sinking with loss of life.
Marc retired in September, 2000 after 21 years of active duty service with tours that included CG engineering duty afloat; multiple field tours in marine inspection and investigation as well as Merchant Marine Industry Training and Subchapter T/K Project Management
Areas of Emphasis: Small Passenger Vessel Plan Review; High Speed Craft; Wood and Composite construction/repair; Sail Vessels; Steam & Historic vessels; Riveted Construction; Streamlined Inspection Program; Subchapter W Safety Assessments; PVA/CG Quality Partnership.
Over the last 15 years, he has been active in the following projects: - NVIC 5-01 and CH1: Operational Safety of Domestic High-Speed Vessels
- NVIC 01-03:Guide to Subchapter W Safety Assessments
- ASTM B928/928M: Std Spec for High Magnesium AL alloy in Marine Service
- CGHQ Oversight/Sea Trials to Hawaii SuperFerry HSC Code New Construction Project
- SNAME SD-5 Panel Review of UK MCA Research Study 502: HSC Bow Diving
- SSC Report 462: Review of Fracture Repair Procedures for Ship Structures
- Honolulu Inspection Note #13: Inspection of Sail Rigging and Masts on SPVs
- Technical Advisor: Vintage Vessel National Center of Expertise
- Technical Advisor to CG-CVC-1: Wood Boat/FRP Course
- Steam Qual Board Process Guide/Stop Gap Course/MI Notices/MSM Vol. II Revisions
- Technical Consultant to Report of Investigation - HMS BOUNTY
- PVA/CG SPV Automation Working Group
- NVIC 02-16: Inspection Guidance for Sail Rigging and Masts on Inspected Sailing Vessels
He has also provided consult and reported on vessels of particular concern including the WWII-era fleet of Special Legislation Vessels (Victory/Liberty/LST); the 1894 Schooner ERNESTINA; the 1926 steamer DELTA QUEEN; the 1907 Steam Tug HERCULES and the 1877 Barque ELISSA.
Marc is a 1979 Graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, holds a current Marine License as a Chief Engineer (Limited – Ocean) of Motor Vessels – Any HP and Second Assistant Engineer, Steam and Motor – Any HP (6th issue) with STCW endorsements. He is an Accredited Marine Surveyor in Yacht and Commercial Small Craft with the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors and an Affiliate with the National Association of Marine Surveyors.
CDR Michael Venturella, P.E.
202-372-1193 michael.a.venturella@uscg.mil
CDR Venturella reported to the staff in June 2015 with over 14 years of Coast Guard experience, including:
CDR Venturella is a 2001 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. In addition, he obtained a Master of Science in Ocean Engineering from Virginia Tech in 2008. While attending Virginia Tech, his Master’s thesis “Modal Analysis of the Ice-Structure Interaction Problem” addressed vibrations in offshore platforms induced by moving ice floes. This research resulted in publication in the Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering and Proceedings of the ASME 27th International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering. His research and technical advice was considered by the 2009 Ship Structure Committee on Challenges to be Faced by Arctic Ships. He has maintained certification as a Professional Engineer in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering since 2011.
As the Chief of Inspection at Sector Mobile, he supervised a complement of 83 personnel to include the Marine Safety Detachment in Panama City, Florida. In that role, he directed all elements of vessel and facility inspection across three states, five deep water ports, and 17 new construction shipyards responsible for approximately 45% of the nation’s commercial shipbuilding. He led the way regarding the oversight and construction of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) powered Offshore Supply Vessel (OSV). This OSV was the nation’s first LNG powered vessel and the bunkering of the vessel, required prior to sea trials, was the first LNG bunkering in the nation’s history.
Since his arrival to the Traveling Inspection staff in 2015, CDR Venturella has provided subject matter expertise for the following major projects:
His current areas of emphasis are: New Construction/Plan Review oversight, Maritime Security Program (MSP)
Qualifications:
Douglas Eggleston
Douglas Eggleston Douglas.E.Eggleston@uscg.mil (202) 372-1194
Doug Eggleston joined the staff as a civilian in June 2017. He transferred from MSD Massena, NY where he served as the civilian Marine Inspector /Investigator since 2013. Prior to that he was with Overseas Shipholding Group where he worked in Operational Integrity (2006 – 2011) auditing vessels for compliance with the Company’s Safety Management System and investigating accidents. In 2011 he moved to the SQE Department responsible for scheduling external ISM Audits for the U.S. Fleet and conducting annual internal ISM and Security audits of vessels.
Doug retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in July 2006 after 31 years of active duty service with over 19 years of Coast Guard experience, including:
Areas of emphasis include: PSC oversight (STCW/SOLAS/MARPOL/ISM); Deep-draft Machinery (steam, diesel), Hull and Drydock, and ACP oversight. Deep-draft Machinery (steam, diesel), Hull and Drydock; Legacy Vessel oversight & Training
Qualifications include: Barge Inspector Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiner Drydock Inspector Facility Inspector Foreign Chemical Tank Vessel Examiner Foreign Freight Vessel Examiner Foreign Passenger Vessel Examiner Foreign Tank Vessel Examiner Hull Inspector Hull Inspector (Tankship) K-Boat Inspector Life Raft Inspector MODU Inspector Machinery Inspector (Diesel) Machinery Inspector (Steam) Marine Casualty Investigator Maritime Enforcement Investigator OSV Inspector T-Boat Inspector
CDR Rodney Wert
Traveling Inspection Staff (CG-5P-TI) CDR Rodney Wert Rodney.Wert@uscg.mil (202) 372-1344
CDR Wert joined the staff in June 2018 and has 36 years of Coast Guard experience. He transferred from MSU Savannah where he served as Prevention Department Head and Executive Officer since 2015. Prior to the inspection field, his previous enlisted tours include four tours afloat and Chief of electrical maintenance at the CG Academy. He began his inspection career at MSU Galveston, Texas where he oversaw the inspection and certification of the first truss platforms to operate in the Gulf of Mexico, NANSEN and BOOMVANG. CDR Wert’s previous prevention assignments include:
Areas of emphasis include: Class 1 Structural Failures, Vital System Automation and ACP/MSP oversight
Qualifications include: Barge Inspector Offshore Supply Vessel Inspector Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Inspector Foreign Gas Carrier Examiner Foreign Chemical Tank Vessel Examiner Foreign Freight Vessel Examiner Foreign Tank Vessel Examiner T-Boat Inspector Machinery Inspector (Diesel)
CDR Chris Brunclik
Traveling Inspection Staff (CG-5P-TI) CDR Chris Brunclik Christopher.D.Brunclik@uscg.mil (202) 372-1404
CDR Brunclik joined the staff in July 2018 and has 25 years of Coast Guard experience. He returned to Prevention after serving in FORCECOM as a Training Manager for two years acting as the Program Administrator for Advanced Education and the Enlisted Rating Advancement Training System (ERATS) programs. Prior to being stationed in Headquarters, he served at Activities Europe, initially assigned as an Inspector, he fleeted up to Assistant Chief, Inspections Division, then to the Chief, Inspections Division overseeing US Flag activities throughout Africa, Middle East, and Europe. CDR Brunclik started his Prevention Career at MSO/MSU Chicago as a Marine Inspector and ended his tour as Sector Lake Michigan Senior Investigating Officer.
Areas of emphasis include SMC/DOC/MMS audits, ACP/MSP oversight, and training.
CDR Brunclik is currently detailed, part-time, to the Marine Inspector Performance Support Architecture (MIPSA) project. MIPSA is two-year initiative to conduct a comprehensive review and overhaul of the Marine Inspections training and performance hierarchy.
Qualifications include: Hull Inspector Machinery Inspector (Diesel) Offshore Supply Vessel Barge Inspector T-Boat Inspector K-Boat Inspector Life Raft Inspector Foreign Freight Vessel Examiner Marine Casualty Investigator Enforcement Investigator Suspension and Revocation
Rob Melancon
Traveling Inspection Staff (CG-5P-TI) Rob Melancon Robert.b.melancon@uscg.mil (202) 372-1248
Rob Melancon joined the staff as a civilian in January 2019. He transferred from Sector San Francisco, CA where he served as the Marine Inspector Training Officer (MITO) from 2016. During his tenure in San Francisco, he assisted in the development of the Coast Guard’s first automation and vessel manning course in over ten years and coordinated the convening of two machinery steam inspector courses for CG Marine Inspectors following the tragic loss of the SS EL FARO. Mr. Melancon also oversaw the inspection and certification of three historic vessels that are homeported in the Port of San Francisco providing technical expertise to the vessel operators and the OCMI. Prior to retiring from active duty he was assigned as a Senior Marine Inspector at various large deep-water ports including Sector Houston-Galveston, Sector New York and Marine Inspection Detachment Singapore. During his tour in Singapore, he oversaw the conversion of the Floating Production Storage and Offloading Unit (FPSO) TURRITELLA. The FPSO TURRITELLA was only the second FPSO to operate in the Gulf of Mexico.
Rob retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in October of 2016 after 24 years of active duty service including 8 years of marine inspection experience.
Areas of emphasis include: PSC oversight (STCW/SOLAS/MARPOL/ISM); Deep-draft Machinery (steam, diesel), Hull, Drydock, including ACP/MSP oversight, Historic and Legacy Vessel oversight and Training
Qualifications include: Hull Inspector Hull Inspector (Tankship) Machinery Inspector (Diesel) Machinery Inspector (Steam) Drydock Inspector Barge Inspector T-Boat Inspector K-Boat Inspector Inspected Towing Vessel Inspector Foreign Gas Carrier Examiner Foreign Chemical Tank Vessel Examiner Foreign Tank Vessel Examiner Foreign Freight Vessel Examiner