scope:

PURPOSE.

This Instruction provides policy guidance, a sample checklist, and a risk assessment job aid to field commanders, Area Committees, and Regional Response Teams (RRTs) to aid in preparing for and responding to a vessel requesting a place of refuge as described in reference (a), or similar events in which a vessel, not in need of immediate Search and Rescue (SAR) assistance, may pose a variety of risks to a port or coastal area. This Commandant Instruction focuses primarily on the decision process of selecting the lowest risk Place of Refuge option for a stricken vessel. In any such situation, Operational Commanders will also be conducting other, simultaneous operations, including, but not limited to, developing transit plans, staging pollution, fire, and/or hazmat response equipment, and addressing any security concerns.