Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40MARCH 2017 • FOGHORN 23 COAST GUARD REPORT and for casino vessels with large main vertical zones. These policies permitted the design, construction and operation of many vessels to “pre-accepted” alternative standards, essentially eliminating the risks as- sociated with review and approval of case-by-case requests for equivalency determinations. These strategies are not mutually exclusive—an innovation may start with one method and develop into another over time—and there are pros and cons for each method. Developing a new material to meet the existing standards may be less costly and quicker than pursuing a case-by-case or alternative policy, but will likely result in fewer options. The Passenger Vessel Association facilitates innova- tion by educating members about existing regulations and available al- ternatives; creating access to markets; and providing the Coast Guard with the broad perspective needed for de- velopment of sound policy. The maritime industry has a proven record of safely incorpo- rating new methods and technol- ogy into vessel design, construction and operation. The Coast Guard’s ability to consider equivalencies is an important means of promoting in- novation. The Marine Safety Center (MSC) is the Coast Guard’s technical authority for approval of commercial vessel designs, including those that depart significantly from regulatory standards. MSC’s multi-disciplined engineering team has the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to evaluate alternatives. Guidance is available to assist with preparing submissions, and MSC engineers can conduct concept reviews to assist in further defining the equivalen- cy approach. The important thing to remember is that the innovative features must either meet existing safety standards, or be found, through engineering or risk analysis, to provide a level of safety equivalent to those standards. n We are proud to present our newest Passenger Ferry EXPEDITIONS Six, with MAN Engines, ZF Gears and Mavrik Marine’s superb build. 1-800-695-2624 • go-lanai.com