AUGUST 2017 • FOGHORN 5 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR John Groundwater inspection. Initially we are seeking recognition through a reduction in the scope of an inspec- tion under the Coast Guard’s prototype Risk Based Decision Making matrix for annual in- spections.” After its review of the PVA Flagship SMS, the Coast Guard responded on June 12, 2017. In that letter, Captain J.F. Williams wrote, “The U.S. Coast Guard completed its review and has determined that Flagship SMS meets the objectives and functional require- ments for a SMS…and this voluntary program can be accepted by the Coast Guard as it endeavors to enhance regula- tory compliance and safety on domestic passenger vessels.” She also wrote, “In addition, Flagship will be recognized by the local OCMIs when carrying out the Coast Guard’s risk-based decision making (RBDM) policy letter for small passenger vessels (CVC Policy Letter 16-05(series)); and in particular when determining the proper scope for a vessel’s annual inspec- tion.” Captain Williams further wrote, “This represents a significant milestone and I commend you, your staff and members of the Flagship Working Group on this remarkable achievement, and look forward to our continued work on the de- velopment of policies and procedures that will enhance passenger vessel safety.” This is a tremendous achievement for PVA and its members. I heartily encourage you to consider using the PVA Flagship SMS in your risk management program. We believe that Flagship will be an integral part in our quest for continuous safety improvement. PVA’s Fall Region Meetings Flagship and other important topics will be on the agenda for PVA’s Region Meetings this fall. As you know, these PVA meetings will give you chance to catch-up on topics of importance to your business, interact with your industry peers and exchange information and insights. I hope that you will attend one or more of these important PVA events this fall. In the meantime, please let me know whenever we can be of assistance to you. Sincerely, John R. Groundwater Executive Director n Improving a Stellar Safety Record PVAmember passenger vessel operators have achieved a solid reputation for safe vessel operations over the years. The safety of both passengers and crew are a central component to our industry’s core values as responsible passenger vessel operators. For many years, the U.S. Coast Guard and other regulators have praised PVA member vessel operators for having and maintaining such a solid record of safety. This is certainly high praise and recog- nizes the dedication, hard work and pro- fessionalism that have gone into achieving this notable record of safety. This record becomes even more impressive when you consider that our industry safely carries more than 200 million passengers each year. The PVA FLAGSHIP SMS — A Step Forward in Elevating Safety So, where do we go from here and how do we take an already safe industry to the next level? PVA has an answer to this question and its name is the PVA Flagship Safety Management System (SMS). As you have probably already heard, this exciting new program is a voluntary safety management system which has been designed specifically to meet the needs of passenger vessel operators. Developed as a deliverable of a working group, made up of PVAmembers, representatives from the Coast Guard and PVA staff, and chartered spe- cifically under the PVA/Coast Guard Quality Partnership in November 2010, the PVA Flagship SMS is a voluntary safety management system appropriate and scalable for the domestic passenger vessel industry. It is designed to enhance regulatory compliance and safety within the domestic passenger vessel fleet to include vessels inspected under Subchapters T, K and H. The program is applicable for passenger vessel operators of all sizes. The working group went to great lengths to ensure that PVA members could implement Flagship easily, without having to design their own safety management system from scratch. After many rewrites, the Flagship prototype was submitted to the Coast Guard on December 20, 2016 for their approval by then-PVA President Margo Marks. In her letter to Rear Admiral Paul Thomas, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, she wrote, “the original working group charter envisioned the PVA Flagship SMS as an alternative to traditional Coast Guard PVA’S LINE UP OF REGION MEETINGS FOR 2017 September 26, 2017 PVA Southeast Region Meeting/ Coast Guard Industry Day Island Queen Cruises Miami, FL October 18-20, 2017 PVA Western Region Meeting Kimpton Solamar Hotel San Diego, CA November 1-3, 2017 PVA Rivers Region Meeting Padelford Packet Boat Company St. Paul, MN November 8-10, 2017 PVA Great Lakes and Original Colonies Region Meeting with the Canadian Passenger Vessel Association Marriott on the Falls Niagara Falls, Ontario, CANADA