NOVEMBER 2017 • FOGHORN 25 REGULATORYREPORT “why did you guys do this.” After hours and hours when I sometimes referred to “we” I was never really sure if I was the “Coast Guard we” or the “NAPVO we.” We took what we learned and wherever the Coast Guard scheduled a hearing we invited every passenger vessel operator we could identify, member or not, to a pre-hearing meeting and we shared all we had developed. We educated the public and to a great extent the Coast Guard. This enlightenment led to a supple- mental notice that reworked the cost benefit justification and proposed a new Subchapter K. Other opportunities were the passage of the Passenger Vessel Safety Act of 1993 that was a serious effort to control the wide spread bareboat charter industry. Then, as now, responsible Coast Guard-inspected vessels were being tarnished with the sins of others. As we grew, the Coast Guard alternately grew and shrank in size and in missions, reprogrammed and reor- ganized, and marine inspection changed with the tides. Right-sizing the Coast Guard brought us the streamlined in- spection program and Prevention Through People with its Honor the Mariner. The inspector pool shrank. September 11, 2001 brought another stress to the program. Marine safety personnel formed the bulk of the initial maritime security cadre with regulatory experience and know-how on success- fully interacting with the public. The experienced inspector pool shrank. Coast Guard marine safety leadership went to other departments and industry as new hires or liaison. The inspector pool became transient and martial law oriented. The Enhanced Marine Safety Program was born and repopulated the program but experienced inspectors remained a minority. Sectors were born and OCMI’s were Sector Commanding Officers that wore all major program hats and marine inspec- tion was just one. Many had no experience in regulation or interaction with the regulated public. The marine inspection program has survived and has matured to a working relation- ship with industry, albeit a little title rich and bureaucratic. We constantly strive to put Coast Guard leadership and PVA members in communication with teamwork through shared issues of concern. One of the Prevention Through People lasting concepts was to create formal partnerships with the various segments of the marine transportation system. This vital communica- tion and joint problem solving through working groups on issues of mutual interest has probably been the vehicle that prevented many workable issues from turning to legislative and regulatory intervention of third parties. And, I continue to proudly serve PVA in this capacity along with my fellow PVAstaffers as we strive to forge strong partnerships with the Coast Guard on a variety of issues on behalf of members of the Passenger Vessel Association. n OVER 8,000 PEOPLE RELY ON BAY FERRIES EVERY DAY 510.337.9122 • www.bay-ship.com 2900 Main Street, #2900, Alameda, CA 94501 Our mission is to guarantee absolute customer satisfaction. That’s why Ferry operators rely on Bay Ship and Yacht to keep their boats running smoothly and on time.Weareafullserviceshipyardwhosemissionis to guarantee absolute customer satisfaction... while also reducing Bay Area traffic.