OCTOBER 2018 • FOGHORN 29 REGULATORYREPORT overnight cruising. Casino boats were soon on the horizon. Tonnage man- agement schemes were facilitating larger vessels under 100 gross tons for regulatory purposes. The increasing passenger vessel capacity was neces- sitating individual Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) decisions that brought structural fire protection and machinery regulations to bear via policies and Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circulars (NVIC). In a partial response to the challeng- es, a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to update Subchapter T reg- ulations was published. A NVIC on deckhand training was published. The concept of senior deckhand in lieu of a second licensed mate was included. A NPRM creating Subchapter W Lifesaving appliances was published. Casino vessels were being built with large public spaces that conflicted with established Subchapter H international- based regulations that saw many indi- vidual cabins as a fire control threat. The Americans With Disabilities Act was passed. And much more. In this environment, the National Association of Passenger Vessel Owners (NAPVO), the precursor to PVA, became an acknowledged industry resource. Coast Guard ini- tiatives benefited from our ability to marshal public participation at public hearings and in other opportunities for problem solving. The number of pas- senger-carrying vessels grew until they made up to one-half of all Coast Guard inspected vessels. Today, the passenger vessel industry is acknowledged for its overall safety record and regulatory compliance. With PVA’s encourage- ment, the Coast Guard focus is exerting an expanding influence on broad passenger safety. It started with Coast Guard taking a role in “rail jumper” prosecution. In the past, passenger misconduct was seen as a nuisance, but with PVA and congressional influence it is now more often prosecuted as a violation of law and regulation subject to a civil penalty process. This applies not only for rail jumpers but for any instance of interference with the safe navigation of a commercial vessel. Next came a proactive Coast Guard stance on illegal vessel operations. This went from investigation after the fact to an active enforcement including confron- tation on the waterfront and afloat. The last broad safety initiative is dealing with the increasingly competitive and crowded waterways. Recreational and ad hoc rental operations are putting craft operated by untrained persons operating in a navigable waterway where rules of the road are a necessary first for the safety of all operators. Here, the Coast Guard has encouraged industry-led Harbor Safety Committee formation and inclusion of all stake- holders as a forum for local education and problem solving. It was not a smooth transition over the decades. The Coast Guard