NOVEMBER 2018 • FOGHORN 27 SAFETYMATTERS By Eric Christensen, Director of Regulatory Affairs and Risk Management Managing Risk for Passenger Safety – Whether They Like it or Not I n late September 2018, the U.S. Coast Guard issued its first Findings of Concern Notice following an incident on an automobile ferry in Texas. According to the notice, the ferry “experienced a loss of vessel control during a docking approach after a main engine failure. The vessel struck the dock’s fendering system at approximately 2 knots. The allision resulted in the ferry’s forward barrier gate pinching the passenger’s leg between the gate and the first row of vehicles.” The Coast Guard investigation revealed that, during the normal course of operations, ferry passengers may exit their vehicles and freely walk around the vessel’s main deck, which is also the car deck. For the purposes of sightseeing, passengers stand on the ferry’s forward end in-between the first row of vehicles and the barrier gate. The Coast Guard found that the passengers typically did not return to their vehicles until the ferry is close to its dock, and due to the short transit, less than 15 minutes, the operator did not conduct passenger safety briefings. Ferry passengers outside their vehicles during passage can be a safety issue. Photo: U.S. Coast Guard