b'acrossnineCoastGuardDistricts,ty deficiencies dropped to the fourthbreakdowninthecompanyssafety Europe, and Asia. The bulk of the ma- position in 2024.management system (SMS). For com-rine inspection workforce is located inpanies without an SMS, a detention the Coast Guard Heartland District,VESSEL DETENTIONShighlights a companys lack of proac-formerly the 8th District, which en- The process of detaining a domestictivemanagementoftheirsafetyoren-compasses the Gulf Coast, Midwest,passenger vessel has been around vironmentalpoliciesandprocedures.andWesternRivers. since2018.VesselsaredetainedThe impact of a detention goes be-wherethereisobjectiveevidencethat yond just clearing the requirement(s) WiththedemandforCoastGuarddeficiencies noted during an inspec- that caused the detention. The Coast inspectionsincreasingbytwoper- tion or exam can be traced back to aGuardwillusedetentionincidents centandthenumberofmarinein-spectors decreasing by four percent, there is reason for concern regarding inspectoravailability.PVAleadershipwill raise the issue at the September QualityPartnershipmeetingin Washington, D.C.DEFICIENCIESAspartoftheCoastGuard/PVA QualityPartnership,theCoast Guard provides a separate annualreport on domestic passenger vesselcomplianceandstatistics.Thisre-port digs a bit deeper into inspection deficiencies than the U.S. flag annual report.Thetopfivedeficiencyareasare listed below: Structural condition (corrosion, electrical, and hull damage) Propulsion and auxiliary machinery(main engine, bilge pumps/piping, and machinery operation)Lifesavingappliances(liferings,lifejackets, and flares) Fire safety (firefighting equipment and appliances)Workingandlivingconditions(electrical, medical equipment, etc.)Thetopfivedeficiencyareasdidnotchangefrom2023;however,firesafe-39 AUGUST 2025'