11 JUNE 2026 before an inspection is just as much of a problem as one that’s been expired for six months. The binder doesn’t remind you of either one. Put one person in charge of the compliance calendar. “Ev- eryone is responsible for safety” is a great value. It’s a terrible operational structure. When compliance belongs to every- one, it quietly becomes no one’s priority. Pick a person—a first mate, a lead deckhand, whoever makes sense for your operation—and give them ownership of what’s expiring, what training records need refreshing, and what regulatory updates need attention. Ownership creates accountability. Accountability creates follow-through. Walk your own vessel like an inspector would. The Coast Guard publishes the checklists they use. The relevant CFR sections are publicly available. There’s genuinely no reason to be surprised by what an inspector looks for, because the information is there if you look. Run a quarterly internal walkthrough using that same framework. Find the gaps yourself, fix them, document it. That habit alone elimi- nates most of what becomes a scramble later. Make it safe to flag small problems early. If a crew member catches a fire extinguisher with a compromised seal or a flare that’s past its date, that’s not a failure of your oper- ation—that’s exactly how a healthy operation is supposed to work. Operators who build a culture where small issues get surfaced and fixed quietly are the ones who avoid the bigger problems. The ones who shoot the messenger end up finding out about issues from an inspector instead. A WORD ON TECHNOLOGY I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention this direct- ly, because it’s relevant to what we do at Vessel Vanguard and it’s genuinely changed how a lot of operators run their compliance programs. That compliance calendar I mentioned—the one that needs an owner and a living document behind it? That’s exactly IMPROVE YOUR OPERATIONS Our ACTIVE interceptor system lowers roll and slamming by up to 50%. It also reduces resistance. That means lower fuel consumption and less CO² emissions. Easy to install, easy to operate. Premium technology at affordable pricing. Made of composite materials for corrosion resistance and optimum performance, Humphree Interceptor tabs are electric powered (12 or 24 volt) and made for a clean transom installation with no aft overhang to contend with around docks or gear. For any commercial Vessel, 25 feet and up. HUMPHREE CONTACTS Sean Berrie Phone: 757 374 9435 • Brett Marshall Phone: 757 374 9720 BENEFITS IMPROVED FUEL ECONOMY, UP TO 25% FASTER ACCELERATION IMPROVED VISIBILITY AND SPEED LESS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT UP TO 50% LESS ROLL MOTIONS Automatic interceptor trim tab systems. Your new fuel saver. www.humphree.com
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