49 JUNE 2026 REGULATORY REPORT LEE BOONE // PVA SENIOR REGULATORY AND PROGRAMS ADVISOR Flagship SMS PROGRESS, MOMENTUM, AND WHAT COMES NEXT W hen the Passenger Ves- sel Association (PVA) launched the Flagship Safety Management System (SMS), the goal was straightforward: give passen- ger vessel operators a tailored frame- work for completely owning their safety. PVA brought me on recently to help bring this to reality, guiding and overseeing operator implementation, approving service providers, connect- ing resources, and engaging you, the members. After only six weeks, the program is gaining momentum. The need for Flagship has long been clear. While many PVA members have implemented elements of an SMS and some already operate under a certified, externally audited SMS, there has never been an industry-wide program tailored to the needs of domestic passenger vessel operators, particu- larly smaller companies for whom International Safety Management (ISM)-style frameworks were never designed. Built upon the U.S. Coast Guard-PVA Quality Partnership and informed by the Coast Guard’s safety management regulations for domestic towing vessels, Flagship SMS draws on proven models and adapts them to the passenger vessel sector. Establishing this program now before Coast Guard regulatory action for domestic passen- ger vessels gives PVA and its members a meaningful head start and places the industry in a stronger position to contribute authoritatively to SMS rulemaking provisions and equivalen- cies, and even to pending Streamlined Inspection Program (SIP) improve- ments. The operators who lean in and build their systems today will be the voices that shape the rules and policies of tomorrow. WHAT’S BEEN ACCOMPLISHED Maid of the Mist, a well-known name in the passenger vessel industry, re- ceived its Flagship certificate of eligi- bility this month, clearing the way for its initial Flagship audit this summer. PVA is grateful for their leadership and their enthusiasm in implementing Flagship, but also for offering to share what they learn along the way, a spirit of members helping members that is exactly what will make this program valuable to PVA. Safety is not just a competitive advantage; it is a way we can all rise and maintain the highest standards together. Inquiries regarding Flagship participa- tion have continued to grow, reflecting a broader recognition among PVA members that operator-owned safety management is not just a best practice; it is the best model for our industry. THE FRAMEWORK BEHIND THE PROGRESS The Flagship SMS Program is struc- tured around ISM and 33 CFR 96 functional requirements and adapted for U.S. passenger vessel operations. Flagship SMS requirements have been woven into an SMS manual template built on the foundational work of Mike McElroy and Wendella, whose early commitment to SMS develop- ment gave the program a great starting point. Participating operators follow a defined pathway to implementation: notice of intent; Flagship SMS man- ual development; designated person, internal auditor and crew training; self-attestation of compliance; and a Flagship audit by an internal auditor or recognized Flagship organization (RFO). This audit is the heart of the program, because Flagship recogni- tion means something only if shown by objective evidence to work. A significant milestone came with the formal approval of QMII, led by Capt. IJ Arora, as both an RFO and a Flag- ship training service provider (FTSP) in the past few weeks. These approvals give PVA members access to all the as- sistance necessary from initial gap anal- ysis to training through to a Flagship audit. Additional RFOs and FTSPs are being identified and encouraged to seek approval. PVA associate members with expertise in safety management, The operators who lean in and build their systems today will be the voices that shape the rules and policies of tomorrow.
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