b'a scheduled inspection and not a sur- DEFICIENCIES CoastGuardinspectorsshouldnot prise, so be prepared to walk the CoastVessel owners and operators need toemailrequirementsaftertheinspec-Guard inspector or team through theknowwhatrequirementsareout- tion where the vessel owner or opera-elements of the inspection as presentedstanding at the end of the inspection.tor has not been previously apprised of in the applicable CG-840 book. Oper- Ideally,therearenooutstandingthe situation. If the inspector is going ators should not wait for the inspectorrequirements,butwhenthereare,to look something up back at the office to ask to see a particular item. Basedoperators should encourage the Coastbased on what they saw on the vessel, on recent vessel member experiences,Guardinspectortoprovidethosethey should let the owner or operator do not have an annual or inspectionrequirements in writing after a discus- know. Perhaps it is a situation where for certification scheduled right aftersion of each deficiency.the vessel has been given special consid-ayardormaintenanceperiodwitheration to depart from the regulations gear adrift and the vessel not ready toBased on member feedback, it appearsby the previous Officer in Charge Ma-get underway. First impressions set thethatmanyCoastGuardunitshaverineInspection.Needlessdramacan tone of the inspection.movedawayfromwritingupdefi- be avoided if the Coast Guard inspec-ciencies at the end of the inspectiontor researches the issue before issuing a Have documents and documentationandwillemailtherequirementsonrequirement on something that could at the ready. Open all compartmentsform CG-835V the day after or sev- have existed on the vessel for years and and make sure they are well ventilat- eral days after the inspection. This isbeen through numerous inspections.ed.Machinery,pumps,andalarmsnot an optimal situation, especially if needtobeinworkingorder.Life- there are requirements with operatingGOOD IDEA FAIRYsavingandfirefightingequipmentrestrictionsinplace.Thereconsid- Finally,vesselownersandoperators should be pre-inspected, and any defi- eration and appeals process requiresshould not act upon recommendations cient items should be identified to thedocumentationoftherequirementor good ideas from the Coast Guard CoastGuardinspectorandalreadythat the owner or operator disagreesinspector if they do not agree. If it is replaced. Crew must be on board andwith,soitisimportanttogetout- not in the regulations or Coast Guard ready to get the vessel underway andstandingrequirementsinwritinginspection policy, the vessel owner or conduct drills. with regulatory citations.operator is not obliged to comply.If something is not working, the oper-ator should tell the Coast Guard when they show up. Self-reported deficien-cies do not get entered in the online inspection history of the vessel. They arestilldocumentedontheCoast Guard form CG-835V, but the inspec-tor will mark the box self-reportedWe do ontheright-handsideoftheform. Inspectionandcasualtyrecordsaremore than readily available for U.S. and foreigncollaborate;flag vessels that have been inspected by the Coast Guard on the Port Safe- we empower ty Information Exchange website. Inyou through additiontoself-reporting,thevessel operator should also know the statuspartnership oftherepairorreplacementofthe deficient item. This will demonstrate that the company is effectively manag-Kongsberg Maritimeing the safety of the vessel. Protechting People and Planet37 MAY 2025'