b'SAFETY MATTERSSAFETYFire Safety and ConcentratedInspection CampaignERIC CHRISTENSEN // PVA DIRECTOR OF REGULATORY AFFAIRS & RISK MANAGEMENTO nApril6,2023,theU.S.Coast100 or more passengers will be inspected formitigating damage to a vessel resulting from Guard Office of Commercial Vesselcompliancewiththebelowfocusareasandshoreside firefighting efforts. As we have seen, Compliance published Marine Safetyaction items by June 1, 2023. According towhenvesselfiresaretreatedlikeland-based Information Bulletin (MSIB) 05-23 titled Firethe Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance,structure fires, significant damage to the vessel Safety on Small Passenger Vessels. The MSIB isthe CIC inspections will be conducted duringcan occur.in response to several fires on board domesticannualinspectionsifthoseinspectionsfall passenger vessels over the last 12 months. Thebefore June 1, 2023. Vessels that have already fireshaveapparentlyoccurredinmachineryhad their annual inspections or their annual and crew-only spaces and most remain underinspection is due after June 1, 2023, can expectPVA leadership will investigation. an additional inspection as part of the CIC.be discussing the CICForvesselsdesignatedTierIandsubjectto In the MSIB the Coast Guard asks all smallin-service inspections, the CIC inspection willand fire safety at the passenger vessel owners to assess the fire safetycount as the in-service inspectionsreadiness of their vessels using a checklist pro- upcoming Quality vided in the MSIB and reprinted below. ThePVA CONCERNSchecklist items are things that vessel operatorsPVAleadershipwillbediscussingtheCICPartnership meeting.should already be doing to be in complianceandfiresafetyattheupcomingQuality with current regulations, so it should not be aPartnershipmeetingonMay11,2023,at significant burden. Coast Guard Headquarters. While fire source identification and mitigation fire risk are im- MSIB FIRE SAFETY CHECKLISTCONCENTRATED portant, it is also important to note that crewThe following focus areas and action items are INSPECTION CAMPAIGN training and structural fire protection (wherecovered in the MSIB checklist: TheCoastGuardMSIBalsoannouncedarequired) have proven effective. Coordination ConcentratedInspectionCampaign(CIC)and training with local fire responders is also Review emergency duties with the entirewhere vessels built before 1996 and that carrycritical to successfully evacuating vessels andcrew to ensure everyone understands their roleintheeventoffire,flooding,man overboard,abandonship,orothertype of emergency. Regularly conduct training and drills to ensure each crewmember is fa-miliar with the use of onboard firefighting, lifesaving, and safety systems.Reviewthefrequencyandcontentofcrew training and drills. Ensure each event DIGITAL SHIPBUILDERS is logged. DESIGN. BUILD. CONSULT.Review the vessels Certificate of Inspec- incatcrowther.com tion (COI) and ensure crewmembers are awareofthenumberofpassengersper-mitted, minimum manning requirements, and operational limits such as route, safe speed, or weather conditions.Review procedures for recording passengercount. Ensure that the passenger safety ori-entation includes the location of emergen-cy exits, survival craft, and ring life buoys; locations of and instructions for donning life jackets; and any other instructions per-tinent to the particular vessels operations. SEASTREAK COMMODORE, SEASTREAK COURAGEOUS Considerconductingemergencyescape 2 x 45m Catamaran Ro-Pax FerriesFOGHORN 28'