b'SAFETY MATTERSSAFETYOperating Outsidethe Certificate of InspectionERIC CHRISTENSEN // PVA DIRECTOR OF REGULATORY AFFAIRS & RISK MANAGEMENTW hen is it acceptable to lemsbeforeandduringthetransitin- feet in length when carrying notoperate outside the con- cludingtheresponsetoemergencies. more than 6 passengers, and whenditions detailed in an operating as a yacht, commercialinspected vessels Certificate of In- OPERATING AS fishingvessel,cargocarrier,etc.,willspection (COI)? A recent incident OTHER THAN A SMALL besubjectonlytothelaws,rulesandinvolvingavesselrelocatingfromone PASSENGER VESSEL regulations governing the type ofU.S.CoastGuardOfficerinCharge Theabilitytooperateacertificated operationinwhichitengages.ThisMarine Inspection (OCMI) zone to small passenger vessel as an unin- provision appears to have been in-anotherhighlightedvoyageplanning spectedvesselhasbeenintheregula- cludedintheregulationstoprovideaand vessel familiarity issues as well tionssince1957.Paragraph(b)ofold mechanismtoallowownerstoeasilyas OCMI overreach. Understanding Title46CodeofFederalRegulations switchservices.Forexample,anown-whattheregulationsallowandproper (CFR) 176.01-1 stated that a small er could use a boat for commercialplanningcanmitigatepotentialprob- passengervesselofnotmorethan65 fishing in the winter and for partyboatfishinginthesummer.Unfor-tunately,thatprovisionintheold46CFR Subchapter T regulations wasinconsistentwiththelawunderTitle46U.S.Code3313,whichstatesthatDuringthetermofavesselscertif-icate of inspection, the vessel mustbeincompliancewithitsconditions,unless relieved by a suspension oranexemptiongrantedundersection3306(e)ofthistitle.Inthe1997revisionoftheSubchap-terTregulations,andthecreationofSubchapterKforlargersmallpassen-ger vessels, the Coast Guard clearlystates in 176.100(b) and 115.100(b),respectivelythateachvesselinspectedandcertificatedundertheprovisionsof this subchapter must, whenany Electrifying Ferries Across America passengersareaboardduringthe tenure of the certificate [emphasisMaking smart, safe, and sustainable solutions a realityadded],beinfullcompliancewiththefor ferries across the Americas. termsofthecertificate.The Coast Guard also provided alegallyviablemechanismtorelaxtheFOGHORN 34'