50 FOGHORN T he PVA Regulatory and Safety and Security Committees met in person on Feb. 20, 2026, at the PVA Annual Convention at Mar- iTrends 2026 in Covington, Ky. Over the course of the meeting, committee chairs and working group leaders dis- cussed the accomplishments of 2025 and where effort needs to be put in 2026 and beyond. ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2025 2025 was a good year to wrap up on- going projects and deal with emergent issues associated with regulations, deregulations, and a new federal ad- ministration. Regulatory Committee Chair Dave Whanger led a working group made up of both Regulatory and Safety and Security Committee members to develop a cybersecurity train- ing framework to assist members required to have security plans in meeting the training phase of the U.S. Coast Guard cybersecurity regulations that became effective in July 2025. The cybersecurity train- ing requirements became effective on Jan. 12, 2026, and the PVA cy- bersecurity training framework can be found on the PVA website under Member Resources. The Regulatory Committee submit- ted comments to the docket regarding the following: • Coast Guard Final Rule – Cybersecurity in the Marine Transportation System • Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) – Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings • Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) NPRM – Advancing Safety of Highway, Rail, and Vessel Transportation of Hazardous Materials • Office of Management and Budget Request for Information (RFI) – Deregulation • First Coast Guard District Buoy Modernization Proposal • Maritime Administration Collec- tion of Information – Application for Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws for Small Passenger Vessels • Department of Justice RFI – State Laws that Adversely Affect Interstate Commerce In addition to the joint committee work on cybersecurity, the Safety and Security Committee projects com- pleted in 2025 include: • Revised Deckhand Training Manual available in an editable Word format on the PVA Member Resources page under Safety and Crew Training Tools. • Engagement tools to assist PVA members in working with local fire departments to develop and exercise emergency response plans: • Vessel Operator Engagement Checklist • Small Passenger Vessel Pre-Fire Plan • Memorandum of Understanding Template These tools are posted under the Safety and Crew Training Tools section of the Member Resources page of the PVA website. • Completion and deployment of the PIT Tool for assessing hull plate with isolated pitting. This tool will be particularly valuable for vessel operators scoping drydock work and when working with the Coast Guard on repair proposals. The tool went live on the PVA home page on February 22, 2026, and is accessible to anyone who visits the site. • LED and decorative lighting – The Coast Guard Marine Safety Center finally took up PVA’s recommendations on accepting new technology for LED and decorative lighting. Plan Review Guide E2-23 ERIC CHRISTENSEN // PVA DIRECTOR OF REGULATORY AFFAIRS & RISK MANAGEMENT SAFETY MATTERS Committee Accomplishments and Looking Ahead to New Challenges SAFETY
View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.