68
FOGHORN
priority—except, apparently, the De-
partment of Homeland Security.
A personal highlight for me was 
witnessing a masterclass in industry 
evolution through our legends panel. 
Industry luminaries Gary Frommelt, 
Terry Wirginis, and Michael Borg-
strom participated in an open dia-
logue on the industry’s past and where 
it is headed. This panel was excep-
tional; it bridged the gap between the 
foundations of our business and the 
future we are currently building. It 
provided exactly the kind of high-level 
perspective we need, and it is my hope 
that this marks the beginning of a new 
MariTrends tradition.
This spirit of shared wisdom carried 
directly into Passenger Vessel Opera-
tors Day on Wednesday. The sessions 
were absolutely packed, proving that 
our members are hungry for action-
able operational intelligence. The 
standout session was undoubtedly 
“Stick it. Share It. Solve It.: An Oper-
ations Forum,” led by Tim Ratcliffe. 
It was a massive hit; the room was at 
capacity, and the dialogue was incred-
ibly productive as operators swapped 
real-world solutions for the challenges 
we face daily. This energy carried 
through the rest of the day, from 
Tabor Young’s insights on team com-
munication to Tim Roche’s update on 
PVA Crew Training Tools.
Despite the federal hurdles, we re-
mained focused on the technological 
disruption redefining our sector: arti-
ficial intelligence (AI) and cybersecuri-
ty. The session “AI Won’t Wait” served 
as a critical wake-up call, emphasizing 
that AI is now a current operational 
necessity for watchstanding and near-
miss reporting. We also explored how 
AI can help streamline safety and 
maintenance compliance, moving our 
operations from reactive to predictive.
Sustainability was the other domi-
nant theme, addressed through the 
lens of hard economics and oper-
ational viability. We analyzed the 
technical “dilemma” of AC versus 
DC charging and received a practical 
guide to leveraging marine batteries 
effectively. The takeaway was clear: 
our transition to zero emissions must 
be as sustainable for our balance 
sheets as it is for the planet.
Beyond strategy, the MariTrends 
2026 Exhibit Hall functioned as our 
tactical hub, offering everything from 
lunch-and-learn sessions with legal 
expert Steve Bers to updates on the 
PIT Tool by Bob Bijur. The hall also 
hosted the Passenger Vessel Founda-
tion Region Competition, an essential 
fundraiser for industry education and 
safety resources.
We concluded the week with the Pres-
ident’s Dinner and awards ceremony 
aboard the M/V Belle of Cincinnati. 
The night ended on a spectacular 
note with a fireworks display over 
the river—a detail from our conver-
sation rather than the written agenda. 
Surrounded by bourbon, cigars, and 
friendship, it was a powerful remind-
er of why we do what we do. We left 
Northern Kentucky with a clear 
strategic framework and a unified 
voice. I am already looking forward to 
keeping this momentum going at next 
year’s MariTrends in Tampa.
Sincerely,
Andrew Sargis
PVA President, 2026
Continued from page 4: Letter from the President
AT THE HELM
DIG I TA L S H I P B U I L D E R S
YANKEE FREEDOM IV
D E S IG N .  B U I L D.  C O N S U LT.
incatcrowther.com
34m Catamaran Passenger Ferry

View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.