Page 13: of Marine News Magazine (January 2025)

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Q&A mately 200 million passengers aboard their vessels. As such,

PVA’s top priority, and that of its members, is safety. Safety is at the core of what we as an association stand for. Safety guides our thinking, our actions, and everything we do.

Along with this steadfast commitment to safety, PVA will continue in 2025 and beyond to aggressively represent our members’ interests in Washington D.C. The goal of our advo- cacy program remains focused on fostering a positive business atmosphere for our members while working to reduce regula- tory burden on their businesses. In the coming months, our association will also focus energy and expertise on working with a new administration and a new Congress to ensure that our Industry’s voice is heard and the issues that matter most to

PVA members are communicated clearly. The following are a just a few of the issues that we will be emphasizing: • Capitol Construction Fund (CCF)

The CCF was expanded, through the work of PVA and key Members of Congress to include U.S. ? ag passenger vessel operators. The program allows private vessel opera- tors to deposit income from their business operation into a tax deferred CCF account. PVA will continue to under- score the importance of this program, and preserve it, as many PVA members have participated as a result of this landmark expansion.

All images courtesy PVA • Continued Funding for Coast Guard Programs

PVA members rely on a strong Coast Guard for a variety

As we launch into the New Year, what would you of important services including annual inspections, plan revue, and mariner licensing. PVA will continue to persua- say is the top priority for PVA and its membership?

sively advocate for needed funding for core Coast Guard

The Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) represents a di- missions that are critical to the passenger vessel industry verse gathering of passenger vessel operators as well as sup- • Illegal Charter Enforcement pliers and vendors to the passenger vessel industry. Our

Illegal charters are a growing threat in the Nation’s ports, vessel members operate Coast Guard certi? cated passenger vessels in every corner of the United States, in nearly every yet the public, and many in Congress, remain unaware of waterfront community, and aboard vessels of every shape the signi? cant safety threat that these illegal charter operators and size imaginable. PVA members operate small overnight pose. Uninspected vessels and unlicensed crew operate vessels cruise vessels in picturesque Alaskan destinations and up on charters and involve unsuspecting passengers in potential- ly unsafe situations. PVA is committed to alerting Congress and down the Mississippi River. There are large ferry ves- to this ever-present threat and to urge that the Coast Guard sels carrying hundreds of passengers in large urban environ- ments to small ferries in rural communities. PVA ferries, be provided with the resources necessary to take steps to en- such as mine, carry busy commuters to and from work and force current federal law to shut down these illegal operators. • Shipyard Grant Program Funding shuttle sightseers to breathtaking park and nature sites. PVA

PVA will continue to urge that Congress provide ad- member operators also offer scenic dinner cruises aboard historic paddlewheel vessels on the Nation’s inland rivers equate funding for The Small Shipyard Grant Program. and they offer a variety exciting environmental cruises on The program allows U.S. facilities to make capital im- provements and modernize practices that help to make our coastal waters. Annually, PVA members carry approxi- www.marinelink.com MN 13|