Page 14: of Marine News Magazine (January 2025)

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Insights them more competitive in the global market. The grants not support California’s request to approve the EPA waiver.

are also used support employee training programs. Many

PVA member shipyards have received grants in the past. Tell us a little about the Blue & Gold ? eet – num- bers, routes, locale, etc.

What is the biggest challenge facing PVA members? Blue & Gold Fleet has operated in San Fransisco since

While 2024 has been a banner year for the majority of 1979 when it launched its ? rst bay cruise aboard the MV

PVA members from a business standpoint, there are reports Oski. Since then, the company has grown to a ? eet of 24 from many members that they are struggling to ? nd quali- vessels, with three vessels currently being constructed. ? ed licensed mariners. Some of our member companies are The company provides regular ferry service to Sausalito looking to our Nation’s maritime academies as a possible so- and through its contract with the San Francisco Bay Ferry lution to the problem. PVA has been working with various provides service to Alameda Harbor Bay, Main Street Al- maritime academies for several years now in anticipation of ameda, Oakland, Richmond, Seaplane Lagoon, South San this need. The Massachusetts Maritime Academy, for ex- Francisco, Vallejo, and Oracle Park. Blue & Gold Fleet is ample, regularly attends the PVA annual convention to help accepted into the Coast Guard’s Streamlined Inspection forge relationships with PVA members to promote employ- Program and is ISO 9001 and 14001 Certi? ed. The com- ment opportunities for its cadets. Various maritime institu- pany is projected to carry 3.2 million passengers in 2024. tions, such as Mass Maritime, have cadets who do not wish to go to sea upon graduation and look to employers such as Regulatory issues are always top of mind for those in the passenger vessel industry after graduation. any vessel operator. What’s new from the U.S.

Coast Guard (if anything); what is PVA as an ad-

How about for you and the Blue & Gold ? eet lo- vocacy group doing to respond, and what con- cally? Are your issues and PVA’s typically one cerns PVA stakeholders the most? in the same? Why or why not? In May, PVA provided comments to the Coast Guard’s

Blue & Gold Fleet is quite active on state and local issues Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Cybersecurity in the that affect our core business. At the same time, we rely heav- Marine Transportation System. The proposed regulation ily upon PVA when it comes to advocacy work at the Federal intends to establish broad cybersecurity requirements for level. From time to time, the lines between state and federal U.S. ? agged vessels and U.S. facilities subject to the Mari- jurisdictions become blurred and we ? nd ourselves working time Transportation Security Act of 2002 regulations. It is together on issues of local importance. Such has been the intended to address cybersecurity threats which are deemed case for the emerging emissions rules from the California to be increasing in the marine transportation system. In

Air Resources Board (CARB) that affect PVA member vessel responding to this proposed regulation, PVA pointed out operators. PVA is very concerned about the California Air to the Coast Guard that the PVA Alternate Security Pro-

Resources Board’s most recent amendments to the existing gram (ASP) already includes cybersecurity assessment and

Commercial Vessel Air Emissions Harbor Craft rule. We mitigation guidance suggesting that any additional steps feel that the implementation schedule imposed by CARB would be redundant. PVA stated further that the PVA ASP is not realistic for California passenger vessel operators, and “framework has proved to be effective in allowing owners some of the required technology that isn’t commercially yet. and operators to determine the best way to implement se-

In addition, some engine manufactures are pulling out of curity requirements across the passenger vessel ? eet.” the market because they do not want to do research and Our concern about this proposed rule is not that cyber development on what is only a California rule. security is not a valid activity, but rather it is a matter of scale.

So far, the U.S. Environmental Agency (EPA) has not act- The degree of response should be directly related to company ed upon the state’s request for a Clean Air Act waiver. With- size and directly proportional to the results of an assessment. out EPA’s approval, California cannot enforce the proposed A small passenger vessel operator should have the ? exibility amendments. It is not clear if the outgoing Biden EPA will to respond and plan based on their level of cyber exposure. grant the approval. If not, President-elect Trump will likely We believe that the PVA ASP provides adequate and effective 14 | MN January 2025