Vision Inspection
Question 16. How was it possible for the Vision, sister ship to the Conception
owned by Truth Aquatics, Inc. at that time, to pass inspection on April 4, 2019, with
no deficiencies, but when re-inspected on September 6, 2019, after the Conception
disaster, 26 deficiencies were found, many relating to major electrical hazards?ANSWER. A team of four MIs conducted the inspection of the VISION on September 6, 2019 (versus one in April 2019), and were following CGHQ directed concentrated inspection guidance that focused on fire detection and firefighting equipment, means of escape, crew training (including roving patrol requirements), passenger safety orientation, and electrical installations.
Question 17. I reviewed the inspection of the Conception and the Vision from February 2019. This was their annual inspection. The Conception was also dry docked.
They had the same inspector for the past 5 years and the same dry dock inspector
for the past 4 years. The MV Vision was also inspected in April 2019 and she also
had no deficiencies. She was re-inspected on September 6, 2019, two days after the
Conception disaster. She had 26 deficiencies. I can only assume the MV Conception
had the same quality inspection the previous spring time. How do you explain this?ANSWER. The Coast Guard notes that a Captain of the Port (COTP) Order was
issued to the M/V VISION on September 6, 2019, four days after the CONCEPTION
tragedy. The COTP Order prohibited vessel operations until a satisfactory Coast
Guard inspection was completed. This inspection was later conducted on October 2,
2019, as part of a Coast Guard concentrated inspection campaign. The April 2019
inspections of VISION and CONCEPTION were conducted by a single Coast Guard
MI, which is a practice used at smaller Marine Safety Offices that are billeted with
as few as a single qualified MI and consistent with Coast Guard regulations. A
standard inspection starts with a review of documentation, testing of vessel machinery and crew knowledge. As the MI proceeds through the vessel, they will expand
their inspection to look at any new or modified systems.
From here: A REVIEW OF COAST GUARD EFFORTS TO IMPROVE SMALL PASSENGER VESSEL SAFETY