Written by Lt. Cmdr. Eric Jesionowski

The Cruise Ship National Center of Expertise (CSNCOE) puts on the Foreign Passenger Vessel Examiner (FPVE) Course, three times each year for up to 15 Coast Guard active duty, reserve and civilian members as well as 10 cruise industry stakeholders (cruise line representatives, ship officers, classification society surveyors/managers, foreign flag administration representatives, other government agencies, manufactures and other stakeholders that are instrumental in daily operation, inspection and/or oversight of the cruise industry).

The course is designed to provide instruction on the process for conducting foreign passenger vessel exams. Attendees are divided into six teams of up to five people. Teams are comprised of a mixture of Coast Guard and industry attendees. Throughout the course of instruction, these teams are given scenarios that could be expected during a typical Coast Guard cruise ship examination and are asked to jointly evaluate and decide on a course of action.

The week-long interactions among participants reinforces the value of and need for frequent communication and close working relationships among the cruise industry community and Coast Guard. Likewise, participants gain valuable insight, and a mutual understanding of the impacts their decisions have on cruise industry safety, security, and commercial viability.

The course convening dates for this coming year are Dec. 5, 2016, Jan. 30, 2017, and Feb. 27, 2017. The selection of class participants for the December course will be selected at the end of September; please let us know prior to September 16 if interested in attending this convening.

Industry personnel interested in attending can submit requests for seats in the course through our web site in the “Contact Us” section. For industry personnel there is no fee associated with attending the course; however you are responsible for arranging and funding all travel and accommodations.

Additional information on the course can also be found in the “Training” section of the web site.

While you’re there, please “Tell Us How We Are Doing”. The CSNCOE is always looking for feedback to improve and better serve the Coast Guard and cruise shipping industry.

About CSNCOE

The CSNCOE is one of six nationwide national centers of expertise focusing on providing industry specific consultation and services to the Coast Guard and maritime industry. The CSNCOE, located in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, is the repository of Coast Guard expertise and best practices on the FPVE program and is focused on raising the competency, capabilities, and consistency Coast Guard wide in the field of cruise ship safety, environmental, and security requirements and examinations. As the industry liaison, the CSNCOE provides training and mission support to the Coast Guard and industry alike by memorializing a blend of these activities, ensuring continuous lines of communication and interaction.

This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official source documents, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These documents remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.