Towing the Line

摘要

It's being touted as a historic moment for the U.S. towing industry: The first time that towing vessels will undergo regular inspections under a myriad of new rules and expectations.But now comes the hard part as the industry reviews a proposed rule that aims to make commercial navigation safer on the nation's waterways. It will be neither easy nor cheap to implement.At first blush, reaction from many in the industry after the proposal was released in August has been generally positive. After all, industry representatives helped the Coast Guard craft the draft. There were a few surprises and far more questions than answers — many of which may become clearer through a public comment period that will lead to the final inspection rule.