On December 17, 2021, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, & Medicine (the National Academies) released a report titled “Revise and Update of U.S. Coast Guard Vessel Stability Regulations.” This document was created in response to the Coast Guard Office of Design and Engineering Standards' September 2020 request for the National Academies to review Coast Guard policies for commercial passenger service on amphibious (DUKW) vessels. The Coast Guard hoped to identify options for improving safety on these vessels through changes in design, engineering, and outfitting. The National Academies formed a committee with expertise in naval architecture, vessel design, ship construction, regulation, safety standards, marine transportation, and vessel operations. The committee's findings were lengthy--109 pages in fact. Their safety recommendations included, among many others, investigating:
External inflatable bladders, flotation foam, and buoyant floats to provide reserve buoyancy
Sealing all drain plugs that aren't necessary for navigation
Installing bilge pumps
Limiting DUKW operation to suitable bodies of water
Removing canopies
Mandatory wearing of life jackets
The report is available for free from the National Academies Press. Safety of passengers aboard tour boats is crucial to prevent the needless loss of life in the future.