This paper develops a decision framework for considering emission control technologies on marine engines, informed by standard decision theory, with an open structure that may be adapted by operators with specific vessel and technology attributes different from those provided here. Attributes relate objectives important to choosing control technologies with specific alternatives that may meet several of the objectives differently. The transparent framework enables multiple stakeholders to understand how different subjective judgments and varying attribute properties may result in different technology choices.

Passenger ferries in the New York-New Jersey Harbor have proliferated in recent years and now carry almost 67,000 passengers each day, with more than 50 vessels serving 39 routes. With 1.6 million disabled individuals in New York City alone, accessibility is a key concern. The U.S. Access Board, a federal agency tasked with developing accessibility standards, is in the process of developing accessibility standards for passenger vessels. A milestone in this process was reached with the December 2000 publication of recommended vessel accessibility guidelines by the board's Passenger Vessel Access Advisory Committee (PVAAC), an assembly of representatives from the disabled community and the passenger vessel industry. The PVAAC recommendations are applied to the smallest vessel in the New York-New Jersey Harbor private transit ferry fleet, providing insights into the design challenges of small passenger vessel accessibility. The intention is to heighten the awareness of such design challenges among the disabled, vessel operators, and marine designers and to spur the development of innovative solutions.

The marine industry faces a challenge in making passenger vessels accessible to persons with disabilities. With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, freedom of access has become the law of the land. Accessibility issues pertaining to vessel design include embarking and disembarking the vessel, paths of travel aboard the vessel (doorways, thresholds, aisles), multideck access, accessible bathrooms and other services, and emergency evacuation. Accessibility extends beyond the wheelchair user to include the blind and visually impaired, the deaf, and others. The design community, working with the passenger vessel owners and persons with disabilities, has an opportunity to develop creative solutions to the numerous problems of vessel accessibility.

Passenger vessel access by people with disabilities will be facilitated by new standards developed by the U.S. Access Board under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The board has been assisted by the Passenger Vessel Access Advisory Committee (PVAAC), an assembly of representatives from the community of people with disabilities and the passenger vessel industry. PVAAC provided recommendations to the board in the form of guidelines for the design, new construction, and alteration of passenger vessels. Its December 2000 report addressed accessibility issues such as onboard and on–off accessible routes, emergency egress and alarms, toilet facilities, lodging, vehicle parking, and employee areas. PVAAC recommendations will be applied to an existing 1,000-passenger, 100-vehicle ferry vessel; and commentary will be provided on the resulting implications for ferry design, new construction, and alterations. The purpose is to further awareness of accessibility issues in passenger vessel design, new construction, and alterations; to highlight areas of opportunity for technology-assisted solutions; and to challenge the design community to develop workable and cost-effective solutions. PVAAC recommendations focus primarily on mid- to large-size passenger vessels (carrying more than 150 passengers), including vessels with overnight accommodations such as cruise liners and coastal excursion vessels. They also address smaller vessels, typically including types such as dinner cruise boats, whale watcher and fishing head boats, and small passenger-only ferries. A sampling of those recommendations will be addressed in addition to recommendations applied to the 1,000-passenger ferry.