46 CFR § 154.32 - Equivalents.

(a) A vessel that fails to meet the standards in this part for an endorsement on a Certificate of Inspection or a Certificate of Compliance may meet an alternate standard if the Commandant (CG–ENG) finds that the alternate standard provides an equivalent or greater level of protection for the purpose of safety.

(b) The Commandant (CG–ENG) considers issuance of a finding of equivalence to the standard required by this part if the person requesting the finding submits a written application to the Commandant (CG–ENG) that includes—

(1) A detailed explanation of the vessel's characteristics that do not meet the requirements in this part; and

(2) An explanation of how each substituted standard would enable the vessel to meet a level of safety that would be equivalent to or greater than the standard in this part.

(c) Operational methods or procedures may not be substituted for a particular fitting, material, appliance, apparatus, item, or type of equipment required in this part.