46 CFR §154.32

1. (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.
2. (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. (1)A detailed explanation of the vessel's characteristics that do not meet the requirements in this part; and
   2. (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.
3. (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.