The 1,399 teu container ship Maersk Alaska, owned by Maersk Line, Limited, has become the first Lloyd’s Register-classed ship to enter the US Coast Guard’s (USCG) Alternate Compliance Program (ACP). ACP is a voluntary program available through authorized classification societies for owners, operators, designers and builders of US-flag vessels to comply with USCG design and inspection regulations. USCG’s ACP is intended to reduce the regulatory burden on the maritime industry while maintaining existing levels of safety and to provide the maritime industry with more flexibility in determining how to build and operate US-flag vessels. Lloyd’s Register is one of only two non-US classification societies to have ACP authorization from USCG.