The long-delayed new testing system could be available at all inspection lanes by the end of 1999, Mr. Lamm said.

But noting yesterday that the problems were practically all resolved, officials said they had no plans to build more inspection lanes.

That promise assumed that all three inspection lanes would be open.

The inspectors and their supervisors acted in concert, directing cabs to inspection lanes with corrupt inspectors.

In 2012, two additional inspection lanes were added to the port facility.

Currently, nine stations - primarily those with only one or two inspection lanes - still have not gone completely back to the new system.

"They've fixed about all the inspection lanes, and they've done a good job of it, and we have every reason to believe they're going to get the last ones."

But the company that runs the system says that more inspection lanes will be needed, at a cost of millions of dollars.

And Envirotest plans to install video-monitoring equipment in inspection lanes and to hire an inspector to review videotapes of questionable cases.

The vessel was heading for the blocked inspection lane.