News and Notices

2023 Cyber Trends and Insights in the Marine Environment Report

U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command (CGCYBER) announces the release of the second annual Cyber Trends and Insights in the Marine Environment (CTIME) report. The U.S. Coast Guard has a strong tradition of collaborating with owners and operators in the Marine Environment (ME) to provide relevant information about best practices to secure critical systems. 

Four Key Takeaways from the report: 

1. Many of the same findings/recommendations discussed in the CTIME 2021 and 2022 reports were observed again in 2023. 
2. Emerging technologies create new attack paths into the ME. 
3. Ransomware attacks and Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) continue to target the ME.
4. Timely information sharing is the most effective way to increase defenses against adversaries.  

Detailed summaries and mitigation measures can be found in the report. These measures support a variety of operational areas and technologies. The full report contains insights into: cybersecurity incidents; common findings and mitigation measures; CPT missions; emerging technologies; and threat actor profiles. The full report can be found here.

Ports And Waterways Safety Assessment (PAWSA) Workshop – San Juan, PR April 2024

U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan is hosting a Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment (PAWSA) Workshop Wednesday,  April 24, 2024 to Thursday April 25, 2024 at 500 Carr. 177 Guaynabo, Bayamón 00959, Puerto Rico. PAWSA process is a disciplined approach to identify major waterway safety hazards, estimate risk levels, evaluate potential mitigation measures, and set the stage for implementation of selected measures to reduce risk. You can access the Workshop information here.

National Maritime Security Advisory Committee Public Meeting

The National Maritime Security Advisory Committee will conduct a virtual meeting to discuss a new Committee task to review and prioritize public comments on the U.S. Coast Guard’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Cybersecurity in the Marine Transportation System. The virtual meeting will be open to the public. The Committee will meet virtually on Friday, May 10, 2024, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). To join the virtual meeting or to request special accommodations, contact Mr. Ryan Owens, Alternate Designated Federal Officer of the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee, telephone 202-302-6565 or via email at ryan.f.owens@uscg.mil. 

Federal Register link: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-07097

National Boating Safety Advisory Committee Meeting

The National Boating Safety Advisory Committee (NBSAC) will conduct meetings over three days in Austin, Texas, to discuss matters relating to national boating safety.  The meetings will be open to the public and will include in-person and virtual attendance options. The NBSAC will meet on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT). You may access the full article here.

PAWSA workshop at U.S. Coast Guard Station Tybee Island in Savannah, Georgia.

Last week, the Waterways Risk Assessment and Support Division of NAVCEN conducted a two-day Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment (PAWSA) workshop at the U.S. Coast Guard Station Tybee Island in Savannah, Georgia. This workshop, led by experienced NAVCEN facilitators, engaged local waterway users and maritime industry partners in an in-depth analysis of 16 risk factors integral to the PAWSA framework. The discussions reviewed waterway risks and examined potential mitigations, with a primary focus on fostering stronger collaborations between the public and private sectors. Such partnerships are important for recognizing and addressing waterway trends, safety hazards, and devising potential mitigation strategies, ultimately enhancing the Marine Transportation System (MTS). The insights and stakeholder contributions from the PAWSA workshop will be compiled into a comprehensive report, which will inform and support future waterways management and planning activities.

PAWSA stakeholder engagements hosted by Coast Guard Sector San Juan and Sector North Carolina.

Last week, members of NAVCEN’s Waterways Risk Assessment and Support Division facilitated Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment (PAWSA) stakeholder engagements hosted by Coast Guard Sector San Juan and Sector North Carolina. The objectives of a successful stakeholder engagement are to introduce the scope and format of a PAWSA, assist in identifying informed participants for the two-day workshop, and survey the participants’ top issues that impact safety within their waterway.

The facilitation team will return to guide waterway users and maritime partners though the two-day PAWSA workshop in San Juan, PR April 24-25th and Wilmington, NC June 11-12th. Each workshop will culminate in a written report capturing stakeholder input pertaining to waterway risk factors and associated mitigations. The report will then be publicly released to the NAVCEN website.

New Merchant Mariner Credential

The U.S. Coast Guard announced a new merchant mariner credential (MMC) set to launch on March 1, 2024. This milestone marks the first comprehensive revision of the mariner credential in nearly a decade and is strategically designed to enhance both quality of service and security within the Marine Transportation System (MTS). U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) 01-24, New Merchant Mariner Credential Passport Booklet Replacement, has been posted on the DCO’s MSIB Site and announced at the National Maritime Center (CG-NMC) Home Page (uscg.mil). Please visit these resources for more information on the credential.

GPS Block IIF Satellite Antenna Patterns

The Space Systems Center (SSC) of U.S. Space Force has released the Boeing Global Positioning System (GPS) Block II Follow-on (IIF) satellite antenna patterns for world-wide public use. The culmination of a multi-year, interagency effort, the NAVCEN's website is now complete with antenna patterns for all GPS satellites. You may view the antenna patterns on the GPS Technical References page here under GPS-IIF Satellites: Antenna Patterns for L1, L2 and L5.

Reducing Vessel Strikes of Atlantic Right Whales

Click on the hyperlinks to view the 2005 and 2007 PARS Reports for Reducing Vessel Strikes of Atlantic Right Whales.

Visit the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center Facebook page.

Click on this link.