News and Notices
Maritime Security (MARSEC) Level & Port Status Updates Available on Navigation Center's Website
ATTENTION: Maritime Security (MARSEC) Level and Port Status Updates Now Available!
Find the latest Coast Guard MARSEC Level and Port Status and Port Contact Information now available on the NAVCEN website. Click the links to stay informed.
Alert: The Coast Guard has retired Homeport
The Coast Guard retired Homeport as of April 12, 2025. Moving forward, you will need to use alternate approaches for tasks typically performed through the Homeport platform.
To protect the nation’s Maritime Transportation System, we are transferring Homeport functionality to more secure information systems. The Homeport system is facing increasing costs and system obsolescence. As a result, it is no longer a viable tool for managing the many functions required to ensure the smooth and safe flow of vessel traffic.
“We recognize that Homeport has been a trusted tool for mariners and the broader maritime community,” said Rear Adm. Wayne Arguin, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy. “We are committed to keeping these users informed and providing alternatives to the functions and information Homeport provided as we transition.”
The Coast Guard is establishing temporary workarounds to ensure essential services remain accessible until we can identify the best permanent approach for each function.
The new Homeport Solutions & News website will be our primary tool for keeping you informed as new tools come online.
You can also visit Maritime Commons, the Coast Guard’s blog for maritime professionals, and subscribe for the Maritime Commons RSS feed to receive regular e-mail updates.
We realize that decommissioning Homeport is a significant change, and we are committed to making the transition as easy for you as possible. On behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard, thank you for your important role in building a thriving U.S. economy and your commitment to safe, secure maritime commerce.
Monday, April 14, 2025D1 Coastal Buoy Modernization Initiative
The Coast Guard First District Commander seeks public input on AtoN changes Proposed. Coast Guard is modernizing and rightsizing the buoy constellation, whose designs mostly predate Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Electronic Navigation Charts (ENC), and Electronic Charting Systems (ECS), for long-term reliability and serviceability. This effort, which includes buoy discontinuation, will result in the most sustainable navigation risk reduction to support and complement modern mariners, today's much larger ships, ECS system availability and requirements, and powerful smartphone navigation subscription apps affordably accessible to virtually all waterway users. See the initiative here.
Monday, April 7, 2025Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Task Force Meeting April16, 2025
The next GMDSS Task Force meeting is April 16, 2025 during the RTCM Annual Assembly at the OneOcean Hotel and Spa in Atlantic Beach, FL. The Task Force currently meets four times each year. The summer and winter meetings are held in the Washington area at the RTCM Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia (see www.rtcm.org). The spring and fall meetings are held during the annual meetings of the RTCM and the NMEA respectively. Task Force participation is open to all interested parties. Anyone desiring to be placed on distribution for Task Force material should contact the Task Force Director, Bill Cairns, by email at bcairns@rtcm.org.Monday, January 6, 2025NAVCEN's upgraded Local Notice to Mariners & Light List application
The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN) has launched its updated Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light List application, reaffirming our commitment to enhancing access to critical maritime safety information.
This upgraded application now allows users to download and print LNMs for entire Coast Guard Districts or define their own area of interest using the GIS tools to zoom in and access localized data. The form section enables users to organize and sort LNMs by waterway or category. For programmatic integration, GeoJSON files are available to download for data ingestion into other applications.
We sincerely appreciate your patience and are confident this enhanced version will better serve the diverse needs of the maritime community.
Monday, November 25, 2024
First Coast Guard District Offshore Wind Energy/Ongoing Work
This guidance is for Private Aids to Navigation applicants requesting Coast Guard approval to provide navigational markings on offshore wind energy area structures in First District-area waters. Read the guidance here.
Thursday, November 14, 2024Reducing 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.
Thursday, March 9, 2023Visit the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center Facebook page.
Click on this link.
Wednesday, January 12, 2022U.S. Space Force Roadmap
The U.S. Space Force has released a roadmap of the GPS enterprise running through the end of FY-28.
Monday, January 10, 2022