News and Notices

Coast Guard urges preparedness for remainder of 2024 Atlantic hurricane season

MIAMI — The Coast Guard reminds mariners and residents of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to remain vigilant and prepared for the remainder of the 2024 hurricane season.  

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, with the peak occurring between mid-August and late October.  

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released an updated forecast on Aug. 8 that predicted a 90% chance for an above-normal 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.  

“The hurricane season got off to an early and violent start with Hurricane Beryl, the earliest category-5 Atlantic hurricane on record,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “NOAA’s update to the hurricane seasonal outlook is an important reminder that the peak of hurricane season is right around the corner, when historically the most significant impacts from hurricanes and tropical storms tend to occur.”  

It is essential for mariners and the public to take proper measures before a storm arrives. Ensure you have the proper safety equipment, have a hurricane mooring plan or a safe place to store your trailered boat, and monitor the weather and VHF-FM channel 16 prior to a voyage and while out on the water.  Read the article here.

CGSIC Meeting Registration September 16-17, 2024 Baltimore, Maryland, USA

The Civil GPS Service Interface Committee (CGSIC) is the recognized worldwide forum for effective interaction between all civil GPS users and the U.S. GPS authorities. The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN) coordinates and manages CGSIC in cooperation with the Department of Transportation. The full Civil GPS Service Interface Committee is scheduled to convene in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. in person (a virtual option is being pursued) on September 16-17, 2024, in conjunction with the ION GNSS+ 2023 conference.

Please register by clicking on this Link. If you need assistance, please contact stephen.r.hamilton@uscg.mil.

Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee Meeting

The Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee will meet in Massena, New York, to discuss matters relating to Great Lakes Pilotage, including review of proposed Great Lakes Pilotage regulations and policies. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).  Please note that this meeting may adjourn early if the Committee has completed its business. The meeting will be held at the Saint Lawrence Seaway Visitor Center at Eisenhower Lock, 76 Barnhart Island Road, Massena, NY 13662. Pre-registration is not required for access to the meeting. 

For further information please contact: Mr. Francis Levesque, Alternate Designated Federal Officer of the Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee, telephone (571) 308-4941 or email Francis.R.Levesque@uscg.mil.

Federal Register link: 2024-16410.pdf (govinfo.gov)

U.S. Coast Guard announces Juneau homeporting for future icebreaker

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Coast Guard announced Wednesday it will homeport a commercially procured icebreaker in Juneau.

The Coast Guard is acquiring the Aiviq, a U.S. registered ship originally built to serve as an Arctic oil-exploration support vessel, which has an icebreaking capability sufficient to serve as a Coast Guard medium polar icebreaker, following modification.

“The United States is an Arctic nation, and the Coast Guard is vital to providing presence in our sovereign waters and the polar regions,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, Coast Guard vice commandant. “As we continue to build the Polar Security Cutters, acquiring a commercially available polar icebreaker will enable the Coast Guard to increase our national presence in the Arctic, and homeporting this cutter in Alaska demonstrates the Service’s steadfast commitment to the region.”

The Coast Guard was appropriated $125 million in fiscal year 2024 to purchase a commercially available icebreaker. Currently, the Aiviq is the only U.S. built commercial vessel meeting necessary icebreaking standards. The Service anticipates the vessel will reach initial operational capability in two years. 

The Coast Guard has been the sole provider of America’s polar icebreaking capability since 1965 and is seeking to increase its icebreaking fleet with new Polar Security Cutters. The Coast Guard currently operates two polar icebreakers, the Coast Guard Cutter Healy, a medium polar icebreaker, and the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star, the only U.S. heavy polar icebreaker.

2023 Flag State Control Domestic Annual Report

The Coast Guard’s Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance is pleased to announce the publication of the 2023 Flag State Control Domestic Annual Report. This report highlights U.S. domestic fleet inspection, deficiency, and marine casualty statistics and serves as a powerful tool that highlights trends, identifies key performance indicators, and draws attention to findings over the past calendar year.

The report presents information reflecting the U.S. Flag fleet including: barges, cargo vessels, passenger vessels, vessels operating on the Outer Continental Shelf, research and school ships, fishing vessels, and towing vessels. You can find the report here.

Coast Guard changes name of Coast Guard Sector Anchorage

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard changed the name of Coast Guard Sector Anchorage to Coast Guard Sector Western Alaska and U. S. Arctic, effective Apr. 19, 2024. Contact information and operations remain the same. While Sector Western Alaska and U. S. Arctic is physically located on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the name was updated to reflect the unit’s geographic area of operations. “Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic personnel carry out Coast Guard statutory missions throughout the state, to include the Aleutian Islands, the North Slope, the Interior, and to our borders with Russia and Canada,” said Capt. Christopher Culpepper, commander of Sector Western Alaska and U. S. Arctic. “By updating the name, the Coast Guard clarifies that the unit serves a broader public beyond the Anchorage bowl and the change better aligns with the Captain of the Port zone as outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations.”  Sector Western Alaska and U. S. Arctic watchstanders are available 24 hours each day at (907) 428-4100 and VHF Channel 16. For media inquiries, contact uscgalaska@uscg.mil. 

Coast Guard releases preliminary 2023 recreational boating statistics

The U.S. Coast Guard released preliminary statistics on calendar year 2023 recreational boating incidents, revealing that there were 564 boating fatalities reported nationwide in 2023, a 11.3 percent decrease from the 636 deaths in 2022. From 2022 to 2023, the total number of incidents decreased 4.9 percent (4,040 to 3,844), and the number of non-fatal injured victims decreased 4.3 percent (2,222 to 2,126).  Alcohol continued to be the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents in 2023, accounting for 79 deaths, or 17 percent of total fatalities.  Read the full report here.

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.