Coast Guard

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Coast Guard's first National Security Cutter, Bertholf, completed five days of acceptance trials in Pascagoula, Miss., April 11, 2008. Acceptance trials culminate many months of preliminary tests and evaluations before a new ship can be delivered to the government by its contractors.

Coast Guard cutter Bertholf departs: U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Michael Anderson    » read more »

PORTSMOUTH, Va. - 2008-04-11 -- The Coast Guard and North Carolina National Park Service rescued two people whose boat capsized in the surf off Coquina Beach, near Oregon Inlet, N.C., this morning.

Coast Guard watch standers at Station Oregon Inlet received a call from a retired Coast Guardsman at 8:25 a.m. stating there were two people in the water at Coquina beach.

High-speed Coast Guard rescue boat: Photo by Coast Guard

Station Oregon Inlet dispatched a beach rescue party to the scene along with rescue crews aboard a 25-foot rescue boat and a 47-foot motor lifeboat.    » read more »

Legislation would mandate that the Coast Guard intervene during adverse conditions; Require double hulls for all large cargo ships

April 10, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today introduced legislation to prevent oil spills like the November 2007 Cosco Busan incident, when a 900-foot cargo ship crashed into Bay Bridge and spilled more than 53,000 tons of toxic bunker fuel into the San Francisco Bay.

A sea bird killed by the Cosco Busan oil spill: Photo by Dave Patten (CC)    » read more »

April 10, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – This morning, Speaker Nancy Pelosi participated in a Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation hearing on the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General investigation into the Cosco Busan oil spill. Speaking on the importance of the Bay, Pelosi said: “For our community the San Francisco Bay is a value system as well as an ecosystem.” Pelosi submitted the following statement in the record:    » read more »

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Coast Guard announced it has published in the Federal Register today a request for public comment on the environmental impact of testing ballast water treatment systems on board Princess Cruise Lines' Coral Princess, Atlantic Container Lines' Atlantic Compass and Matson Shipping's Moku Pahu - three commercial ships seeking to participate in the Shipboard Technology Evaluation Program.    » read more »

Coast Guard professional employees vote to consolidate with non-professionals

April 2, 2008 -- (WASHINGTON)—Adding to its reputation as the union for Department of Homeland Security workers, the American Federation of Government Employees recently was certified at the national level as the exclusive representative for approximately 2,500 United States Coast Guard employees.

Marking their trust in AFGE, professional employees at the USCG voted for inclusion in a consolidated unit with the non-professionals, thus merging 22 existing units into one nationwide unit. The Federal Labor Relations Authority issued the new certification on March 31.    » read more »

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Coast Guard alerted the maritime community today that Iran has been placed on the port security advisory list.

The Coast Guard determined that Iran has not maintained effective anti-terrorism measures. The determination was made in accordance with the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, which authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to take into account several factors, including whether a foreign port poses a high risk of introducing terrorism to international maritime commerce.    » read more »

HONOLULU - Coast Guard search and rescue crews ended the search at 5:30 p.m. for a missing kayaker off of Po'ipu Beach, Kauai.

Coast Guard crewmembers from Air Station Barbers Point and Station Kauai searched more than 175 square miles for the 36-year-old male kayaker since initially responding to the call for assistance March 15.

Kauai Fire Department's dispatch command contacted the Coast Guard at 3:25 p.m. March 15 to aid in the search for the missing kayaker after his wife, the man's kayak partner, was safely brought ashore. The couple's kayak was found at Po'ipu Beach.    » read more »

March 11, 2008 -- WASHINGTON - Coast Guard officials formally accepted the first Mission Systems Pallet (MSP) for the HC-144A "Ocean Sentry" Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) on March 10, 2008. Monday's acceptance followed successful completion of Developmental Test and Evaluation (DT&E) of the MSP and represents a significant milestone in the project to acquire these all new aviation assets.    » read more »

March 11, 2008 -- WASHINGTON - Coast Guard officials formally accepted the first Mission Systems Pallet (MSP) for the HC-144A "Ocean Sentry" Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) on March 10, 2008. Monday's acceptance followed successful completion of Developmental Test and Evaluation (DT&E) of the MSP and represents a significant milestone in the project to acquire these all new aviation assets.    » read more »

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Coast Guard accepted delivery of its first upgraded HC-130J long range surveillance maritime patrol aircraft on Feb. 29 in Greenville, S.C.

The new HC-130J model provides the Coast Guard capabilities that will greatly enhance its ability to perform its missions. Two essential features of the new modification are the nose-mounted forward-looking infrared (FLIR)/ electro optical (EO) sensor, and belly-mounted multi-mode radar (MMR). The 360-degree belly MMR is the first of its kind on a HC-130 aircraft.    » read more »

Fingerprints Help Apprehend and Deter Illegal Migrants Attempting U.S. Entry

February 29, 2008 -- WASHINGTON - The U.S. Coast Guard and US-VISIT announced today the expansion of their successful biometrics-at-sea program to the south Florida Straits.    » read more »

Urges Coast Guard to update contingency plan for San Francisco area

February 7, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today called on the Coast Guard to strengthen standards for preparedness and recovery in the wake of the Cosco Busan oil spill. Senator Feinstein urged the Commandant of the Coast Guard to update the prepared contingency plan for the San Francisco area.

Senator Feinstein also urged the Coast Guard to require that all ships carrying a large amount of fuel be double-hulled.    » read more »

Feb. 4, 2008 -- Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Valiant interdicted 131 Haitian migrants aboard a grossly overloaded sail-freighter Saturday, 35 miles west of Great Inagua, Bahamas. (USCG photo)

MIAMI - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Valiant repatriated 131 Haitian migrants to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday.

Valiant's crew located a Haitian sail-freighter with an unknown number of people aboard while conducting a law-enforcement patrol about 35 miles west of Great Inagua, Bahamas, Saturday morning.    » read more »

February 4, 2008 -- WASHINGTON - The Coast Guard released today its 2009 posture statement which includes its strategies for success in the maritime domain, fiscal year 2009 budget in brief and fiscal year 2007 performance summary.    » read more »