News and Notices

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. 

2023 Flag State Control 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. See the report here.

Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Task Force Meeting 8 May 2024 Summary

The GMDSS Task Force held an in-person meeting on 8 May 2024 attended by 58 members. The Task Force is active in current efforts to modernize the GMDSS and monitors related developments in maritime radio and electronic navigation (e-navigation). The Task Force advocates voluntary use of radio safety equipment by all vessels and makes recommendations to government authorities to improve safety at sea regulations. See the Newsletter and Summary Record (TFSR-110) of the 8 May 2024 Meeting here.

Digital Certificate of Number

A certificate of number (CON) is required to be carried on board a state registered boat much like a registration for a motor vehicle.  A CON is required to be on board vessels to which they are issued and must be available for inspection. In 2022, Congress passed legislation allowing the CON to be in digital form in addition to being hard copy. This final rule aligns our regulations with the amended statute.

Federal Register :: Digital Certificate of Number for State Numbered Vessels

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.

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.

U.S. Space Force Roadmap

The U.S. Space Force has released a roadmap of the GPS enterprise running through the end of FY-28.