The working group, formed in 1991, is comprised of representatives from each of the Arctic Council nations: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden and the U.S. Their work focuses on matters related to marine environmental response and search and rescue in the Arctic marine environment.
U.S. Coast Guard Vice Commandant Adm. Charles W. Ray will testify at a Congressional hearing focused on the Arctic May 8, 2019, at 2 p.m. Eastern. He will testify before the House Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation Subcommittee about maritime infrastructure vulnerabilities in the Arctic region.
U.S. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Linda Fagan delivered a keynote speech and participated in panel discussions April 26, 2019, at the Arctic Encounter Symposium in Seattle. Fagan is the commander of the Coast Guard’s Pacific Area and discussed the Coast Guard Arctic Strategic Outlook, new fleet of Polar Security Cutters and emerging technology being used to promote resilience and prosperity in the Arctic.
The Coast Guard and Navy, through an Integrated Program Office, awarded VT Halter Marine Inc., of Pascagoula, Mississippi, a fixed price incentive (firm) contract for the Detail Design and Construction of the Coast Guard’s lead Polar Security Cutter.
The Coast Guard announced in the Federal Register that it is seeking public comments as part of an Alaskan Arctic Coast Port Access Route Study (AACPARS) to evaluate the need for establishing vessel routing measures along the Arctic Coast of the United States for vessels proceeding to or from ports or places of the United States and transiting within the United States Exclusive Economic Zone.
Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard Adm. Charles Ray will testify June 7, 2018, before the House Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation Subcommittee.
Mr. Jeff Lantz, Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards, spoke Feb. 22, 2018 at the International Conference on Polar Code Harmonization, in Helsinki, Finland. This post offers a condensed version of Lantz’s remarks, which focus on the U.S. Coast Guard’s view on harmonization, implementation, continued development and lessons learned.
In response to increased Arctic shipping traffic, the United States and Russian Federation have proposed voluntary two-way routing measures in the Bering Strait and Bering Sea. Located in U.S. and Russian Federation territorial waters off the coasts of Alaska and the Chukotskiy Peninsula, the routes are being recommended to help ships avoid the numerous shoals, reefs and islands outside the routes and to reduce the potential for marine casualties and environmental disasters.
The one-day event brought together Arctic stakeholders from across government, academia, and industry to discuss a broad array of topics: U.S. Arctic defense strategy, international frameworks for cooperation, climate change, responsible resource extraction, energy development, tourism, territorial claims and defense issues.
