60 Proceedings Fall 2025 examinations. At Red Dog Mine, examiners often spend three to four days conducting bulk carrier examinations. At minimum, two personnel are required for each exam- ination, limiting summer personnel availability. Per pol- icy, at least three domestic vessel inspectors are brought in for large cruise ships, further reducing availability for domestic inspections. In calendar year 2024, the division completed examinations of 11 bulk/dry-bulk vessels, 17 cruise ships, five tank vessels, one mobile offshore drilling unit, and one foreign-flagged fishing vessel. While foreign fishing vessels are uncommon, the unit is no stranger to examining these vessels. Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Examinations According to Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Alaska’s com- mercial fishing industry represents a significant portion of the state’s economy and contributes approxi- mately $15.8 billion to the U.S. economy. Vessels participating in these activities are subject to regular dockside safety checks, known as uninspected fishing vessel examina- tions. In 2024, the sector conducted 475 dockside exams, many in remote Alaskan communities and Native Alaskan villages. Fewer than 10 active-duty commercial fishing vessel safety examiners—serving in a voluntary, collateral capacity—performed all these examinations. The sector also plays a key role in the Alternate Compliance and Safety Agreement (ACSA) program, developed in 2006 for fish processing vessels that could not meet classification society and load line require- ments. Though uninspected, these vessels face higher regulatory standards due to their operations, crew size, and onboard infrastructure. Domestic vessel inspec- tors—experienced in enforcing similar regulations—pri- marily conduct ACSA-related examinations. However, ACSA vessels are not the only ones subject to higher standards. A recent development in the industry is the use of larger, inspected fish tender vessels. Traditionally, ten- dering was done by smaller uninspected vessels under 500 gross register tons. Now, some larger inspected ves- sels—specifically barges—have been retrofitted with critical machinery, refrigeration equipment and onboard accommodations, increasing their capacity for process- ing and transporting fish from areas like Bristol Bay. One such vessel, the fish tender Hannah, successfully completed its first season in 2024. Construction and Domestic Vessel Inspections Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic conducts cer- tificate of inspection (COI) activities, including the COI inspection and any necessary regular inspections such as annuals, periodic, and drydock/internal struc- tural examinations. The largest fleet consists of small passenger vessels, the backbone of Alaska’s sightsee- ing tourism. The next largest categories include tow- ing vessels and their associated cargo and oil-tank barges, many of which are single-hulled. The shop also performs routine inspections of oceanographic research vessels, roll-on-roll off, or ro-ro, ferries, liquified natural gas (LNG)-fueled ro-ro cargo vessels, offshore supply vessels, and gold dredging vessels. With a team of 10 domestic traveling inspectors, the branch is responsible for routine inspection activities on approximately 350 ves- sels dispersed throughout Western Alaska. These trips often span multiple days, reducing inspector availability, particularly during the spring and summer months. During this high-traffic season, trips may be scheduled back-to-back, leaving few idle moments. In calendar year 2024, marine inspectors conducted 190 temporary duty trips totaling 246 days, completing 551 inspection activities. Of these, 44 were same-day air trips. Foreign Vessel Examinations PSC examination activities include routine examina- tions on foreign bulk carriers calling at Red Dog Mine port site, as well as statutorily required certificate of compliance exams for foreign oil and chemical tankers and cruise ships visiting Alaska. Ecotourism has been trending upward over the last decade, especially for ves- sels traversing the Northwest Passage—the same route navigated by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his crew aboard the GJØA in 1903. One of those vessels, the P/V Le Commandant Charcot, is the first hybrid-elec- tric cruise ship powered by LNG and built as a Polar Class 2 icebreaker. Most of these foreign vessels are sub- ject to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Polar Code, as much of the sector’s OCMI zone falls within IMO-defined polar waters. In July 2018, the sec- tor became the first Coast Guard unit to conduct a Polar Code examination. The PSC branch, consisting of six traveling examin- ers, regularly travels to Seward, Nome, and Kivalina for Polar Class 2 icebreakers are designed for year-round operation in moderate multi-year ice conditions with ice up to 3 meters thick.
