Recommendations submitted to US Coast Guard to address vessel availability shortfall
The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a list of recommendations to the US Coast Guard to help the latter improve the maintenance of its fleet of cutters.
GAO said that, due to deferred maintenance and challenges in obtaining essential parts, the coast guard's ageing cutter fleet is becoming increasingly unavailable for missions as equipment fails. To make up for these issues, the coast guard cannibalises parts from working cutters and often deploys overworked and understaffed crews.
What GAO found
GAO said the coast guard faces increasing challenges operating and maintaining its fleet of 241 cutters—vessels 65 feet (20 metres) or greater in length with accommodation for crew to live on board.
Since fiscal year 2019, the cutter fleet's availability to conduct missions generally declined due, in part, to increasing equipment failures.
Across the cutter fleet, the number of instances of serious cutter maintenance issues increased by 21 per cent from 3,134 in fiscal year 2018 to 3,782 in fiscal year 2023. GAO said that, as a result, more cutters are operating in a degraded state and at an increased risk of further maintenance issues.
Two notable maintenance challenges are increasing deferred maintenance and delays in obtaining obsolete parts. In fiscal year 2024, the coast guard deferred US$179 million in cutter maintenance, almost nine times the amount deferred in 2019 (based on inflation-adjusted values).
Due to delays in receiving critical parts needed for repairs, the coast guard cannibalises cutters by moving working parts between cutters.
GAO said the coast guard lacks complete information to address the impacts of these challenges, whereas systematically collecting data on, and assessing, deferred maintenance and parts obsolescence could enable the coast guard to better prioritise projects and funding.
GAO said the coast guard has not fully addressed the impacts of personnel shortages that are a major challenge to operating and maintaining the cutter fleet.
Cutter crew and support positions are short staffed, with vacancy rates increasing from about five per cent in fiscal year 2017 to about 13 per cent in fiscal year 2024. Cutter personnel workload has increased to meet mission demands and cutters often deploy without a full crew, which the coast guard does not account for in its staffing data.
Regularly collecting and assessing data on staff availability could help ensure the coast guard is fully considering the workload faced by cutter crews and support personnel when making decisions on personnel assignments.
Why GAO did the study
In 2012, GAO reported that the coast guard's "legacy" cutters were approaching, or had exceeded, their expected service lives and that their physical condition was generally poor.
GAO was asked to review how the cutter fleet has changed since 2012. This report examines, among other things, the coast guard's (1) challenges in operating and maintaining its cutter fleet, and (2) the extent it has determined its cutter-related workforce needs.
GAO analysed available coast guard documentation and data for the period 2012-2024 on types of cutters, cutter availability, and cutter usage time. GAO also conducted site visits to observe facility operations and interviewed coast guard officials, including maintenance officials and cutter crews representing a mix of cutter types and geographic locations.
Recommendations
GAO has made five recommendations, including that the coast guard collect and assess data on (1) the impact of deferred maintenance on cutter equipment failures and which parts and systems are or will become obsolete; and (2) staff availability for the cutter workforce.
The Department of Homeland Security has agreed with four of the recommendations but did not agree to analyse staff availability data. GAO continues to believe this would help inform personnel assignments.
