ALCOAST 244/23 - JUN 2023 2023 WORLD MARINE AIDS TO NAVIGATION DAY

R 301100Z JUN 23 MID120000268754U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 244/23
SSIC 16500
SUBJ: 2023 WORLD MARINE AIDS TO NAVIGATION DAY
1. The International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and
Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) is celebrating the fifth annual World
Marine Aids to Navigation Day on July 1, 2023. This day was created
to promote greater awareness of the vital role of marine Aids to
Navigation (ATON) and to celebrate the professionals who design,
implement, and maintain ATON. This year, the Kingdom of Morocco is
hosting the main event in Tangier from 4-5 July, more information
about the event is located here:
(Copy And Paste URL Below Into Browser)

https://www.iala-aism.org/news-events/world-marine-aids-to-
navigation-day/world-marine-aids-to-navigation-day-2023/

2. Every day, through hard work and dedication, Coast Guard crews
maintain a constellation of more than 45,000 buoys, beacons, ranges,
and electronic aids that mark 25,000 miles of waterways serving the
361 ports of the Nation's Marine Transportation System (MTS).
Whether performing routine maintenance, discrepancy response, or
restoring navigation in the wake of devastating storms, this
steadfast workforce helps keep vital marine commerce moving,
valued at over $5.4 trillion annually.
3. Committed to innovation for a sustainable future, the Coast Guard
is leveraging modern ATON technologies to enhance navigational
safety and optimize the efficiency of our Nation's MTS. The Coast
Guard has been rigorously testing next generation non-ferrous buoy
hulls that are designed to withstand adverse weather conditions and
environments, which will reduce maintenance costs and minimize
environmental impacts. Ice resistant buoy hulls have been
successfully implemented in the Great Lakes, remaining on station
year-round, resulting in both cost and fuel savings from reduced
need for cutter asset support. Alternative mooring systems are being
tested to provide more eco-friendly solutions that have the
potential to reduce impacts to sensitive critical habitats and
seafloor ecosystems.
4. The Coast Guard strives to modernize ATON workforce management by
harnessing the capabilities of technology. This entails finding
modern solutions to antiquated, inefficient processes like the
reporting system for Private Aids to Navigation (PATON)
verifications. The Coast Guard is exploring and testing digital
technologies such as a smartphone application platform that can be
employed as an enterprise tool with automatic syncing to the ATONIS
database. This mobile digital application would eliminate manual
entries and increase the operational efficiency of our crucial
Auxiliary workforce.
5. As navigation capabilities and practices evolve, so must our ATON
constellation. The Coast Guard is pursuing initiatives through the
DHS Critical Infrastructure Resilience Institute and the Research
and Development Center to strengthen risk-based system design to
ensure effective, efficient, resilient ATON for the modern world.
To help safeguard the marine environment through these ongoing
adaptations, the Coast Guard has taken proactive measures by
establishing Environmental Protection Specialist (EPS) roles in all
nine Districts. Collaborating with partner agencies like the
National Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service,
these EPS experts actively work towards mitigating potential impacts
of ATON on endangered species and essential fish habitats during
over 21,000 servicing actions conducted each year.
6. I encourage all ATON professionals, past and present, to
celebrate your contributions to World Marine ATON Day.
7. POC: LT Ryan Burk, COMDT (CG-NAV-3), Ryan.B.Burk@uscg.mil.
8. Mr. Michael D. Emerson, Director of Marine Transportation Systems
(CG-5PW), sends.
9. Internet release is authorized.