Page 42: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 2024)

OPINION: The Final Word

Coast Guard crews interdict a Cuban migrant vessel, Atlantic Ocean,

March 9, 2023. A GAO report found gaps in the

USCG system to capture migrant interdiction data.

GAO: Coast Guard Should

Address Assets, Workforce and

Technology Challenges

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Of? cer 2nd Class Matthew Abban

By Heather MacLeod, Director, GAO’s Homeland Security and Justice team he U.S. Government Accountability Of? ce Assets (GAO), the non-partisan, fact-based arm of the The Coast Guard is investing billions of dollars to mod-

Congress, has an extensive body of work relat- ernize its ships but faces delays and rising costs. For ex- ed to the Coast Guard’s assets, workforce, and ample, in June and July of 2023, GAO reported that the

T technology challenges. GAO has made 31 rec- Offshore Patrol Cutter and Polar Security Cutter acquisi- ommendations to address such issues. But, as of November tions were billions of dollars over their initial cost estimates 2023, 25 of these recommendations remain open and need to and more than 2 years behind schedule. In those two re- be addressed. Implementing these recommendations is criti- ports, GAO recommended that the Coast Guard should bet- cal to the Coast Guard’s ability to meet its diverse array of ter align its acquisition policy with leading practices from mission requirements. the shipbuilding industry. The Coast Guard has taken some 42 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • January 2024

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