Maritime Safety and Security Teams ( MSSTs ) are counter-terrorism ( Force-Presence ) units created under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 ( MTSA ) in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11 , 2001 . The eleven MSSTs provide both waterborne and shore-side counter-terrorism and force protection for strategic shipping , high interest vessels , and critical infrastructure . MSSTs are a quick response force capable of rapid worldwide deployment via air , ground or sea transportation in response to changing threat conditions and evolving Maritime Homeland Security ( MHS ) mission requirements . Multi-mission capability facilitates augmentation for other selected Coast Guard missions . Other federal agencies that MSSTs train with are U.S. Navy VBSS Teams , FBI , and their local SWAT Teams
attacks of September 11 , 2001
September 11 attacks
Deployable Operations Group