The increase was greatest for domestic icebreakers, which  continue to be used more for homeland security missions than for  icebreaking because of their availability during months when no  icebreaking is needed. Some newer ATON cutters with greater  multi-mission capabilities, however, continue to have a more diverse  workload. 3). For example, ATON cutters acquired between 1944 and  1976 performed an average of 4 of the Coast Guard’s 11 missions during  fiscal years 2001 through 2005, while the 225-foot seagoing buoy tender,  which the Coast Guard completed the acquisition of in 2004, was used in  all 11 of the Coast Guard’s missions in fiscal years 2004 through 2005. However, the current measure for asset condition is not clearly linked to  mission performance, but the Coast Guard is working on developing a  measure that links the two. Performance indicators for the  icebreaking and ATON missions likewise show mixed results, with the  Coast Guard meeting some performance goals and not meeting others. In  part, these mixed results can be explained by the many other factors  besides asset condition, such as the severity of weather in any given year. Coast  Guard officials said some of this decline was attributable to the  condition of ATON cutters and boats for servicing the navigational  aids, but they were not able to estimate how much of the decline could  be attributed to this cause. To Continue to Achieve the Missions of Its ATON and Domestic Icebreaking Assets, the Coast Guard Has Taken Actions, Made Proposals, and Studied Outsourcing Possibilities

The Coast Guard has considered or proposed a wide variety of actions to  continue to achieve the missions that its domestic icebreaking and ATON  assets perform and is moving ahead with several of them. Additional Proposals to Rehabilitate or Replace Aging Assets Remain Largely Unfunded

Despite the new acquisitions, more than half of the assets in the domestic  icebreaking and ATON fleet have reached or are nearing the end of their  service lives. According to Coast  Guard officials, these options were proposed after determining that the  age, condition, and cost of operating these assets would diminish the  capability of the Coast Guard to carry out ATON and domestic icebreaking  missions over time without rehabilitation or replacement of some or all of  the assets. Although possibilities for outsourcing were identified, outsourcing also  carries potential disadvantages, according to Coast Guard program  officials. The Coast Guard is moving to  improve the process it uses to set budget priorities through actions such as  its new tool to link asset condition and funding decisions to better identify  the projects that will provide the most capability with the limited funds  that are available. Agency Comments

We requested comments on a draft of this report from the Department of  Homeland Security and the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard provided  technical comments, which we have incorporated into the report as  appropriate. GAO staff who made major contributions to this report are  listed in appendix V.

Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

This report examines the time spent by the U.S. Coast Guard’s domestic  icebreaking and ATON assets on various missions, the condition of these  assets, and the actions the Coast Guard has taken to continue to achieve  the missions of these assets. Our work focused on three key questions:   (1) What are the recent trends in the amount of time these assets have  performed various missions? The Coast Guard  maintains information, on a program-by-program basis, about how  resources, such as vessels, boats, and aircraft, are used.
Why GAO Did This Study

The marine transportation system is a critical part of the nation's infrastructure. To facilitate the safety and efficiency of this system, the Coast Guard maintains aids-to-navigation (ATON), such as buoys and beacons, and conducts domestic icebreaking in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, and northeast coast. To conduct these missions, the Coast Guard has a fleet of more than 200 vessels, ranging from 225-foot seagoing buoy tenders and 140-foot domestic icebreakers to 21-foot boats. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, many of these assets took on additional responsibilities for security patrols and other homeland security duties. Although some assets have been recently acquired, many others are reaching or have exceeded their design service lives, raising concerns about how well and for how much longer these older assets may be able to carry out their missions. In response, GAO examined (1) recent trends in the amount of time these assets have spent performing missions; (2) asset condition and its effect on mission performance; and (3) the actions taken by the Coast Guard to continue to achieve the missions of these assets. To conduct this work, GAO reviewed Coast Guard documents, interviewed Coast Guard officials, and made site visits to various locations around the country. In commenting on a draft of this report, the Coast Guard provided technical comments, which were incorporated as appropriate.

What GAO Found

Many ATON vessels and domestic icebreakers have operated more hours in recent years than in previous years, with the increase coming mainly in homeland security missions. Domestic icebreakers are now used more for homeland security than for icebreaking, reflecting their availability at times of the year when no icebreaking is needed. While not designed for homeland security, the assets can perform such duties acceptably, according to the Coast Guard. Most ATON vessels are used primarily for ATON activities. Newer ATON assets receive the greatest use on other missions, reflecting their greater multi-mission capabilities. Trends are mixed with regard to asset condition and mission performance. Available evidence, such as the amount of maintenance conducted, suggests condition is declining for some assets, though not precipitously. Coast Guard officials said some assets, while being operated for more hours, are still largely being operated within planned limits. Against this backdrop, indicators for measuring performance show mixed results: some have declined, while others have not. The current measure for asset condition is not clearly linked to mission performance, but the Coast Guard is working on developing a measure that links the two. Actions the Coast Guard has taken to continue to achieve the missions of these assets include revising maintenance approaches and developing a new analytical tool for deciding which projects provide the most capability for the dollars invested. The Coast Guard continues to acquire some new vessels to replace aging ones, but proposals to rehabilitate or replace other aging vessels have not been implemented, largely because of other funding priorities. The Coast Guard also studied the feasibility of contracting out some activities. While some possibilities for outsourcing were identified in the study, the Coast Guard has identified potential disadvantages to outsourcing these activities.