140-Foot Harbor Tugboat:

Does the Coast Guard Need It on the East Coast?

PSAD-79-17, Jan 15, 1979

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The Coast Guard is planning to buy 10 or 11 new 140-foot harbor tugboats at an estimated total cost of about $70 million to replace its existing fleet of 13 aging 110-foot harbor tugboats for icebreaking duties on the Great Lakes and on the rivers and harbors of the east coast from Maine to the Chesapeake Bay.

GAO believes that the Coast Guard has sufficient justification to replace the 110-foot vessel. Also, the replacement of the five tugs assigned to the Great Lakes with the new 140-foot tug is appropriate. However, the Coast Guard has not justified its plans to put five such vessels in the east coast districts. Use of the existing craft on the east coast does not justify the additional capability of the replacement vessel since east coast operations require a tug more than an icebreaker. The 150-foot vessel seems to be excessive for these districts. Further, to procure these vessels for east coast operations appears to be a waste of both capital investment and operating expense funds. It is difficult to quantify the potential cost of this action in either capital investment or operating expense funds. However, one 1974 design comparison estimated that a 140-foot vessel could cost as much as $1 million more to construct than a 120-foot vessel.

Status Legend:

More Info
  • Review Pending-GAO has not yet assessed implementation status.
  • Open-Actions to satisfy the intent of the recommendation have not been taken or are being planned, or actions that partially satisfy the intent of the recommendation have been taken.
  • Closed-implemented-Actions that satisfy the intent of the recommendation have been taken.
  • Closed-not implemented-While the intent of the recommendation has not been satisfied, time or circumstances have rendered the recommendation invalid.
    • Review Pending
    • Open
    • Closed - implemented
    • Closed - not implemented

    Recommendation for Executive Action

    Recommendation: GAO recommends that the Coast Guard reevaluate its plans to replace existing east coast harbor tugboats with the 140-foot craft. The Coast Guard should consider: (1) the overall east coast mission of the 110-foot tugs as well as any other class of vessel currently requiring replacement, (2) the potential for consolidating the mission of the 110-foot tug and other aging east coast vessels into a requirement for a single multimission vessel, and (3) the life cycle costs of various alternative designs in selecting a replacement vessel which will satisfy the mission need.

    Agency Affected:

    Status: Closed

    Comments: Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.