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U.S. Coast Guard "Retires" Central Website for Industry Alerts

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Joshua Appleby works buoys in Tampa Bay after Hurricane Milton, Oct. 11, 2024 (USCG)
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Joshua Appleby works buoys in Tampa Bay after Hurricane Milton, Oct. 11, 2024 (USCG)

Published Apr 15, 2025 8:06 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Following a period of website service outages last month, the U.S. Coast Guard has officially "retired" the Homeport site - its centralized web portal for regional safety alerts, mariner credentialing information, port security announcements and regulatory compliance tools. These functions will now be handled by temporary "workarounds," the service said, until the same functions are transferred to new "secure information systems." 

“We recognize that Homeport has been a trusted tool for mariners and the broader maritime community,” said Rear Adm. Wayne Arguin, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy. “We are committed to keeping these users informed and providing alternatives to the functions and information Homeport provided as we transition.” 

Homeport was developed to comply with the post-9/11 Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, and while dated, it was widely utilized by industry for everyday tasks. In addition to administrative forms and regulatory guidance, it included a full list of Captain of the Port (COTP) zones, and users could find all harbor status and navigation advisories from every COTP during hurricanes or emergencies. It also had tools that employers could use to confirm the validity of mariners' credentials and that mariners could use to track the status of credential applications. 

The Coast Guard cited "increased costs and system obsolescence" for the shutdown. It plans to replace Homeport with a new version of the site within 12-18 months, and the new tool will "provide users with the information they need in a more focused and secure format." 

For now, Homeport's functions will be handled by temporary workarounds, according to USCG 7th District. Merchant mariner credentialing queries will be handled directly by the National Maritime Center (NMC).

Other important Coast Guard legacy sites - like the portals for vessel inspection data, Coast Guard personnel wages, transfer requests, and fee payments - remain online. 

The Coast Guard's planned investment for an internal logistics and parts-tracking database upgrade, CG-LIMS, has recently been canceled to save costs. The service said that the "ineffective" CG-LIMS program's $33 million in funding will be redirected to address "emerging needs."