Coast Guard terminated commercial passenger vessel in Sitka
Published 9:33 am Saturday, August 29, 2026
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska personnel recently terminated the voyage of a commercial passenger vessel operating in Sitka.
On Aug. 20, law enforcement officers from U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Pike boarded a foreign-built vessel and confirmed that passenger operations were being conducted outside the geographical area authorized by its Maritime Administration waiver.
The Pike’s crew terminated the voyage and escorted the vessel back to Sitka Harbor.
Coast Guard Capt. Ginny Nadolny said that operating a foreign-built vessel as a commercial passenger vessel without valid federal waivers directly undermines the U.S. maritime industry and bypasses critical regulatory oversight designed to protect public safety and security.
“Coastwise trade laws are enforced to maintain a level playing field for domestic operators and ensure passenger safety,” she said. “The Coast Guard will continue to identify and stop unauthorized passenger operations across Southeast Alaska.”
The Coast Guard added that members of the public can verify if a charter vessel is operating legally by ensuring that their captain has a merchant mariner credential and is compliant with safety requirements before boarding.
“Do not board a vessel that appears unsafe or unauthorized, and report suspected unauthorized charter activity through established Coast Guard channels,” the Coast Guard stated. “To report potential unauthorized passenger operations in Southeast Alaska, please contact the Sector Southeast Alaska command center at 907-463-2980, email SCCSoutheastAlaska@uscg.mil, or submit a tip through CGIS Tips.”
