U.S. Coast Guard Wants to Charter a Commercial "Command & Control" Vessel

Having tried out U.S. commercial tonnage with the acquisition of the anchor handling icebreaker Aiviq, the U.S. Coast Guard is now looking to charter another offshore vessel - this time, a small ship with the characteristics of a conventional crew boat or an OSV.

In a solicitation published Monday, the Coast Guard said that it is looking for proposals for a five-year charter for a vessel that will serve as a mobile command center. The boat will provide "command, control, and logistics support services in support of USCG missions" worldwide. Like Aiviq - which was fully crewed by civilian mariners for months after delivery - it would be a privately-operated platform for the service. This is a procurement model rarely if ever used by the Coast Guard in years past.

For a total charter value of up to $99 million over five years (not including fuel), the Coast Guard is seeking a fully-crewed, fully-furnished vessel with enough open deck space for four 20-foot boxes. The basic requirements include berthing for 12 coastguardsmen, Starlink-brand internet, lockable spaces for operations, 4,000 gallons of freshwater a day, and strict port security measures. The solicitation does not require U.S. construction, crewing, ownership, or flag registration - though as the vessel will be repainted as a U.S. Coast Guard ship for sovereign missions, U.S.-flag status may be a minimum requirement.

Requests for DP1 dynamic positioning, deck space of 2,250 square feet, and berthing for supernumeraries all align with the specifications of a small offshore vessel. The Coast Guard also has a requirement for carriage of at least 10,000 gallons of extra fuel to transfer to other vessels, a typical capability for a crew boat or OSV. The chartered ship will need to have endurance of at least 30 days at sea without resupply.

The solicitation will remain open until January 8.

The solicitation is comparable to Hornbeck Offshore's OSV charter and sale agreements with the U.S. Navy. A small number of the firm's commercial offshore vessels are used to support U.S. submarine fleet operations in coastal waters in the Atlantic and Pacific. The Navy also uses short-term charters with vessels of opportunity for specific missions, like salvage support.