Marine Safety: Current Status of the VTS 2000 Program and Key Stakeholders' Views on It

GAO discussed the Coast Guard's vessel traffic service (VTS) 2000 program. GAO noted that: (1) it is difficult to judge whether VTS 2000 is the best marine safety system because it is unknown how many ports need the system, how much it will cost, and whether other cost-effective alternatives are available; (2) most key stakeholders do not support VTS 2000 because they believe it will be too costly; (3) most key stakeholders oppose user fees or other funding methods that would shift the financial costs of VTS 2000 from the Coast Guard to users; (4) support for a VTS system of any kind varied among key stakeholders at different ports, but most favored the least expensive options available; and (5) issues affecting privately funded or privately operated VTS systems include the initial costs of a VTS system, the private sector's exposure to liability, and the Coast Guard's oversight role.