February 19, 2021 By Waterways Journal
The Coast Guard’s buoy tender fleet is responsible for maintaining more than 28,200 marine aids throughout 12,000 miles of inland waterways, through which 630 million tons of cargo move annually. The current inland tender fleet consists of 35 tenders that support the service’s aids to navigation (ATON) mission in federal inland waterways. Half of these (17) belong to the Eighth Coast Guard District. A buoy tender is stationed in Dubuque, Iowa; Keokuk, Iowa; Peoria, Ill.; and two in St. Louis, Mo. (one of which, the Sangamon, will be shifted from Omaha, Neb., back to St. Louis this summer, according to the Coast Guard).