Sector San Juan - Prevention Department

Inspections    Investigations    Waterways Management    Licensing

MSD St Thomas    RIO St Croix    RIO Ponce   ANT Puerto Rico

Prevention is one of the operational departments assigned to Coast Guard Sector San Juan. It is responsible for Coast Guard operations directed at preventing maritime casualties, accidents and security incidents in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The department consist of three divisions: Inspections, Investigations, and Waterways Management.  These missions are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of several Codes of Federal Regulations and International standards and regulations in order to maintain the safety provisions of the Commercial Vessel Safety (CVS), Port Safety and Waterways Management programs.  The main purpose of Prevention is the identification of any substandard or non-compliance in meeting a minimum safety and security standards by conducting an effective inspection regime program on vessels and facilities.  Once deficiencies are identified, we work with our partners and stakeholders and provide all the necessary tools for these to achieve and maintain effective security and safety standards in accordance with the Code of Federal and international regulations and laws.

Preventions has four units that cover the Caribbean and similar missions, these are Marine Safety Detachment (MSD) St. Thomas, Resident Inspection Offices (RIO) St. Croix, Ponce and Aids to Navigation Team, which is located in Sector San Juan, PR.  

The department also oversees the Licensing Monitoring Unit that provides services to merchant mariners on behalf of the Regional Examination Center (REC) Miami.

Sector San Juan is the only Sector in the U.S. Coast Guard to have a Passenger Vessel Safety and Mass Rescue Operations Specialist.   The mission of a Mass Rescue Operations Specialist is to assist in training by drills and exercises the local emergency response in possible events of a large passenger vessel is in distress, on which a large amount of victims are required in need of assistance and when the local emergency response assets and resources are limited, inadequate or scarce.

For more information on what the roles and responsibilities of each division select and make click on the link above, or you may send us an email to SJPrevention@uscg.mil.

Contact Information:

Chief, Prevention Operations
Tel. (787) 729 - 2378
Fax. (787) 729 - 2364