Updated July 10, 2024
Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program:
Background and Issues for Congress
Introduction
rivers in question are referred to by the Coast Guard as the
The Coast Guard’s Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC)
western rivers.
program envisages procuring 30 replacements for the Coast
Guard’s 35 aging river buoy tenders (WLRs), inland
As of 2019, the 13 WLICs were based at cities along the
construction tenders (WLICs), and inland buoy tenders
U.S. East and Gulf coasts in Alabama, Florida (three
(WLIs). The Coast Guard wants to have the first new WCC
cutters), Louisiana (two cutters), Maryland, North Carolina,
be in service by 2025. The Coast Guard’s proposed FY2025
South Carolina, Texas (three cutters), and Virginia. As of
budget requests $135.0 million in procurement funding for
2019, the four WLIs were based at locations in Alaska,
the program. The Coast Guard’s FY2025 unfunded
Michigan, Oregon, and North Carolina.
priorities list (UPL) includes an item for $40.0 million in
additional procurement funding for accelerating WCC
Rationale for Building New WCCs
production.
The Coast Guard states in its FY2025 budget submission
that it wants to replace the 35 existing waterways cutters
Terminology
with new WCCs because “[i]n addition to age concerns and
Cutters are Coast Guard vessels that are more than 65 feet
the associated equipment obsolescence issues, the legacy
long and have accommodations for a crew. (Those less than
fleet presents other sustainment challenges, including
65 feet long are called boats.) Waterways refers here to the
hazardous materials stemming from the use of asbestos and
intra-coastal waterways along the U.S. East and Gulf
lead paint during construction of these assets. Outdated
coasts, and to U.S. inland waterways such as the
technology and vessel designs have also led to crew safety
Mississippi River. Tenders are vessels whose primary
concerns, maintenance cost increases, and noncompliance
mission is to maintain or repair something. Coast Guard
with environmental regulations. Finally, legacy vessel
tender designations begin with WL, meaning Coast Guard
configuration does not allow the assignment of mixed
vessel (W) and tender (L). (The W in the acronym WCC,
gender crews in accordance with the Coast Guard’s
however, stands for waterways.)
workforce goals.”
WCC Missions
WCC Program
WCCs perform three primary missions under the Coast
Guard’s statutory role of providing aids to navigation
Program Initiation and Name
(ATON): river buoy tending; inland construction tending
The WCC program was initiated in the Coast Guard’s
(which involves driving and removing piles and erecting
FY2018 budget submission. It was earlier called the Inland
and repairing range towers and major lights); and inland
Waterways and Western Rivers Tender (or Cutter) program.
buoy tending. WCCs are used for maintaining more than
28,200 marine aids to navigation on 12,000 miles of inland
Acquisition Strategy
waterways on which 630 million tons of cargo move each
The Coast Guard wants to replace the 35 existing waterway
year. Additional WCC missions include search and rescue
commerce cutters with 30 new WCCs, including 16 WLRs,
(SAR), marine safety, marine environmental protection, and
11 WLICs, and 3 WLIs. The Coast Guard states
ports, waterways, and coastal security.
The [16] River Buoy Tender [WLR] and [11] Inland
Existing Waterways Cutters
Construction Tender [WLIC] variants will be
The Coast Guard’s 35 existing WCCs—including 18
acquired on one contract; these variants will
WLRs, 13 WLICs, and 4 WLIs—were built to nine
maximize commonality with notable exceptions for
different designs and are now generally old or very old,
hull length, working deck layout, and deck
having been commissioned into service in 1990-1991 (2 of
equipment, including the crane.
them), 1976 (4), 1960-1970 (25), 1954 (2), and 1944-1945
The [3] Inland Buoy Tender[s] [WLIs] will be
(2).
acquired separately from the other two variants. In
Geographic Distribution
June 2021, the WCC Program began partnering
with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Marine
As of 2019, the 18 WLRs were based at cities along the
Design Center, which has experience with similar
Mississippi and other inland rivers in Alabama, Arkansas,
Illinois, Iowa (two cutters), Kentucky (two cutters),
acquisitions, to develop a Government-led design
Mississippi (three cutters), Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma,
for the Inland Buoy Tender variant. The Inland
Pennsylvania, and Tennessee (four cutters). Although these
Buoy Tender will be contractor-built.
locations are in the central and eastern United States, the
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Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
(U.S. Coast Guard, “Waterways Commerce
Contract Award
Cutter,” accessed January 18, 2024.)
On October 5, 2022, the Coast Guard announced that it
Figure 1 and Figure 2 show renderings of WCCs. The
today awarded Birdon America, Inc. of Denver, an
winner of the WLR/WLIC contract (see below) will be able
indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity firm fixed
to compete for the WLI contract.
price contract with economic price adjustments for
Figure 1. Notional Rendering of WLIC and WLR
the detail design and construction of its river buoy
and inland construction tenders [WLRs and
WLICs]. The initial award is worth $28.49 million.
The contract includes options for the construction
of a total of 16 river buoy tenders [WLRs] and 11
inland construction tenders [WLICs]. If all contract
line items are exercised, the total contract value is
estimated at $1.19 billion.
A total contract value of $1.19 billion for 27 WLRs and
WLICs equates to an average cost of about $44.1 million
each. Birdon states that its subcontractors include Bollinger
Shipyards (Lockport, LA), for the WCCs’ bare hulls;

Master Boat Builders, Inc. (Coden, AL) for their
Source: Notional vendor rendering of WLIC (left) and WLR (right),
superstructures; Incat Crowther (an Australian firm with a
shown at U.S. Coast Guard, “Waterways Commerce Cutter,”
U.S. office in Lafayette, LA) for design work; Kern Martin
accessed March 23, 2023.
Services, Inc. (Coden, AL); Hiller Marine (Mobile, AL);
Figure 2. Coast Guard Notional Designs for WLR,
Techcrane International (Covington, LA); Beier Integrated
WLIC, and WLI
Systems (Gray, LA); LeBlanc Associates (Houma, LA);
and Cummins (Charleston, SC).
April 2023 GAO Report
The April 2023 GAO report states: “The program plans to
achieve initial operational capability (IOC) before
adjudicating the full results of initial operational testing.
This raises the possibility of rework if testing identifies
problems, such as design flaws, on cutters that have already
been produced. The Coast Guard plans to mitigate this risk
by using the preliminary results from initial testing to
inform its initial operational capability decision.” (GAO
Report 23-106701, p. 52; see page 53 for additional
discussion.)
Funding
The Coast Guard’s proposed FY2025 budget requests
$135.0 million in procurement funding for the WCC

program. The Coast Guard’s FY2025 unfunded priorities
Source: Coast Guard il ustration showing indicative (i.e., notional)
list (UPL) includes an item for $40.0 million in additional
designs for the WLI (top), WLIC (middle), and WLR (bottom),
procurement funding for accelerating WCC production.
shown at U.S. Coast Guard, “Waterways Commerce Cutter,”
accessed March 23, 2023.
The House Appropriations Committee, in its report
(H.Rept. 118-553 of June 14, 2024) on the FY2025 DHS
Procurement Cost
Appropriations Act (H.R. 8752), recommends $175.0
An April 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO)
million in procurement funding for the WCC program. The
report on major Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
report states: “The Committee recognizes the urgency in
acquisition programs states that as of June 2022, the WCC
replacing the Service’s existing fleet of inland river tenders
program’s total estimated procurement cost was $922
and fully supports the program.” (Page 54; see also page
million, or an average of about $30.7 million per cutter.
142)
(GAO Report 23-106701, p. 52.)
Ronald O'Rourke, Specialist in Naval Affairs
IF11672


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Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program: Background and Issues for Congress


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