with additional equipment to prevent operational sys- tems from freezing. When an aircraft is unavailable, delivering cargo by vessel is the only option, and that comes with its own set of challenges when operating in Alaska. During the summer, if weather cooperates, there is an approximate three-month operating season on the North Slope and in the interior of the state. During this time-frame, Alaskan communities depend on commer- cial vessel operators to maintain schedules for delivery of essentials that will help them survive the long, harsh winters. In mid-September, once ice begins to form and winter weather begins to encroach, there is inherent risk to tran- siting through the Arctic Ocean, as well as through the state’s rivers and bays. Any error—even a loaded barge becoming beset in ice—can result in threats to safety, property, and the environment, meaning essentials can go undelivered. Without essentials like petroleum prod- ucts used for power generation and heating, as well as fuel for boats, airplanes, ATVs, and snowmobiles, com- munities are unable to refuel alternate means of trans- portation used for subsistence hunting and fishing. If these deliveries are missed, it can be devastating, as the community may not receive another shipment for an entire year unless they rely on air support. While relying on expensive commercial air service for essential goods like food and fuel makes life in the Arctic possible, even aircraft are limited by weather. Residents also rely on these deliveries for construction materials and prefabricated buildings for use as schools, housing, and other dwellings. Maritime Transportation Weather is not the only challenge in Alaska. Once vessels reach their intended waterway, they are sure to encoun- ter uncharted and unmarked channels, daily changes in water depth, and constantly shifting bottom contours. In particular, the water depth changes throughout the year due to melting snow, ice, glacial sediment, and summer rainfall. As towing vessels make their way up the rivers, they deploy a small skiff ahead of them to manually sound and chart a navigational route. This data becomes pro- prietary to each company, therefore special automatic identification systems waivers are granted to prevent competitors from copying these uncharted routes. In order to operate in shallow, Alaskan waterways, LT William Mason oversees repairs to a vessel’s damaged rudder on the frozen Chena River in Fairbanks, Alaska, where—about 120 miles South of the Arctic Circle—the air temperature was approximately minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Coast Guard photo by LT William Mason towing vessels and barges navigating the inland rivers of Alaska are specifically designed with towing ves- sels restricted by length and only able to push a maxi- mum of two barges. Moreover, in an effort to maximize deliveries, barges “of less than 1,500 gross tons carry- ing refined petroleum product in bulk as cargo in or adjacent to waters of the Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, and Arctic Ocean ...” (46 USC 3703), are exempt from the fed- eral double hull regulations. These single-hulled vessels create environmental and operational safety concerns for villages and responders. Most fuel deliveries are dependent on the tide, there- fore, it is normal for operators to intentionally ground their barges while transferring fuel and remain aground until the next tide cycle. Maintaining the integrity of the vessel’s hull is of the upmost importance, and tow- ing vessels and barges needing repair or dry-docking service in the Arctic or western Alaska only have two options. The first uses the tidal difference to ground the vessel on high tide and complete the work on low tide. The second, and increasingly popular, option uses spe- cially designed airbags to roll the vessel out of the water and onto land using tractors and ground anchors. Once on dry ground, the airbags are deflated, and the vessel is lowered onto blocks. Damage requiring parts and labor, which are usually Summer 2023 Proceedings 63