LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley works to keep waters, like the Ohio River safe. This means annually inspecting boats and barges’ hazardous cargo.

“We ensure that they’re maintaining the standards that they were built to make sure there’s no damage to the hole or the bottom plating,” U.S. Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley public affairs officer, Steven Leighty, said. 

Most of the cargo moving down the river is coal. Leighty says the Coast Guard keeps track of traffic about 60 to 90 days a year depending on the water level. During that time, the team tracks on average 100 to 150 barges passing through the Louisville area.

“Cargo is loaded to a certain stability standard that the barge is built to and then that’s on the owner-operator to ensure that the barge is in compliance,” added Leighty.

The team uses six inland cutters—vessels that use buoy-like devices to help river traffic navigate the waters. They also check to see if a vessel is overloaded. These practices help to prevent collisions with obstructions like bridges. 

Leighty described how the team operates, saying, “Go up and down the rivers and make sure our navigation and byways are in place to assist with not only recreational mariners but professional mariners to make sure they’re staying in the shipping channel and missing bridge spans and just navigating safely.”

Sector Ohio Valley performs drills and exercises to make sure they are ready to help if needed.

“We make sure that everyone is ready to respond to any type of incident that would occur, whether it’s on the water or at a at a waterfront facility.”

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley partners with local, state and federal agencies. 

Sector Ohio Valley includes nine states. They also oversee waterways such as the Green River, the Cumberland River and the Tennessee River.