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CHARLESTON, S.C. – At a media event Tuesday, U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Mounted Police students demonstrated a vessel boarding exercise for their “Shiprider” training at the Coast Guard Maritime Law Enforcement Academy located at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers in Charleston, S.C.

The graduation ceremony Wednesday marks the culmination of eight days of maritime law enforcement–based curriculum designed to familiarize students in combating cross-border crime and the standard operating procedures for enforcing U.S. and Canadian laws respective of jurisdiction.

“We are very excited to continue this training in the Charleston area,” said Cmdr. Tom Walsh, commanding officer of MLEA. “It builds upon our strong partnership with RCMP and provides Coast Guardsmen and Canadian members with the professional, standardized training needed to conduct integrated 21st century law enforcement missions.”

To date, 236 students have received the Shiprider designation. Each Shiprider course averages 28 students per class.

Designed to strengthen security along the shared border, the Shiprider Program allows U.S. and Canadian maritime law enforcement officers to embark together on joint patrols to achieve integrated operations on and near shared maritime borders. By working together, both countries’ law enforcement crews are able to exercise operational flexibility to pursue and interdict vessels across the international border.

Successes from the program include working approximately 3900 patrol hours, 710 vessel boardings; seizures of 2,800 pounds of bulk fine cut tobacco, 103 pounds of marijuana, 1.2 million cigarettes and documenting more than 27 boating safety violations.

The pilot shiprider program started in 2005, which developed into full-time operations in 2013 following the signing of the U.S.-Canada Bi-lateral Framework Agreement in 2009 and the establishment of the Bi-national Standard Operating Procedures in 2013. First District Commander Coast Guard Rear Adm. Dan Abel and RCMP “J” Division commanding officer Roger L. Brown recently signed the Eastern Region International Cross-Border Maritime Law Enforcement Operations agreement April 8, 2014.

Vice Adm. Paul F. Zukunft	Rear Adm. Charles W. Ray

ALAMEDA, Calif. – Rear Adm. Charles W. Ray will relieve Vice Adm. Paul F. Zukunft as Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area and Coast Guard Defense Forces West, in a change-of-command ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, at 11 a.m., at Coast Guard Island in Alameda.

Zukunft has served as the Pacific Area Commander since April 2012, and is leaving to assume the duties as the Coast Guard Commandant in Washington, D.C., upon Senate confirmation.

“It has been a pleasure serving as the Coast Guard’s Pacific Area commander for the past two years, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue my service as the Coast Guard’s 25^th Commandant,” said Zukunft.

Ray has served as the Pacific Area deputy since 2013. His previous flag assignments include Coast Guard District 14 Commander, service with U.S. Forces Iraq as Director of the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission for the Ministry of Interior, and as the Military Advisor to the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Ray, a Newport, Ark., native, is a 1981 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy. After an assignment as a deck watch officer aboard Coast Guard Cutter Acushnet, he was selected for Naval Flight Training and earned his wings in 1983.

PACAREA’s area of responsibility encompasses six of the seven continents, 71 countries, and more than 74 million square miles of ocean -- from the U.S. Western States to Asia, and from the Arctic to Antarctica.

The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition, which formally restates that the continuity of command will be maintained. It is a formal ritual, conducted before the assembled company of the command. It conveys to the officers, enlisted personnel, civilian employees, and auxiliarists of the Coast Guard that although the authority of command is relinquished by one person and is assumed by another, it is still maintained without interruption.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Rear Adm. Charles Ray is scheduled to be promoted to vice admiral prior to the ceremony Tuesday morning.

Media interested in attending the ceremony, please contact Chief Warrant Officer Allyson Conroy at 510.437.5682 or Allyson.e.conroy@uscg.mil.

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard suspended the search Wednesday for a Japanese crewmember reported overboard from the container ship Hercules Highway, approximately 805 miles northeast of Oahu.

Video of the exercise is available online.

PHILADELPHIA — Coast Guard and Philadelphia police and fire department personnel held an active-shooter response exercise at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia Wednesday.

This exercise involved a simulated active shooter, takedown and building sweep followed by training for first responders. The simulated shooter used blanks to realistically replicate the noise of a weapon discharge.

Members of the U.S. Coast Guard International Ice Patrol in New London, Conn., reflect on the sinking of the RMS Titanic and the importance of their mission during a ceremony held in New London, Conn., April 16, 2014. Every year, the IIP conducts a ceremony to remember the passengers and crew who lost their lives as a result of the Titanic sinking. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Keith Murray)

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Members of the U.S. Coast Guard International Ice Patrol reflected on the sinking of the RMS Titanic and the importance of their mission during a ceremony held in New London, Conn., today.

The annual ceremony serves as a way to remember and honor those who lost their lives during the Titanic’s maiden voyage, which ended tragically on the evening of April 14, 1912, when the ship struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic.

"It is with great respect and reverence that we commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912," said Cmdr. Gabrielle McGrath, commander of the IIP. “We remember over 1,500 souls who perished on that fateful morning."

During the annual ceremony, Coast Guard Cmdr. Keith Shuley, chaplain of the Coast Guard Academy, dedicated floral arrangements in remembrance of the more than 1,500 passengers who died.

Every year, the IIP conducts a ceremony to remember the passengers and crew who lost their lives as a result of the Titanic sinking.

A special moment of silence was held to honor Edward Kamuda, president and founder of the Titanic Historical Society, who died April 13, 2014.

***Editors note: Media interested in more information about the International Ice Patrol please contact (860) 271-2626

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Coast Guard members at Sector St. Petersburg wore their service dress blue uniforms to raise awareness and facilitate discussion about sexual assault in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Wednesday.

Service Dress Blue Day is a Coast Guard-wide initiative to raise awareness of the Coast Guard Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Master Chief Petty Officer Michael Leavitt, the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, encouraged all Coast Guard chiefs, senior chiefs, master chiefs and other senior leadership to wear their dress uniforms to draw attention and create discussion amongst Coast Guardsmen about sexual assault prevention awareness.

“Our goal is to foster discussion within the ranks about sexual assault and break down the barriers of reporting a crime," said Capt. Gregory Case, sector's commander. “We are determined to change the culture related to sexual assault awareness and prevention. Facilitating discussions throughout the sector is an important first step.”

For more information about the Coast Guard Sexual Prevention and Response Program, please visit http://www.uscg.mil/worklife/rape_sexual_assault.asp.

MIAMI — Coast Guard crewmembers are responding to a fuel spill in the vicinity of Government Cut in Miami Wednesday, following a leak discovered aboard the 95-foot tug Neptune Tuesday night.

Upon further investigation, it has been determined that an estimated 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel have entered the water.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Miami is conducting an overflight to monitor the progression of diesel fuel in the water.

Coast Guard shoreline cleanup assessment teams have been deployed to local areas that may be impacted to monitor possible shoreline pollution and commence cleanup efforts if necessary.

As of 9:30 A.M. 950 feet of sorbent boom have been deployed by cleanup crews to contain pollution and minimize local impact. Crews are preparing to deploy more boom to protect environmentally sensitive areas near the incident.

The ruptured fuel tank has been patched and no more fuel is leaking from the vessel at this time. The vessel is safely moored at Dodge Island.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Miami first received a report from the Tug Neptune that a fuel tank holding approximately 7,800 gallons of diesel fuel aboard the vessel had leaked. The initial report was an estimated 100 gallons of fuel had leaked into the water Tuesday night.

An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Miami is on scene alongside a crew from Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, Fla., and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.