The two refurbished tugboats for the Department of Port Administration have passed U.S. Coast Guard inspection.
Coast Guard Lt. Cody Baggett said they completed the inspection Friday and issued the Certificates of Inspection, which authorizes the MV Tava’e and MV Toloa to operate. The tugboats had been purchased more than three years ago and were kept in Honolulu for refurbishing until they sailed to Pago Pago last month. A dedication ceremony for the two tugboats was held May 28.
Lt. Bagget complimented Port Administration for getting the vessels up to standard to pass the inspection.
Lt. Bagget is getting ready to depart the territory early next month at the end of his one-year tenure as head of the Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit in American Samoa. His replacement, Lt. William Russell, is scheduled to arrive June 26.
Lt. Baggett said getting the tugboats U.S. Coast Guard certified has been a major accomplishment for him. Another is working with authorities to improve the inter-island vessel Lady Samoa.
He said he has certainly made some good partnerships and relationships during his assignment to American Samoa and this has been “a wonderful tour—one of the most beautiful places” he’s ever visited. Lt Baggett leaves the island next month and will be stationed at the Coast Guard Liquefied Gas Carrier National Center of Expertise in Texas.
Lt. Baggett said his replacement, Lt. Russell, is a highly qualified Coast Guard officer with a comprehensive background in prevention and response, and a large amount of experience with commercial fishing vessels.
He joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 2008, and served aboard the Coast Guard Cutter BOUTWELL out of Alameda, California. He served in Alaska and Oregon before attending officer candidate school, graduating in 2019. From 2019 to 2022, he served at MSU Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
He’s transferring to American Samoa from Sector Puget Sound, Seattle, Washington, where he had served as the Domestic Vessel Branch Chief.
