Coast Guard Cutter Willow sails away from the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland, Aug. 3, 2017, following renovation work to help it operate effectively for the rest of its planned 30-year service life. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Renovation Completed On Second 225-Foot Seagoing Buoy Tender

Aug. 7, 2017

Coast Guard Cutter Willow departed the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland, Aug. 3, following completion of a midlife maintenance availability (MMA) through the In-Service Vessel Sustainment (ISVS) Program.

Willow is the second of 16 225-foot seagoing buoy tenders to undergo MMA work through the ISVS Program; work on the first tender, Coast Guard Cutter Oak, was completed Oct. 26, 2016. Renovation of the tender included an overhaul of the deck equipment and weight handling gear, updates to the machinery control system and HVAC systems, topside preservation, and a stability assessment.

The 225-foot seagoing buoy tenders were commissioned between 1996 and 2004 and are planned to spend 30 years in service. Following its MMA, Willow will head to its Charleston, South Carolina, homeport.

For more information: In-Service Vessel Sustainment program page