The Ocean Posse, a community of over 1,500 long-distance cruising sailors, today announced a new cooperative voluntary reporting arrangement with U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) designed to improve safety and reduce the risk of misidentification for private recreational vessels transiting high-risk areas of the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean.
The agreement comes amid growing mariner concerns over sharply degraded Search and Rescue (SAR) capabilities in Venezuelan waters, the potential for malicious false reports labeling legitimate cruising yachts as suspected drug-running vessels, and warnings from multiple governments that parts of the region are becoming operationally “hot” due to heightened counter-narcotics and security operations.
“Recreational sailors could become collateral damage in an environment where accurate vessel identification is increasingly difficult,” said Dietmar Petutschnig, founder of the Ocean Posse. “Warships and patrol aircraft operating at high speed often have only minutes to decide if an unknown radar contact is innocent or hostile. A properly filed float plan and up-to-date open-source vessel profile could be the difference between a simple fly-by and a dangerous interdiction.”
Under the new voluntary regime, captains making offshore passages (beyond 12 nautical miles) in the Eastern Pacific south or east of Huatulco, Mexico, and north of Ecuador, as well as in the Caribbean south of the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, USVI, and BVI and north of South America, are strongly recommended to enact this protocol:
Pre-Departure Actions
- Update their vessel’s public wiki page on MarineTraffic.com (free account required) with current photos—ideally taken from an elevated angle and showing people on deck for scale—and complete vessel details. SOUTHCOM has been briefed that this crowdsourced platform is a recognized open-source reference for legitimate cruising boats.
- Complete the official U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Float Plan (available at https://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/download/USCGFloatPlan.pdf)
48–72 hours prior to departure and email it to southcom.miami.scj79.mbx.humanitarian-notification@mail.mil with subject line
“Float Plan – [Vessel Name]”. - Upon safe arrival or completion of the passage, close the loop by sending a short email to the same address with subject line
“Float Plan Complete – [Vessel Name]”.
Underway Best Practices
- Maintain 24/7 bridge watch and VHF Channel 16 guard
- Transmit on AIS whenever possible (noting that warships typically do not)
- Fly national ensign clearly
- Proactively hail any sighted warship on VHF 16 with position, vessel name, persons aboard, and innocent-passage routing
- Immediately comply with any instructions if hailed
- Observe minimum standoff from U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessels
Dedicated 24/7 rescue coordination hotlines for family and shore-side contacts are:
- Caribbean: JRSC San Juan – (833) 453-1267 or +1 (787) 729-6770 | ssjcc@uscg.mil
- Eastern Pacific: JRCC Alameda – (800) 246-7236 or +1 (510) 437-3700 | RCCAlameda1@uscg.mil
“This is not mandatory, but it is the best layer of protection available right now,” Capt. Petutschnig emphasized. “A float plan filed directly with SOUTHCOM’s humanitarian notification desk gives US forces immediate access to proof that your vessel is a legitimate cruising yacht with known passengers and itinerary—information that can prevent escalation during an encounter.”
The arrangement was developed in direct consultation with SOUTHCOM staff and reflects the command’s interest in reducing risk to innocent mariners while maintaining operational security.
A pdf with full instructions for captains is can be found here, please share it widely.
