ATON (Aids to Navigation)

FUTURE OF NAVIGATION - 21st Century Waterways

You are invited to visit the 21st Century / Future of Navigation Feedback Website to share your comments and provide feedback on the joint agency initiative that will determine user requirements and emerging needs for navigation information and services.  The Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are collaborating in the "eNAV" environment to promote safety and efficiency on the Marine Transportation System.

For more information, please visit 21st Century / Future of Navigation for a link to the survey.

Federal Aids to Navigation (ATON) are any marine aid to navigation installed and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard.  ATON includes lighted and unlighted buoys, lighted and unlighted fixed structures such as day beacons and lights, ranges and lighthouses.

Federal Aids to Navigation Service Standards The U.S. Coast Guard provides navigational positioning signals and buoys/aids that mark channels and harbors.  Our customers can expect that we will: - Provide LORAN Navigation (DECOMMISIONED)

- Provide precise Differential Global Positioning (DGPS) & Global Positioning System (GPS) Navigation signal availability of greater than 99.7% of the time.

- Provide system of short range aids and buoys for U.S. coastal and harbor navigation, with individual aids providing their advertised characteristics 99.7% of the time.

If you have questions regarding a particular aid to navigation or waterway, click here and contact the 13th Coast Guard District WAMS Manager.

Federal Aid Assignment List

The Federal Aid Assignment List (pdf)(100kb) is a list of all federally maintained marine aids to navigation (ATON) found within Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.  This list shows what Coast Guard field unit is primarily responsible for maintaining an ATON, what unit is considered secondary and in which Coast Guard Group/Sector area of responsibility each ATON is located. 

Reporting Damaged or Malfunctioning Federal and Private Aids to Navigation

Both federal and private marine aids to navigation are protected by law.  Anyone found guilty of accidentally or willfully damaging a federal or private marine aid to navigation can be held liable for the cost of repairing or replacing such marine aid. 

If you are aware of a federal or private marine aid to navigation that has been damaged and is in need of repair or replacement please contact the nearest U.S. Coast Guard office at one of the phone numbers listed below immediately.  Please be prepared to supply the following information:

1.)  The name of the marine aid to navigation if known. 2.)  The Light List Number for the aid if known. 3.)  The name of the waterway, mile mark if on a river, and name of the nearest known point of land or land mark. 4.)  The number or letter on the aid and its color. (please give a brief description of the aid) 5.)  What is wrong with the aid? (light not working or is missing, buoy is not where it belongs or is missing, structure is damaged or is missing) 

If you know who damaged an aid and how it was damaged, please be prepared to supply the following information:

1.)  The name of the person responsible for damaging the marine aid to navigation if known. (mailing address and/or phone number if known) 2.)  If it was a vessel that struck the aid; what is the name of the vessel (make/model/color), what is the state registration or official document number? 3.)  If it was a vehicle that struck the aid; what type of vehicle was it (make/model/color), what is the state license number? 4.)  What was the date/time that the aid was damaged? 5.)  How was the aid damaged? (struck by a vessel or vehicle, vandalized, damaged by an act of nature) 

Federal ATON Damage Claim 

Coast Guard ATON units needing to submit a Federal ATON Damage Claim please contact the Federal ATON Damage Claim Manager. 

Report discrepancies with marine aids to navigation to the nearest Coast Guard Sector office!

Portland (833) 769-8724 / Seattle (206) 217-6002