Welcome to the 17th Coast Guard District 5-Star Safety Program web site!

Alaska's uninspected passenger vessel (UPV) fleet has grown dramatically in the last decade from approximately 1600 in 1999 to over 3000 in 2009. While this industry has an excellent safety record, the risk of an incident remains significant due to Alaska's harsh maritime environment. To help manage this risk, the 17th Coast Guard District and Alaska's charter operators have instituted a voluntary dockside examination program to ensure that all regulatory requirements are satisfied. In addition, UPVs that participate in Alaska's unique, voluntary 5-Star Safety Program carry additional safety equipment beyond that required by regulation.