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MARINE SAFETY UNIT CHICAGO
Chicago, Illinois
555 Plainfield Rd. Suite A
Willowbrook, IL 60527
630-986-2155
630-986-2120
fax
(click here to view map)
Additional information available on http://homeport.uscg.mil/lakemichigan
Marine Safety Unit (MSU) Chicago is responsible for executing the Coast Guard’s Port Safety and Security, Marine Environmental Protection, and Commercial Vessel Safety missions under the auspices of the Department of Homeland Security. These missions serve as the underpinnings of our stewardship to ensure a safe, secure, and environmentally sound maritime domain that continues to promote recreation and the free flow of commerce on Southern Lake Michigan, as well as the Chicago Area Waterway System and the Illinois River Watershed.
MSU Chicago serves an active network of domestic and international maritime interests covering the Lake Michigan shorelines of Illinois and Indiana, as well as 177 miles of the Illinois River System segmented by 7 locks and over 250 bridges. The MSU Chicago area of responsibility includes 9 Lake Michigan ports, a fleet of 235 inspected vessels, 101 regulated waterfront facilities, and 8 permanent security zones. They also oversee the safety and security of more than 25 million passengers that frequent 6 Riverboat Casinos and 58 passenger vessels annually.
As the third largest intermodal container handler in the world and the largest distribution center in the nation with a population of 8.2 million, Chicago is a crossroads of commerce nationally, as well as a regional attraction for recreation on the water. The unit’s 53 active duty, reserve and civilian personnel perform a variety of tasks each day, ranging from conducting armed port security patrols, inspecting commercial vessels, conducting pollution and marine casualty investigations, enforcing safety zones and conducting waterfront facility exams for compliance with federal regulations. In the past year, unit members have dedicated their time to numerous port security and harbor patrols, conducted 707 vessel inspections, completed 185 investigations, and oversaw regulatory compliance at 101 waterfront facilities.
Marine Safety Unit (MSU) Chicago is located in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago in Willowbrook, Illinois, 40 minutes from Downtown Chicago.
Watch Video
United States Coast Guard - A History of Chicago
A short and poetic video of the historical presence of the United States Coast Guard in the Chicago area.
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