In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, Sail250 gathered an international fleet of over 60 tall ships and over 40 allied and U.S. naval vessels along the U.S. coast, from May to July. Millions of spectators in New Orleans, Norfolk, Baltimore, New York City, and Boston witnessed this historic maritime celebration. The International Naval Review 250 in the Ports of New York and New Jersey showcased international navies and coast guards in conjunction with the Sail250 event.
While tall ships and naval fleets took center stage, NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey (OCS) worked behind the scenes in the years leading up to the event to ensure safe navigation. Through multi-agency coordination, OCS directly supported this event with hydrographic surveying and accurate charting updates across participating ports.
Coast Survey personnel worked with the Sail250 event planners, U.S. Coast Guard, and Navy to gather information on berthing, docking, and anchoring sites, and transit routes, followed by hydrographic survey planning. The Navigation Response Teams and the NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler executed the surveys for berthing, anchorage, and surrounding areas to gather bathymetric data ahead of the event.
Port-by-Port Highlights
New Orleans
The multi-port event kicked off in the Gulf. Coast Survey provided custom charting resources to Sail250 organizers, while the Central Gulf Coast Navigation Manager and members of the Navigation Response Team Gulfport spoke with thousands of visitors, including the U.S. Coast Guard, harbor pilots, port stakeholders, and the public at the event.
Norfolk
Planning began in 2023, with the Mid-Atlantic Navigation Manager coordinating extensive surveys of the Norfolk waterfront and the Elizabeth River. Teams aboard NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler conducted surveys to ensure proper underkeel clearance for deep-draft tall ships and naval vessels. While in port, NOAA hosted public tours of the ship and Navigation Response Team Patuxent hosted a booth, connecting hydrographic science directly to the public.
Baltimore
Preparing Baltimore for the Sail250 arrival required tight coordination and rapid data turnaround. The Mid-Atlantic Navigation Manager aggregated survey requests and gathered crucial data on local anchorages and berthing areas. Navigation Response Team Patuxent executed essential hydrographic surveys, accelerating the data processing while the Pacific Hydrographic Branch expedited verification. Combining forces, the National Bathymetric Source team leader and the Northeast Navigation Manager transformed the data into high-resolution bathymetric products and datasets, or S-102 products. These detailed datasets allowed Maryland Pilots to supplement the standard electronic navigational charts or ENCs with exact underkeel clearance figures, ensuring tall ships could safely dock at lesser-used pier facilities.
The operation’s most critical moment unfolded just two days before the event. Following a request from the Coast Guard, the Mid-Atlantic Navigation Manager and Navigation Response Team Patuxent prepared an emergency survey to search for a missing Coast Guard buoy at the Chesapeake Bay entrance to the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. Deploying the next morning, the team located the missing buoy and cleared a safe path just in time. Without their swift response, three Sail250 vessels would have been blocked from entering Baltimore’s harbor and the event.
New York City
NOAA’s Northeast Navigation Manager played a pivotal role in streamlining multi-agency coordination for the International Naval Review in the Port of New York and New Jersey. The Navigation Manager set up an online portal that enabled the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy to share real-time geospatial data. This replaced static materials and cumbersome spreadsheets full of coordinates, ultimately inspiring the common operating picture used throughout the event.
Over a three-year period, Navigation Response Team New London completed custom surveys at the request of the U.S. Navy. The Pacific Hydrographic Branch expedited data verification for the final New York surveys, successfully overcoming setbacks caused by record ice coverage across New York Harbor. To aid in the coordination of the 55 participating nations, Marine Chart Division cartographers reviewed and registered the Temporary Federal Rule governing the waterway, precisely charting 12 U.S. Coast Guard security zones, 9 spectator zones, 34 naval anchorages, and 23 tall ship anchorage berths.
On the water and in the air, NOAA maintained a prominent public presence. NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler joined the Parade of Sail, while the NOAA Hurricane Hunter P-3 Orion soared overhead as part of the International Aerial Review. Back on land, Coast Survey personnel teamed up with the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations Recruitment Team at New York City’s Pier 88, where visitors toured numerous naval vessels and tall ships. Meanwhile, teams aboard Ferdinand R. Hassler welcomed the public aboard for tours at Stapleton Pier. Together, NOAA engaged with more than 3,690 people during the three-day celebration.
Boston
Rounding out the maritime celebration, NOAA leveraged recent hydrographic surveys of Boston Harbor to create detailed S-102 navigation products. Local docking pilots relied on these products to make informed navigation decisions for vessels with tight under-keel clearance constraints.
Ashore, the Northeast Navigation Manager joined forces with colleagues from across NOAA to welcome and engage with more than 1,000 visitors over two days at Constitution Wharf.
Team work makes the dream work
In every host city, interdisciplinary teamwork ensured safe passage, up-to-date nautical charts, and effective public engagement throughout the Sail250 celebrations. A special thank you goes to the dedicated teams across NOAA whose hard work made these events a resounding success:
- Hydrographic Surveys Division Pacific Hydrographic Branch: Daniel Devereaux, Fernando Ortiz, Jessica Murphy, Pete Holmberg, Adam Argento, and Tyanne Faulkes for expedited data verification
- Hydrographic Surveys Division Operations Branch: Michael Stephens, Dan Garatea, Martha Herzog, Starla Robinson, and Navigation Services Division Navigation Response Branch: Chris Hare for survey planning
- Navigation Services Division Nautical Response Branch:
- NRT Patuxent: LTJG Riley Black and LTJG Katie Bornarth,
- NRT New London: Michael Bloom, LT Mark Meadows, and ENS Sean Sexton,
- NRT Gulfport: Chris Night, John Gray, Michael Coughlin, and LT Rob Sobelson for mobilizing and surveying ahead of the event
- OCS Communications: Annie Jouard
- Navigation Services Division Customer Affairs Branch: for gathering survey requirements, coordinating with event organizers, organizing outreach, and coordinating cartographic needs and requirements
- Cartographer Kathy Carpenter, Northeast Navigation Manager Colleen Roche, Mid-Atlantic Navigation Manager Ryan Wartick, Gulf Navigation Manager Tim Osborn, Florida Navigation Manager Nic Alvarado, and Martha Herzog
- Marine Chart Division: cartographers Lance Roddy, Casey O’Heran, Chris Crognole, and Pramod Singh for updating nautical charting products and assisting with public outreach
- National Bathymetric Source: Katrina Wiley for updating and custom creating S-102 products