BoatUS Foundation Launches National Database to Track Abandoned Boats

The BoatUS Foundation has launched the first national database to track abandoned and derelict boats across U.S. waters, an ambitious step toward cleaner, safer coastlines. Alexander/stock.adobe.com

The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has unveiled a new national database designed to identify and track abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) across U.S. waters.

Developed in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, the publicly accessible database allows anyone to report vessels left adrift or abandoned along coastlines and waterways. The effort represents the first coordinated, nationwide attempt to quantify and combat the growing problem of derelict boats.

“When we finally understand the scope of the problem, communities all over the country will be better able to remove abandoned and derelict vessels on their local coastlines,” said Alanna Keating, director of outreach for the BoatUS Foundation. “With the information the database provides, they will be able to know exactly where they need to dedicate resources, whether that be toward removing vessels or preventing them from becoming abandoned in the first place.”

Abandoned and derelict vessels are more than an eyesore. They can crush or smother sensitive seagrass and coral habitats, leak fuel and other pollutants, block navigation channels, and drive up removal costs for coastal communities. The BoatUS Foundation notes that removing a single derelict boat can cost an average of $24,000.

The new online database will allow anyone to report abandoned and derelict vessels and eventually track removal progress over time. Courtesy BoatUS Foundation Courtesy BoatUS Foundation

Alongside the database launch, the Foundation has awarded grants to assist in ADV removal projects in Alaska, Guam, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, Oregon, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington. These regional grants, combined with national data collection and public education, are intended to help reduce the long-term presence of abandoned vessels and prevent future cases.

The initiative is also supported through outreach efforts such as the second annual Turning the Tide conference, scheduled for December 2026 in New Orleans, where marine industry leaders and policymakers will discuss solutions to boating-related debris.

By empowering boaters, coastal residents, and marine agencies to report problem vessels, the BoatUS Foundation hopes this new database will bring the U.S. one step closer to cleaner, safer, and more navigable waterways.

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