The BoatUS Foundation is calling on boaters, coastal communities and marine industry professionals to help tackle the growing issue of abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) by reporting sightings through its dedicated national database this summer.
As the first and only platform of its kind in the US, the national abandoned vessel database aims to crowdsource data to map and monitor at-risk waterways. By compiling individual reports, the initiative provides marine businesses, local authorities and clean-up advocates with the data needed to secure funding, prioritise removals and safeguard navigable waters.
The non-profit launched its national database designed to identify, track and document ADVs in 2025.
Abandoned boats causing issues
According to BoatUS Foundation, abandoned boats cause significant damage to waterways, crushing seagrass and coral habitats, leaking fuel and pollutants, blocking navigation channels and putting other boaters at risk. With removal costs averaging $24,000 or more depending on the size, location and condition of the vessel, identifying where they are is a critical first step to getting them out of the water.
Alanna Keating, director of outreach for the BoatUS Foundation, says: “Boaters now have an easy way to take action when they encounter an abandoned vessel. By reporting a vessel, a boater is taking the first step to help give communities and agencies the information they need to prioritise cleanups and stop the problem before it grows.”
To report an abandoned or derelict vessel, boaters can visit https://boatus.org/database. Once on the site, users can upload an optional photo, log the date and time of the sighting, answer a brief set of safety and vessel-related questions, and pinpoint the vessel’s exact location on an interactive map.
The database is part of BoatUS Foundation’s national initiative to remove hundreds of ADVs from coastal waterways, supported by a 2023 award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) Marine Debris Program. This initiative also supports targeted vessel removals in eight states and territories, as well as a national summit on sustainable disposal solutions for ADVs, called Turning the Tide Summit, which is scheduled to take place 6 to 9 December in New Orleans.
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