Unit History
At the request of the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) established offices throughout Europe near the end of World War II. Their mission was initially to handle the influx of U.S. merchant ships and merchant seaman. However, after the war, the workload declined and offices remained only in London, Bremerhaven and Rotterdam. In the 1960s the name Activities Europe (ACTEUR) was first given to the office in London and they were tasked as the centralized support for CG LORAN stations throughout Europe.
In 1975 the other remaining USCG offices were consolidated and a Marine Inspection Office (MIO) was established in Rotterdam. This was the first MIO established outside the U.S. and its mission was similar to that of today's unit. However, in June 1982 MIO Rotterdam was closed for budgetary reasons and the overseas inspection responsibilities in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East were transferred to MIO New York. From June 1982 until July 1995, MIO New York conducted overseas inspections using a combination of inspectors from the U.S. and personnel from ACTEUR London.
With the turn-over of the LORAN stations to the "host" countries in the early 1990s, ACTEUR London was closed. A new command, Activities/Marine Inspection Office Europe, was commissioned on July 11, 1995 in Rotterdam.
The unit has continued to grow and evolve during the Coast Guard's transition to the Department of Homeland Security and today our maritime security role continues to expand. Between 2004 and 2007, additional people were assigned to ACTEUR as International Port Security Liaison Officers (IPSLO). IPLSOs work with 83 different countries to align maritime security efforts and share best practices.
Read more about this topic: USCG Activities Europe
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