That is the purview of the sponsoring agencies. The Coast Guard s primary input is ensuring that the desired projects are feasible purely from an operational standpoint. This could often be several weeks or months before the science party actually comes aboard for the cruise. Each shipping crate should be well labeled and numbered to indicate ownership and total number of containers shipped. Equipment may be shipped to foreign ports where pier-side facilities for loading exist.
Many Arctic locations have very limited facilities and support services.
It is the Chief Scientist s responsibility to acquire a shipping agent to receive and hold the equipment and to enable compliance with all customs regulations , both U.S. and foreign. Shipments should be made in a timely manner to in order to clear customs and arrive at the ship to be loaded well before sailing time. The equipment will normally be stored in the main lab or in the science cargo hold until the arrival of the science party. The Chief Scientist is responsible for assigning laboratory and deck space. Where multi-leg cruises are involved, coordination with other Chief Scientists may be necessary.