A Pacific maritime security network developing

Reported here, the Coast Guard is working the security angles as the Cutter Boutwell does some traveling:

During the patrol, the ship is scheduled to call at Yokosuka, Japan, and Petropavlovsk, Russia.

Boutwell's voyage reflects what a Coast Guard officer called "a developing network for maritime security" that includes the U.S., Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia.

Without much fanfare, coast guards and other law-enforcement agencies have been working together.

Besides having ship riders on U.S. cutters, Chinese patrol boats have exercised with U.S. cutters and helicopters, while Russian and Japanese coast guards have coordinated operations against North Pacific drift-netters who violate international agreements.

A very useful and under-heralded effort...