Energy, environment and natural resources

Executive Order 13143: Amending Executive Order 10173, as Amended, Prescribing Regulations Relating to the Safeguarding of Vessels, Harbors, Ports, and Waterfront Facilities of the United States

President: Bill Clinton

Updated Coast Guard titles and the chain of command for enforcing federal port-security regulations.

Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13143 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13143 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 13143 do?

EO 13143 amended EO 10173 to reflect the Coast Guard’s modern organization. It replaced obsolete references, put Captains of the Port under District and Area Commanders as well as the Commandant, and updated who could exercise enforcement authority. EO 13273 further amended the same framework after September 11. The National Archives disposition table continues to list EO 13143 as an amendment rather than a revoked order.

Administration position: The order updated executive port-security regulations; it did not create unlimited search or exclusion powers outside the Magnuson Act, due process and later maritime-security law.
SignedDecember 1, 1999
Parent orderEO 10173
Primary agencyUnited States Coast Guard

Before and after

Before the order

The 1950 order contained outdated Coast Guard offices and reporting relationships.

After the order

Enforcement language matched the Commandant, Area Commander, District Commander and Captain of the Port structure.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Captain of the PortEnforce port-security regulationsContinuing
District and Area CommandersSupervise and exercise delegated authorityContinuing
Coast Guard CommandantDirect the national frameworkContinuing

What happened next

EO 13143 updated EO 10173.

EO 13273 further amended the port-security framework.