Marine Safety Unit Savannah to Receive New Commander

SAVANNAH, Ga. (D7 Public Affairs) - Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Savannah is scheduled to hold a change of command ceremony Friday at 1 p.m.

Cmdr. David Murk will relinquish command to Cmdr. Lonnie Harrison of MSU Savannah after serving three years as commanding officer.

Murk will be transferring to Coast Guard Headquarters where he will oversee the agency’s involvement in the transportation worker identification credential program. Under Murk’s command, MSU Savannah has responded to a 22,000-gallon mystery spill on the Savannah River, oversaw the safety and security of the liquefied natural gas facility at Elba Island, Ga., and developed a regional inter-agency task force designed to increase communication and cooperation to deter, detect and respond to illegal maritime activity.

Harrison arrives in Savannah from Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads, Va., where he was the chief of vessel inspections. Harrison’s previous assignments include Coast Guard Headquarters, Marine Safety Office Tampa, Fla., and New Orleans, and aboard the CGC Alert.

The commanding officer of MSU Savannah performs the functions of captain of the port, federal maritime security coordinator and officer in charge of marine inspections. The commanding officer is also responsible for nearly 100 active and reserve duty personnel as they conduct vessel safety examinations, maritime law enforcement boardings, waterfront facility safety and security inspections, and ports and waterways management for both Savannah and Brunswick, Ga.