Fed Ex likes to say that it runs the tightest ship in the shipping business. It's the Coast Guard's mandate to run the tightest ship in the ship business, however, and to that end it is developing an automatic identification system (AIS) to monitor ships traveling to and through U.S. waters. A GAO review shows various challenges, such as whether local port authorities are willing to pay for some of the cost of the infrastructure needed to make it work.gao04868_Maritime1104.pdf