Traveling Inspection Staff (CG-5P-TI)

Captain Joseph (Joe) W. Morgans
202-372-1190
joseph.w.morgans@uscg.mil
Chief, Traveling Inspections Staff

Captain Morgans assumed the duties as Chief Traveler in May of 2025. He leads a specialized staff of senior marine inspectors that provide professional commercial vessel knowledge, experience, and training to field commanders and commercial vessel inspectors to ensure safe, consistent application of requirements and to expand technical expertise throughout the program.  The staff includes the Traveling Inspectors located at Coast Guard Headquarters, a Travelers Detachment in Texas City, TX, four National Centers of Expertise focused on the disciplines of Cruise Ships, Liquefied Gas Carriers, the Outer Continental Shelf, and Towing Vessels, and an Instructional Systems Specialist located at Training Center Yorktown, VA.

Following the events of 9/11 CAPT Joe Morgans entered the Coast Guard (CG) as a Direct Commission Officer, in February 2004. He is a 1996 Graduate of the California Maritime Academy, BS Marine Engineering Technology and 2009 alumni of Naval Postgraduate School, MS in Mechanical Engineering. Where his thesis work focused on shock wave compression in gas turbines.  He holds a Merchant Mariner credential as a 3^rd Assistant Engineer Unlimited Horsepower Steam & Gas Turbines and Diesel Propulsion (continuity) and is a Licensed Professional Mechanical Engineer in the State of California and Texas. Prior to entering military service CAPT Morgans was a stationary engineer focused on the operation and maintenance of industrial gas and steam turbine facilities for electrical power generation (co-generation).

His CG career includes Marine Safety Office/Sector Corpus Christi as a marine inspector, Marine Safety Center-Machinery Branch Chief (CG HQ), Marine Safety Field Office Lafayette-Supervisor, Chief of Inspections-Sector Hampton Roads, Assistant Prevention Branch Chief-Training Center Yorktown and the Prevention Department Head (PDH) Sector Houston-Galveston (largest port complex in the country). His most recent assignment was as a traveling inspector (CG HQ).

CAPT Morgans is a qualified marine inspector on various vessel types and is a Master Training Specialist. He also holds several Incident Management credentials. He has been recognized with CG commendation and achievement awards for his efforts in post hurricane Katrina/Rita marine salvage and combating the Macondo Well Spill, to name a few. Additionally, he was awarded a CG Meritorious Service Medal associated with his PDH tour achievements. CAPT Morgans is an Eagle Scout since June 1990.

He and his wife Sarah Morgans have been married for 28 years. Both are natives of San Diego, CA and parents of two children, Alexandria (22) and Brady (19). The family are former San Diego Charger fans and always-loyal San Diego Padre fans.