On Sunday, a Coast Guard C-130 airplane brought some unusual cargo to the Aleutian Islands.

United States Senator Mark Begich and Coast Guard Rear Admiral Thomas Ostebo jumped off for a quick tour of Cold Bay and Unalaska. It was Begich's first visit to Unalaska -- and he told constituents at a public meeting that the timing was right.

"Shell got good word on Friday -– or Thursday -- that they are going to finish their EIS," Begich said. "The federal government will be. Which is very important, because that kind of dictates what they’re going to do next. And that means more than likely, they’re going to be moving forward hopefully next summer in larger project development."

Begich said he's been working to free up resources for building infrastructure in some of the port communities that could be affected by such development. He pointed to a new law that makes small Alaskan port projects eligible for a previously limited pot of federal grants. 

But Begich said he's concerned about how the Coast Guard will adapt to new enforcement needs in the Arctic.

"They have to stretch what they have," Begich said. "That means somewhere in the country, we’re pulling something in order to do work up here which is a growing area. So we know we need to add additional assets and equipment and staging capacity for the Coast Guard."

In an interview, Ostebo said that the Coast Guard will eventually need to increase its presence in Unalaska. If a cargo ship experienced a spill or grounding on the Northern Sea Route -- which cuts through melting ice above Russia -- Unalaska would serve as a jumping-off point for emergency response.

But its days as a long-term storage facility for pirate fishing vessels are likely over, according to Ostebo.

That was his response to a question about the Bangun Perkasa -- the high seas driftnetter that spent months in Unalaska after the federal government seized it in international waters.

For his part, Begich said he's felt the same ever since the Bangun Perkasa fell into the Coast Guard's hands in 2011.

"I wanted you to eradicate them," Begich said to Ostebo at the public meeting. "Blow it up and sink it. Then we’d be done."

Ostebo said that the Coast Guard has entered into a treaty that makes it easier to transfer stateless vessels to other nations. When a pirate vessel called Da Cheng turned up last summer, Ostebo says the Coast Guard intervened to stop the illegal fishing activity.

Once they realized that most of the crew were Chinese, though, the Coast Guard relinquished control of the vessel to the Chinese government.

"They did a very nice job of destroying that vessel very quickly, and they seized the evidence off it," Ostebo said. 

Begich's constituents had plenty of concerns that weren't related to maritime activity, though. Speaking on behalf of the Qawalangin Tribe, Tom Robinson asked for help building a tribal hospital in the Aleutians.

"This region is the only place in the state that does not have a regional hospital," Robinson said. "If you look at -- you mention Barrow -- it’s a $160 million facility that serves 4,000 people."

Robinson said that between transient workers and full-time residents, there are far more potential patients in this region.

Since the Indian Health Service started fully funding the operation of tribal hospitals in Alaska, Begich said it’s easier for him to support requests to build new facilities. But the tribes have to do some legwork.

"You need to engage multiple levels to make sure what you put in play matches the other surrounding needs," Begich said. "So then at the end of the day you’re not building something so large, that’s oversized, or something too small, not recognizing the growth."

It's a long process to set up a hospital, but Begich said his office would be willing to help.

He also offered their services in getting permission from the state to tear down the World War II torpedo building. The historic structure has been deteriorating lately -- something Begich said he noticed as soon as he landed in Unalaska.