Report on Activities of the

CMTS Executive Secretariat

September 17, 2008
 AUTHORITY

President’s U.S. Ocean Action Plan,

issued, December 17, 2004, “Supporting
Marine Transportation.”
 PURPOSE
• “To create a partnership of Federal
agencies with responsibility for the Marine
Transportation System (MTS) -
waterways, ports and their intermodal
connections – to ensure the development
and implementation of national MTS
policies consistent with national needs.”
[CMTS Charter]
 CMTS MEMBERSHIP
• Department Secretaries from:
– Transportation (Chair)
– Commerce
– Defense
– Energy
– Homeland Security
– Treasury
– State
– Interior
– Agriculture
– Labor
– Justice (Attorney General)

• Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff;

• Administrator, EPA;
• Chairman, FMC; and
• Head of MTS-related Agencies as designated by the CMTS
• Ex-Officios: OMB; CEQ; NEC; DPC; HSC
 National Strategy

National Strategy for the Marine Transportation

System: A Framework for Action

• Develops a policy framework for addressing:

– critical issues for the next five years
– future system needs
• Encompasses 5 priority areas with 34 actions
 National Strategy
Received Private / Public input

CMTS Departments and Agencies developed

and reviewed Draft

CMTS approved on July 10, 2008

Public Release on September 4, 2008

 National Strategy
• Five Priority Areas in the National Strategy
– Capacity
• addresses capacity issues, improve efficiency, & reduce
congestion
– Safety and Security
• strengthen maritime safety & coordinate maritime security
– Environmental Stewardship
• Protect environmental health of the MTS
– Resilience and Reliability
• Increase MTS reliability and ability to withstand/or recover
from damaging incidents
– Finance and Economics
• Maintain & improve infrastructure
 National Strategy
• Action Item Examples

– Develop a coordinated approach to emergency

permitting for channel restoration following a large-
scale sediment deposit in navigation channels from
natural disasters such as hurricanes, that obstruct
the channel and disrupt port activities;

– Publish valid, reliable, and timely data on the MTS

including cargo movements, capacity, and
productivity.
 National Strategy
• Prioritize Action Items

• Develop an Implementation Plan that might

include:

• Coordinate with Federal, State, and local

Agencies

• Continue to work with private industry to

ensure the viability of the MTS
 Navigation Technology Integration and
Coordination
The National Strategy recommends the following
actions to ensure the marine safety of the MTS
• Coordinate existing Federal navigation technology services
and programs to ensure collaboration, reduce duplication
and standardize terminology and presentation;
• Deliver timely, relevant, accurate navigation safety
information to mariners, including real time information
systems such as the Physical Oceanographic Real Time
Systems, e-navigation, under keel clearance, air gap
technology and those associated with development of the
Integrated Ocean Observing System;
• Encourage and coordinate navigation technology research
and development;
 Navigation Safety Technology IAT
Action Plan
• Develop an inventory of technologies, data, and
services within the Federal agencies that could be
beneficial to the safety or efficiency of marine
transportation.
• Develop Working Groups to address specific
coordination projects needed to optimize the
technology, data, or service.
• Develop demonstration of technology integration - a
tide aware electronic navigational chart
CMTS – Navigation Technology IAT Working Groups

1. Utilization of Coast Guard’s Automatic Identification

System capabilities (USCG lead)

Three projects to transmit real-time environmental (e.g.

water level, currents, winds, etc.) information from NOAA and
USACE to mariners to improve safety of navigation.

2. Charting data collection and distribution (NOAA lead)

Three projects designed to improve the accuracy of the

navigational chart with improved data from USCG, USACE
and NOAA.
CMTS – Navigation Technology IAT Working Groups

• Navigational data collection and distribution

(USACE lead)

Three projects designed to increase the quality of

oceanographic data topographic data available to
mariners to improve safety of navigation.

A project to jointly set standards for lidar

bathymetric and topographic data

4. Operational Coordination Issues (USCG lead)

Three projects designed to improve local

operational coordination between the USCG, USACE,
and NOAA on navigational safety issues.
 New Starts
• Federal MTS Budget Inventory
– Development a “snapshot” of Federal
maritime expenditures.
• Arctic Transportation Task Team
– To investigate the potential of commercial
shipping in the Arctic
• Maritime Infrastructure Investment Policy
– Discussion paper regarding Federal
infrastructure funding
 Questions?

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