What is the Marine Transportation System?

The Marine Transportation System, or MTS, consists of waterways, ports, and intermodal landside connections that allow the various modes of transportation to move people and goods to, from, and on the water. The MTS includes the following:

• 25,000 miles of navigable channels
• 238 locks at 192 locations
• Great Lakes
• St. Lawrence Seaway
• Over 3,700 marine terminals
• Numerous recreational marinas
• Over 174,000 miles of rail connecting all 48 contiguous States, as well as Canada and Mexico
• Over 45,000 miles of interstate highway, supported by over 115,000 miles of other roadways
• Over 1,400 designated intermodal connections

Important Facts

• Waterborne cargo and associated activities contribute more than $742 billion annually to the U.S. GDP, sustaining more than 13 million jobs.
• The top 50 ports in the U.S. account for about 84% of all waterborne domestic and international cargo tonnage.
• The top twenty-five ports handle 96% of all containerized tonnage.
• In 2004, approximately 6,400 commercial ships made approximately 60,000 U.S. port calls carrying more than 6 million cargo containers to the U.S.
• In 2003 alone, over 1.2 billion short tons of international maritime cargo was transported through U.S. seaports with exports accounting for 30% and imports accounting for 70% of that tonnage.
• 99% of the volume of overseas trade (62% by value) enters or leaves the U.S. by ship.
• In FY05, over $60 billion of agricultural goods will be exported from the U.S., the vast majority moving as waterborne commerce.

Challenges

The future challenges to our MTS are many. The total volume of domestic and international marine trade is expected to triple over the next 20 years. In that same time frame, the number of recreational users is expected to grow by over 65% to more than 130 million annually. Ferry passenger transport is experiencing rapid growth in response to land-transport congestion. Commercial fishing and military use of the MTS will continue to grow into the new millennium.

How will all these increasing demands on our MTS be safely handled and balanced with environmental values in order to ensure that freight and people move efficiently to, from, and on our waterfronts?

Coordination and Leadership

Coordination, leadership, and cooperation are essential to addressing the challenges faced by the MTS. Information on the nation's mobility, safety, economic health, natural environment, and security information must be shared among federal, regional, and local agencies, as well as private sector owners and operators. This kind of coordinated approach can more effectively meet the needs of the MTS than can piecemeal efforts by individual groups.

The Committee on the Marine Transportation System (CMTS) is the latest Federal effort to coordinate the myriad partners involved in the MTS. The CMTS will work closely with local, regional, and national stakeholder groups to identify challenges, craft solutions, and shape the MTS to meet this country’s future needs.