MTS priorities and recommendations
MTS Priorities and Recommendations

STRENGHTHEN UNITY OF EFFORT IN THE MTS

  1. Share achievements and MTS resources of member agencies and pursue opportunities to educate on the value of the MTS.
  2. Ensure that, as appropriate, MTS stakeholders, Tribal organizations, and Congress are included in outreach and information initiatives.
  3. Provide a forum for member agencies to collaborate on and support respective engagement with international bodies.
  4. Increase existing interagency discussion to support the enhancement of the MTS as an integrated system.
  5. Support the advancement of environmental justice in and around areas of persistent poverty and historically disadvantaged communities.

ADVANCE THE HEALTH, WELFARE, DIVERSITY, AND GROWTH OF THE MTS WORKFORCE

  1. Encourage career advancement and professional development in MTS fields to fill workforce gaps in knowledge and technological advancements.
  2. Support the development and implementation of effective maritime recruitment and retention processes.
  3. Support maritime career transition initiatives like the Military to Mariner Program.
  4. Provide an interagency forum for discussions and initiatives related to health and welfare of the MTS workforce including mariner mental health, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and living conditions aboard vessels.
  5. Develop strategies to support diversity, equity, and inclusion in the MTS workforce.

ENHANCE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE MTS

  1. Jointly deliver timely, relevant, accurate and user-accessible navigation safety information to waterway users; support the harmonized presentation of best available information in support of MTS operations.
    • Real-time Navigation Data
    • Real-time Weather Data
    • Hydrographic data/system support data/support of S-100 alignment Data regarding pipeline/network infrastructure
  2. Regularly assess and report the requirement to enhance or sustain safety of the MTS, particularly in the U.S. Arctic.
  3. Support efforts to maintain alignment with national and international efforts towards navigation safety and security.
  4. Support an MTS nexus to ongoing federal activities regarding policies and standards intended to advance inland and coastal maritime safety including cybersecurity of information systems (IT) and operation and control systems (OT).
  5. In accordance with E.O. 13905, promote the responsible use of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) information in the MTS. This includes identification of vulnerabilities, assessment of threats, and evaluation of complementary PNT services that could be adopted as mitigations by owners and operators of critical maritime infrastructure to ensure resiliency to any disruption or manipulation of the Global Positioning System (GPS).

STRIVE FOR A SUSTAINABLE MARINE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

  1. Support Federal effort towards national climate goals through research and development on climate change and its impact on the transportation and supply chain.
  2. Support a sustainable MTS under the UN’s Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) initiative.
  3. Promote interagency collaboration encouraging the development of alternative fuels for propulsion purposes.
  4. Provide an MTS nexus between White House and member agency initiatives related to the U.S. Arctic.
  5. Support Federal efforts towards national climate and environmental justice goals and technological advancement in clean energy like decarbonization and offshore energy sources.
  6. Support port operations efforts toward climate change mitigation and adaptation.

SUPPORT OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE OF THE MTS SUPPLY CHAIN

  1. Engage and support Federal partners, as appropriate, including White House, DOT, and interagency supporting groups on supply chains under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and existing foundational work performed by CMTS member agencies.
  2. Share interagency MTS expertise in support of the reduction of system congestion and supply chain bottlenecks and provide opportunities to educate and inform on new and emerging issues in a way that ensures safety, security, and sustainability of MTS.
  3. Increase data access, availability of data services, linkages and integration of authoritative data from agencies and organizations with mission areas related to the maritime industry and the broader intermodal freight flow network.
  4. Support collaborative, innovative new and emerging technologies and processes, including advancements in automation, information systems (IT) and operational control systems (OT) for a more efficient MTS.
  5. Continue analytical assessments and understanding of MTS resilience and recovery capabilities in a changing climate and encourage incorporation into waterway and port design principles to support an efficient and effective maritime transportation supply chain.