1998 Year of the Ocean The U.S. Marine Transportation System 



Increased public concern for safety and protection of the environment will accelerate the 

 movement toward enhanced international requirements for vessel safety, environmental 

 protection, and crew qualifications. 



MARITIME POLICY AND KEY STRATEGIC ISSUES 



There are many laws and international treaties that govern our waterways and their use. 

 Although many federal agencies exercise specific authorities, section 101 of Title 49 United 

 States Code (U.S.C.) gives the Department of Transportation the responsibility to oversee the 

 national transportation system. Other authorities relevant to marine transportation can be found 

 in U.S.C Titles 14, 16, 19, 33, 46 and 49, and in international treaties. 



International Standards 



Under International Maritime Organization (IMO) resolutions to become effective in 

 2002, the United States and the member nations of the European Union (EU) have pledged to 

 verify that ships calling in ports under their jurisdiction are in compliance with international 

 standards of ship safety, training, operation, and construction. The uniformity and enforcement of 

 these regulations will ensure that carriers have equitable safety and training costs. With U.S. 

 leadership, operational safety in U.S. and EU ports should improve significantly; efforts will 

 need to be directed to worldwide acceptance of these standards among all maritime nations. 



The use of double-hulls and other design features will decrease the possibility of an oil 

 spill if a vessel goes aground or is involved in a collision. The Oil Pollution Action of 1990 

 requires all oil tankers and barges calling at U.S. ports to have double-hulls by 2015. In addition, 

 under IMO regulations, newly constructed tankers must have a double hull or equivalent 

 protection. 



Need for greater policy coordination and integration 



Although the U.S. marine transportation system is extensive and currently capable of 

 handling vast amounts of cargo, it is not without problems. Investment and technological 

 deficiencies hinder growth, and a variety of users have expressed their concerns. For example, 

 Intertanko, an organization of foreign-flag tanker owners and operators whose members' ships 

 carry 60 percent of oil and petrochemical shipments to and from the United States, notes that 

 U.S. ports are being pushed to the limits of their capability. They further contend that it is an 

 anomaly that tankers that approach U.S. terminals do so without the support of a modem vessel 

 traffic system. These tankers must often base their approach on 50 year old charts, are instructed 

 to approach a berth on less than adequate water draft, and finally moor at a berth that was 

 designed to accommodate ships much smaller than a modern tanker. 



The President of Sea-Land, a major U.S. and global liner and shipping company, has 

 stated that successful U.S. ports of the future will be those that have appropriate road and rail 



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