The US Coast Guard’s 8th District announced the Maritime Commerce Strategic Outlook, outlining a long term vision to support and grow maritime commerce in the United States. The 8th District was chosen for being at the center of USCG operations in the Western Rivers, which are critical maritime arteries that fuel commerce with consumers around the globe.
In my role as assistant commandant for prevention policy, my staff and I are actively engaged in the implementation of three major lines of effort: facilitating lawful trade and travel on secure waterways; modernizing aid to navigation and mariner information systems, and transforming the workforce capacity and partnerships,
…notes Rear Adm. John P. Nadeau, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy.
The key points highlighted include:
1. Facilitation of lawful trade and travel on secure waterways
To secure ports and waterways and ensure vessel safety, USCG should manage risks to critical infrastructure:
- through efficient delivery of Coast Guard services;
- supporting uniform and consistent vessel and facility standards; and
- promoting resiliency and unity of effort among all MTS stakeholders.
2. Modernization of aids to navigation and other mariner information systems
To make US competitive as a global trading partner, USCG will drive modernization of IT networks and applications to assess, monitor, and manage risk.
The service will optimize traditional navigation systems as we build the next generation waterway management and aids to navigation systems. Further, we’ll seek to adapt regulatory frameworks, applications, and standards to accurately incorporate the implementation of emerging technologies that will transform maritime operations such as autonomous systems and new logistics platforms.
3. Transformation of workforce capacity and partnerships
The maritime operating environment is increasingly complex and the Coast Guard must transform its workforce and strengthen its partnerships with other enabling organizations to meet the increased demand on America’s waterways.
We will leverage the capabilities of Third Party Organizations that conduct work on our behalf, while providing a robust oversight regime that monitors their performance and ensures compliance with required standards…It is imperative to transform the workforce and roles of other enabling organizations to have the capability, experience, and expertise to address the broad spectrum of threats to our national interests.
This document also outlines a number of enabling concepts that will ensure the Service’s long-term success, including:
- Unity of Effort: The Coast Guard will leverage established partnerships and look for opportunities to build new partnerships within Federal, State, local, and tribal governments and private industry to bring a balanced approach to improving America’s maritime economic competitiveness.
- Adaptive-Focused Service: The Coast Guard will anticipate change, become more agile, apply lessons-learned, and embrace the fast pace of technology. Service members must be comfortable operating in a dynamic, complex, and ambiguous environment.
- Marine Transportation as a National Priority: The MTS is vital to America’s prosperity. The Coast Guard will advocate the importance of America’s waterways and articulate how economic and national security is inextricably linked to the MTS.
- Investment in the Future: The Coast Guard must invest in data and information infrastructure that enables big data analytics and operations research in an environment of increasing complexity of systems, accelerated pace of innovation, and rapid incorporation of new technologies.
- Situational Awareness: The Coast Guard will provide decision makers real-time, accurate, and actionable information and intelligence for maritime operations. The Coast Guard must understand industry trends, patterns, and threats to the MTS in order to position the Service to address them. The Service must take advantage of emerging technologies to improve situational awareness.
- International Engagement: The Coast Guard will assertively seek opportunities to be a leader at international maritime regulatory bodies and maximize international relationships with key trading partners to reduce risks to America’s MTS.
The Coast Guard will use its unique law enforcement, intelligence, and regulatory authorities to grow and safeguard maritime commerce in the US, but the challenges facing our waterways require continued collaboration with private sector and government agency stakeholders at every level – local, state, national, and international. We look forward to working with our partners and stakeholders as we execute the lines of effort in the Maritime Commerce Strategic Outlook.
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