- 2023 NDAA Redefines Marine Highway Transportation Scope.
- MARAD and Volpe Center Collaborate on Marine Highway Opportunities.
- The Future of U.S. Waterways: Key Findings from MARAD’s Report.
The U.S. Marine Highway System stretches 26,291 miles over navigable waterways, covering rivers, bays, coasts, the Great Lakes, and the Saint Lawrence Seaway. It is a program of the Maritime Administration, managed with the purpose of bolstering the Nation’s transportation infrastructure by providing relief from landside congestion, reducing emissions, and enhancing the efficiency of surface transportation, reports AJOT.
Scope of U.S. Expanded Under 2023 NDAA
The Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act expanded the scope of the U.S. The Marine Highway Program by the definition of marine highway transportation to also include bulk, liquid, and loose cargo in addition to intermodal containers, roll-on/roll-off cargo, unitized freight, and freight vehicles carried on commuter ferry boats. The eligibility also extended to shipments between U.S. ports and ports in Canada and Mexico.
This wider scope aligns with an enhanced initiative to make better use of waterways for freight transportation by the Nation and cross-border trade. The NDAA also instructed MARAD to assess possibilities for maritime highway transportation focused specifically on the Gulf of Mexico, Puget Sound, and Salish Sea System regions, and its connections to Canada and Mexico.
Research and Analysis by the U.S. DOT Volpe Center
MARAD consulted the U.S. DOT Volpe Center to carry out this mandate, which brought it under its operations research, economics, GIS, and maritime systems expertise. The Volpe Center joined forces with MARAD’s Office of Ports and Waterways Planning to undertake a comprehensive study and present a detailed report to Congress.
This study covered different activities, such as the consideration of grant programs, data on cargo transport, and existing facilities and equipment at ports. The study also considered analyzing the commodities transported through 48 ports, which included 38 U.S. ports and five each for Canada and Mexico. Some GIS maps of marine highways and port locations were developed along with discussions with key stakeholders to gain insights about the same.
A Phased Research Approach
The research process was divided into three phases. Phase I was designed to assess current conditions in maritime highway transportation and the impact of the 2023 NDAA. Phase II identified objectives and strategies for the expansion of the existing Marine Highway Routes and recommended the establishment of new routes. Phase III built upon the earlier phases to identify actionable opportunities that MARAD could pursue to achieve its goals for the Marine Highway Program.
Key Findings and Opportunities
The final report synthesized findings of all three phases in relation to opportunities for more consistent and effective use of the Nation’s waterways. It summarized the potential for public-private partnerships in expanding maritime highway transportation; it also explored how the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement could foster sustainable trade as well as enhance maritime routes.
It also focused on making Marine Highway Routes an integral part of the overall multimodal transportation network and continued to promote public and environmental benefits from maritime highway transportation. It further recommended incentivizing the use of the system for federally owned or financed cargo and leveraging information technology tools in support of decision-making and operations.
Did you subscribe to our daily Newsletter?
It’s Free Click here to Subscribe!
Source: AJOT
