July 15, 2024

CMTS Seeking Input on Resilience Challenges for Ports

Today, the CMTS published a request for information (RFI) in the Federal Register to identify what planning guidance, data sources, and grants U.S. ports have used in planning for long-term environmental change, and to identify if there are any barriers to action in planning for the future.

Aug. 24, 2023

Commerce Secretary Raimondo Designates Ms. Nicole LeBoeuf to Lead the Coordinating Board

Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo has designated Nicole LeBoeuf, Assistant Administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Ocean Service, as the chair of the Coordinating Board of the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System (CMTS). The Coordinating Board Chair provides leadership and guidance to the Executive Secretariat and 35+ agency members.

Aug. 22, 2023

Public Comment for Proposed National Guidance for Industry on Responding to Munitions and Explosives of Concern in U.S. Federal Waters

The CMTS invites public comments on proposed national guidance concerning the process for addressing the discovery of munitions and explosives of concern on the U.S. outer continental shelf during offshore energy development. The CMTS will consider the public comments submitted during this comment period in issuing any final National Guidance.

April 1, 2023

MTS Resilience Assessment Guide

CISA has released the Marine Transportation System Resilience Assessment Guide. This is the culmination of five years of effort across a partnership that originated within the CMTS Resilience Integrated Action Team.

March 3, 2023

2023 National Strategy

The National Strategy on the Marine Transportation System (2023-2028) was initiated by an ad hoc interagency development team in January 2022. The 2023 National Strategy replaces the 2017 National Strategy and provides strategic guidance to the Federal interagency partnership to enhance the Federal understanding and support of the marine transportation system (MTS) under five priority areas. The Strategy went through interagency reviews, and was approved by the CMTS Coordinating Board before being signed by Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg on March 3, 2023.

Jan. 13, 2023

Executive Director Helen Brohl Retires

HUGE congratulations are in order for our Executive Director Helen Brohl! Helen retired on January 13th after over 20 years in Federal Service. She was the first ever Executive Director for the CMTS and was appointed to that position in 2006 by then Secretary of Transportation Norma Mineta. Helen was our fearless leader for 17 years, trail blazing the CMTS through countless dynamic issues including Federal infrastructure financing and investment, system performance measures, navigation technology integration and coordination, and integration of marine transportation issues into the President's Ocean Policy and National Export Initiatives.

Jan. 11, 2023

CMTS Mariner Mental Health Working Group Hosted a Virtual Discussion

The CMTS Mariner Mental Health Working Group hosted a virtual discussion, "Challenges and Solutions to Mariner Mental Health and Wellbeing" on Wednesday January 11th, 2023. This meeting discussed the challenges and real solutions to support the mental health and wellbeing of mariners. The program included one presentation and two panel discussions.

Nov. 16, 2022

CMTS holds workshop to discuss the MTS Resilience Assessment Guide

The CMTS Maritime Resilience Integrated Action Team (RIAT) fosters interagency engagement to incorporate the concepts of resilience into the operation and management of the U.S. Marine Transportation System (MTS). The RIAT is co-led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Over the past few years, the RIAT focused on studying the response and resilience of the MTS after major hurricanes.

Nov. 1, 2022

The CMTS has updated the directory of MTS-related Federal Advisory Committees

The CMTS has updated the directory of MTS-related Federal Advisory Committees. Advisory committees are a way of ensuring public and expert involvement and advice in Federal decision-making.

Oct. 14, 2022

U.S. Coast Guard Delivers U.S. Waterway Harmonized Geospatial Dataset to Federal Agency Partners

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate and the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System's (CMTS) Future of Navigation Integrated Action Team (IAT), delivered a harmonized geospatial dataset of national waterways to Federal agency members of the CMTS.

Oct. 5, 2022

CMTS Mariner Mental Health Working Group hears from Women Offshore

To better understand the stresses and needs of merchant mariners, the CMTS Working Group for Mariner Mental Health heard from members of the Women Offshore Foundation at the monthly meeting on October 5th, 2022. Ally Cedeno, Christine MacMillan, Cassi Laskowski, and Emily Bull shared their experiences at sea, the importance of company & ship culture, and the activities that had a positive impact on them at work.