Homework Responses Wk 5 & 1

The Global Transportation System (GTS) includes a maritime component. Explain the key elements of this mode of transportation to include methods, intermodal connections and impact.

Our maritime system in the United States is so vast that it is truly hard to envision.  It covers waterways and ports, that also consists of channels, locks, marine terminals, marinas, along with the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway (Department of Transportation, 2019).  All of these elements coordinate with almost 175 thousand miles of railways in the US, Canada and Mexico.  They also coordinate with 45 thousand miles of highways and 115 thousand miles of supporting roads (Department of Transportation, 2019).  According to the DOT (2019), there are “1400 designated intermodal connections” (p. 1), which basically lets freight or people use more than one method of transportation to get where it, or they, need to be.  For example, freight make come to the US on a shipping vessel, then it may be moved to a train or an airplane for its final destination.  Almost 100% of global shipping is done by the waterways in the US, therefore, it is vital to the economy that global shipping continues to prosper and runs smoothly and efficiently, while also maintaining top security for the cargo that arrives in our nation.  The efficiency and security of maritime transportation falls to the Department of Transportation, under the Maritime Administration, or MARAD, as it is widely known (Department of Transportation, 2019).

            What is the impact of a disruption?

With almost 100% of incoming cargo being through the waterways, a disruption of this would have significant up to catastrophic impacts to our nation’s resources and also to the economy.  Post disaster situations could be dire for the affected communities if the ports were disabled or disrupted.  Things such as food, water, tarps, health and medical supplies would all be impacted.  This would make the US vulnerable and would negate any resiliency that communities have built up (Errett et al., 2018, p. 1). 

            Describe the key attributes of the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) of 2002.  How has this law impacted the overall governance of security within the 360 ports within the United States?

The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 was implemented to establish a consistent measure to all ports and waterways to provide a safe, secure and efficient way to move cargo and persons through the waterways while keeping threats and vulnerabilities to a minimum.  This is achieved with increased baggage or cargo screening, increased security of our waters by the US Coast Guard and increased personal identification procedures.

 

References

Department of Transportation. (2019, June 20). Maritime transportation system (MTS) | MARAD. | MARAD. https://www.maritime.dot.gov/outreach/maritime-transportation-system-mts/maritime-transportation-system-mts#:~:text=Improving%20the%20U.S.%20marine%20transportation,25%2C000%20miles%20of%20navigable%20channels

Errett, N. A., Tanner, A., Shen, X., & Chang, S. E. (2018). Understanding the impacts of maritime disruption transportation to hospital-based acute health care supplies and personnel in coastal and geographically isolated communities. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 13(03), 440-448. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2018.64

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