PORTS:

MARAD Port Economic Impact Kit

For 25 years, MARAD has played a leading role in the development of local and national economic impact models for the port industry. The Port Economic Impact Kit (MARAD Port Kit) – updated in December 2000 – is a self-contained, PC-based model that was developed to help U.S. deep-draft ports and other organizations explain the value of the port industry and port facility investments to their communities. Using a user-friendly, menu-driven format, the model assesses the economic impact of maritime-related construction and on-going activities at the national, state, and local levels.

The new MARAD Port Kit combines a proven and accepted economic approach – input-output (I-O) analysis – with up-to-date portrayals of key maritime sectors. On-going maritime activities modeled in the Kit include container, liquid and dry bulk, breakbulk, auto transport, cruise, project cargo, and passenger ferry operations. The Kit considers all activities directly needed to handle each specific movement. Maritime construction and dredging are also included in the model.

An advisory committee of member ports from the American Association of Port Authorities provided technical assistance throughout the project. Other key maritime industry associations and U.S. ports also provided substantial support, information and guidance. In addition, the MARAD Port Kit underwent significant beta-testing prior to its release.

Copies of the model will be available (in late December) through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) website (http://www.ntis.gov/fcpc/cpn8935.htm) or by calling their sales desk at 800-553-6847 (or 703-605-6000). Refer to NTIS order number PB2001-500021. The software is on one CD-ROM disk and requires Windows 95, 98, or NT to run. All documentation is on the disk.

For further information, please contact:
Maritime Administration
Office of Ports and Domestic Shipping
400 Seventh St., SW (Room 7201)
Washington, DC 20590
Tele: 202/366-4357
Fax: 202/366-6988
Email: ports.marad@marad.dot.gov

Port Facility Conveyance Program

MARAD administers a public-benefit conveyance program that transfers surplus federal real property to state and local public entities for the development and operation of port facilities. The purpose of the program is to create jobs, revitalize local economies, and increase maritime port capacity to meet the nation's commerce and defense needs. Conveyances involve no monetary consideration provided the property is used and maintained in perpetuity as a port facility.

For further information, you can contact MARAD's Office of Ports and Domestic Shipping (telephone 202-366-4357, fax 202-366-6988, or email at ports.marad@marad.dot.gov).

Center for the Commercial Deployment of Transportation Technologies

Background:

The Center for the Commercial Deployment of Transportation Technologies (CCDoTT) is a chartered university center at California State University, Long Beach. The CCDoTT cooperative program is operated by the California State University, Long Beach Foundation (CSULBF) and functions as a partnership of academic institutions, government, and commercial entities. CCDoTT is Congressionally funded on a yearly basis. CCDoTT was formed to enable the Department of Defense (DOD) through the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and the Maritime Administration (MARAD), and other participants to:

1. Leverage advanced technologies associated with emerging high-speed ship systems and their associated agile port and terminal systems in solving defense and commercial transportation infrastructure problems and accelerating the deployment of the military;
2. Conduct research and development for defense and commercial transportation infrastructure initiatives; and
3. Provide a technology transfer/dual use bridge between the DOD and commercial industry.

The consortium was organized to pursue a broad range of defense and commercial technologies, to analyze transportation problems and environmental impacts, and to develop and demonstrate technological, procedural, computer, or equipment solutions. CCDoTT's members are well versed in transportation operations and technologies, computer simulation and modeling, defense command and control, electronic commerce, economic and cost modeling, state-of-the-art training and educational solutions, and advanced manufacturing technologies.

CCDoTT's support is structured around four program elements: agile ports, high speed sealift, rapid deployment technologies, and command and control. 

1. Agile Port uses state-of-the-art material and cargo-handling technologies, cargo systems, and tagging, tracking, and information management systems to expand the ability of commercial terminals to accommodate commercial cargo, quickly accommodate military surge cargo, minimize the impact on commercial transportation from military surge deployments, and improve the ability of terminals to accommodate a variety of ship types, including high speed sealift.
2. High Speed Sealift is defined as ocean going, coastal and ferry vessels with speed capabilities of approximately 40 knots or greater, using high technology hulls and machinery.
3. Rapid Deployment Technologies are those technologies that improve the end-to-end flow of military unit equipment and cargo through ocean ports, air ports and intermodal interchange points.
4. Command and Control technologies being explored include advanced collaborative tools to support interactive planning, decision support tools to afford intermodal assessments and analysis and data structures required by these systems.

Solicitation Process:

Proposals can be submitted to CCDoTT at 6300 State University Drive East, Suite 332, Long Beach, CA 90815 with copies to MARAD, Office of Ports and Domestic Shipping, Room 7201, 400 7^th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590 and USTRANSCOM, TCJ5, 508 Scott Drive, Scott Air Force Base, IL 62225-5357. Proposals are evaluated and approved by a Working Group and Steering Group.

For further information, you can contact MARAD's Office of Ports and Domestic Shipping (telephone 202-366-4357, fax 202-366-6988, or email at ports.marad@marad.dot.gov).

Port Readiness

The administration of the Port Readiness Program is an ongoing process. MARAD continues to monitor the readiness of strategic commercial ports through semi-annual port readiness assessments, visits, and monthly survey reports that are provided by the commercial ports. Annual port planning orders are issued and necessary revisions are made according to existing port conditions.

MARAD chairs the Steering and Working Groups of the National Port Readiness Network (NPRN). Th NPRN is comprised of nine federal agencies that have responsibilities for supporting the movement of military forces through U.S. ports.

Continual efforts are made to improve coordination and NPRN initiatives both at the national and local level. The NPRN website is available and can be accessed at http://marad.dot.gov/nprn.

For further information, you can contact MARAD's Office of Ports and Domestic Shipping (telephone 202-366-4357, fax 202-366-6988, or email at ports.marad@marad.dot.gov).

Public Port Capital Expenditure Analysis

MARAD produces annual reports analyzing the capital investments of the public port industry for both deep- and shallow-draft ports.

The deep-draft report, "United States Port Development Expenditure Report," analyzes the public port industry’s current year capital expenditures and the projected expenditures for following five years. The report, also, describes the financing methods used to fund these expenditures.

With the cooperation of two industry associations - the National Waterways Conference and the Inland Rivers, Ports, and Terminals, Inc., MARAD annually publishes the "U.S. Shallow Draft Public Port Development Expenditure Report." The report analyzes capital expenditures at inland river ports, including the financing methods used to fund these expenditures.

Copies of both reports are available on MARAD’s website (http://www.marad.dot.gov) by following the "Publications" link, or by contacting:

Maritime Administration
Office of Ports and Domestic Shipping
400 Seventh St., SW (Room 7201)
Washington, DC 20590
Tele: 202/366-4357
Fax: 202/366-6988
Email: ports.marad@marad.dot.gov

 Port Risk Management

In September 1998, the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Office of Ports and Domestic Shipping published the "Port Risk Management and Insurance Guidebook,". The report documents how risk management and insurance programs can be effective tools in improving port operations. Revisions to the Guidebook are published annually. The report was prepared through a cooperative effort between MARAD and a dedicated group of insurance, safety, and risk management professionals under the auspices of the American Association of Port Authorities’ (AAPA) Finance Committee.

The overall objective of the Guidebook is to provide public ports with the basic skills and information needed to establish and maintain appropriate and cost-effective insurance and risk management programs. It is designed to serve as a practical "how-to" manual and educational reference text. While it is written from a port’s perspective and geared toward the basics of insurance and risk management, experienced port risk managers and other organizations in the industry should also find it valuable.

Ports can save significant money and resources if good risk management practices are pursued aggressively and proactively. For example, workers’ compensation costs at one port dropped more than 60 percent, from $250,000 - $275,000 per year between 1987-1990 to an average of $75,000 - $100,000 per year between 1991-1998 – a direct result of aggressive risk management. The port was also able to cut its property insurance premiums nearly 50 percent, from $1.2 million in 1993 to $647,000 in 1998, despite coverage being more comprehensive and deductibles lower.

Copies of the report and subsequent revisions are available on MARAD’s website (http://www.marad.dot.gov) by following the "Publications" link, or by contacting:

Maritime Administration
Office of Ports and Domestic Shipping
400 Seventh St., SW (Room 7201)
Washington, DC 20590
Tele: 202/366-4357
Fax: 202/366-6988
Email: ports.marad@marad.dot.gov

Port Finance

MARAD publishes, annually, a report entitled, "Public Port Finance Survey," which is based on information provided to MARAD by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) through a survey of its port members. The report contains financial data on maritime activities at U.S. and Canadian ports, including the income statement, balance sheet, outstanding bonds, debt service, sales offices, and cargo tonnage. Data on contributions, donations, and grants received, as well as ratio analyses, are included. The FY 1999 report will be available in January 2001.

Copies of this report are available on MARAD’s website (http://www.marad.dot.gov) by following the "Publications" link, or by contacting:

Maritime Administration
Office of Ports and Domestic Shipping
400 Seventh St., SW (Room 7201)
Washington, DC 20590
Tele: 202/366-4357
Fax: 202/366-6988
Email: ports.marad@marad.dot.gov

Other financial documents available from the Office are "An Analysis of U.S. Public Port Profitability and Self-Sufficiency: 1985-1994 " (published in June 1997) and "Public Port Financing in the United States" (published in July 1994).

Port and Cargo Security

MARAD's Port and Cargo Security Program aims to reduce criminal exploitation of commercial maritime cargo. Cooperative international seaport security partnerships among Government and private sectors are used to facilitate collaboration with multinational entities such as the Organization of American States, American Association of Port Authorities, Maritime Security Council, and International Association of Airport and Seaport Police. The activities are intended to decrease drug smuggling and cargo crimes in commercial maritime conveyances.

MARAD, the U.S. Customs Service, and the Justice Department co-chaired the Interagency Commission on Crime and Security in U.S. Seaports. The Commission was tasked by Presidential Memorandum with conducting a 12-month examination of the critical concerns of crime and security affecting the country's maritime trade, including the international implications, and report its findings to the White House. MARAD made significant contributions to the preparation of the Commission's final report, which was released by the White House in September 2000. The report is available on the Commission's website at www.seaportcommission.gov.

Other efforts include:

• Research and reports (e.g., Maritime Security Report);

• Participation in the Security Subcommittee of the Interagency Committee on the Marine Transportation System. This group is a working-level interagency network represented by law enforcement and intelligence elements of Federal agencies with interests in seaport security. It is responsible for interagency issues concerning improvements of security, such as the recommendations in the MTS Report to Congress and relevant recommendations of the Interagency Commission on Crime and Security in U.S. Seaports.

For further information, you can contact MARAD's Office of Ports and Domestic Shipping (telephone 202-366-4357, fax 202-366-6988, or email at ports.marad@marad.dot.gov).