Maritime Administrator William G. Schubert will lead the U.S. delegation to the Ministerial Conference on Transport and the Environment in Tokyo, Jan. 15-16. This gathering of senior officials, many at the Cabinet level, represents 20 of the world’s largest economic powers. The conference will deal with four major topics: Transport and Counter-Terrorism, Urban Transport and the Environment, Development and Promotion of Environmentally Friendly Vehicles, and Prevention of Marine Pollution.
In dealing with counter-terrorism, the conference will consider actions and initiatives taken by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO). On the issue of Urban Transport and Environment, the conference will examine the use of public transportation and support for advanced technologies. On the issue of Environmentally Friendly Vehicles, the ministers will review technology sharing and the accelerated introduction of non-fossil fuels. Marine pollution includes not only oil spills, but also other chemical pollution by substandard ships and harmful organisms in
ballast water. Addressing these problems will require the cooperation of port states, the flag states that register the vessels, and the maritime industry.
Other members of the U.S. delegation include Rear Admiral Paul Pluta, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Environmental Protection, U.S. Coast Guard; Margo Oge, Director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and Bernestine Allen, Director, Office of Transportation and Trade.