UK Government's Vessel Funding Competition Explained
IMarEST Ship Propulsion Systems Conference speaker explains the government's new initiative in advance of upcoming meeting. The UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board (TSB) is shortly to announce the launch of a competition into vessel efficiency, with up to £8 million of funding available, opening for expressions of interest in January 2013. In view of the theme of the 3rd IMarEST Ship Propulsion Systems Conference (London, 20-21 November 2012), Andrew Tate, Capability Advisor – Maritime Resilience, DSTL Naval Systems has joined the speakers’ panel to explain the initiarive. “Central funding of marine research and development is limited in the current market…
Gov. Schwarzenegger Creates California Maritime Security Council
Recognizing the expanded need for coordination and information sharing between the federal, state and local governments at our ports, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed an executive order creating the California Maritime Security Council (CMSC). "California's ports are vital not only to our own economy, but to the nation's economic health as well. Our state handles nearly half of all the port traffic in the United States and more than $4.5 billion in cargo moves through the Port of San Diego every year," said Gov. Schwarzenegger. Reports recently published by the Rand Corporation and the Public Policy Institute of California underscored the importance of California's ports and the devastating impact a catastrophic event would have on California's economy.
TSA, USCG Approve Biometric ID for Port Workers
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the U.S. Coast Guard have taken another step toward the implementation of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) by approving proposed regulations for a biometric-based identification credential for port workers. The notice of proposed rulemaking will be published in the Federal Register in the coming days and lays out specific details on the program. The public will have forty-five days to comment and four public meetings will be hosted by TSA and Coast Guard to solicit public input. • TSA would collect worker's biographic information including ten fingerprints; name; date of birth; address and phone number; alien registration number, if applicable; photo; employer; and job title.
DHS Introduces Maritime Infrastructure Recovery Plan
Government Technology is reporting that the Department of Homeland Security announced the release of the Maritime Infrastructure Recovery Plan, one of eight plans supporting the National Strategy for Maritime Security. Key elements of the plan include guidelines for coordinated, national-level efforts to restore the flow of cargo and passenger vessels in response to a major disruption to the maritime transportation system. The plan also describes an exercise program that would be conducted periodically to assess the plan's effectiveness and the maritime community's ability to plan for, respond to, and recover from a national transportation security incident or incident of national significance.
