HARBOR SAFETY COMMITTEES: A CONSTRUCT FOR COMPREHENSIVE HARBOR STEWARDSHIP

摘要

The Port of New York and New Jersey is adynamic port boasting the United States' third largest containerport. The 30 billion gallons of petroleum or petroleum productsdelivered to or originating from the port make it the largestpetroleum port in the country, and the 50 million passengerstransported annually on New York's waters by public and privateferries play a significant role within a finite system.Concomitant with increased waterway usage, there also havebeen changes in the desires of the public and governmentalagencies for greater environmental protection, enhanced safety,public access to the waterfront, passenger and cargo security,and stakeholder coordination. The old stepwise incremental issueapproach is too narrow to be efficient or effective in meetingthese public demands. The port has been moving from a discreetmodal analysis methodology, to an integrated systems-basedapproach in the form of a Harbor Safety Committee (HSC).A systems-based approach, involving multiple stakeholders,allows for inclusive and combine multiple economic, environmental,and social considerations in analyses to optimize andimprove waterways system performance-from both safety andeconomic perspectives. HSCs also are playing an increasing rolein identifying and mitigating risks resulting from increasedwaterways usage.New York's HSC is comprised of more than 60 firms, organizationsand individuals, all having a vested interest in the portcomplex and the interaction between the different waterwaysusers.