The U.S. Coast Guard has convened a Ports and Waterways Safety Board of Inquiry (BOI) to evaluate the risks to critical port infrastructure posed by larger commercial vessels and increased traffic density.
The BOI will assess the risks to infrastructure such as bridges, cargo terminals, pipelines, railways, and power plants across selected ports.
The Board's objectives include conducting a comprehensive vulnerability assessment for selected ports, preparing recommendations for risk mitigation measures, and identifying best practices for navigation safety, infrastructure protection, and environmental stewardship.
Additionally, the BOI will review the historical use and effectiveness of existing waterway risk assessment tools and their applicability to the nation’s top 50 ports by cargo volume.