MARAD Schedules Conference on Security Standards

The U.S. Maritime Administration will hold a one-day conference on March 20, 2003, at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. The purpose of the conference is to obtain comments and suggestions on draft standards and curricula for the education, training, and certification of maritime security professionals. Stakeholders are invited to participate. Section 109 of the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 charges the Secretary of Transportation with developing such standards. The results of this important project will help to ensure that the United States and its trading partners have properly trained and appropriately educated personnel to help secure ships, ports, waterways, and their intermodal connections against the threat of terrorism and other criminal activity. The Section 109 project has been delegated to the U.S. Maritime Administration, which has given the lead to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Because of the significant ramifications of this project for national and international maritime security and its impact on future maritime education and training, the U.S. Maritime Administration is interested in obtaining comments and suggestions from interested parties. Input can be sent to the project chairman, Captain Jon Helmick, at [email protected]. The U.S. Maritime Administration encourages stakeholders to attend, or to send a delegate to this conference. There is a nominal registration fee of $50.00 per person. The fee covers breakfast, lunch, and administrative costs. To register, please contact Meredith Hobbs via e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at (516) 773-5162. More information on the project will be sent to registered participants for their review before the conference.