About Us » Objectives
The goal of the Transportation Institute is to help maintain America's political and economic strength and national security. The Transportation Institute advocates and works for sound national maritime policy, without which America's global position would falter. To this end, the Transportation Institute seeks to:
- Preserve the Jones Act, which reserves domestic waterborne trade for U.S-owned, built, and operated vessels, fostering the maintenance of an efficient domestic waterborne transportation network;
- Ensure development of US waterborne commerce on the Great Lakes and the continued growth and modernization of America's inland waterways;
- Encourage greater participation of U.S. companies in the U.S. cruise trades through promotion of a U.S.-flag passenger fleet;
- Appeal for equitable environmental laws, balancing the need to protect our national resources with the ability of responsible vessel operators to compete;
- Improve the tax and regulatory environment in order to enhance the competitiveness of the U.S.-flag fleet in the international arena;
- Increase visibility of the American-flag fleet in the ports of the world through greater utilization of U.S.-flag ships in the carriage of the nation's foreign commerce;
- Enhance close cooperation between the U.S.-flag shipping community and the nation's military services;
- Protect U.S.-flag vessels against discriminatory policies and practices of foreign shipping registries; and
- Guarantee that foreign-flag vessels serving US ports are held to the same safety, drug testing, environmental, and manning standards as U.S.-flag vessels.
Transportation Institute Activities
In pursuit of its objectives, the Transportation Institute closely monitors the workings and decisions of the US Congress and the wide range of administrative agencies of the federal and state governments as they affect waterborne transportation. The Institute staff conducts research and study projects on all maritime-related issues and testifies at congressional and government agency hearings and inquiries which affect marine transportation. Liaison is maintained with all congressional offices and those of the executive branch of government when maritime issues are under consideration. The Institute issues a number of publications and other materials designed to inform the public, the Congress, and the government of important merchant marine matters. The Institute plays a prominent role in national forums, seminars, and public policy meetings where questions of maritime policy are under debate.