Guard remains engaged with harbor safety committees to maintain the navigability, safety, and security of port complexes. Risk Analysis Risk analysis is an iterative and shared process, which the Coast Guard and the maritime industry manage using organizational methodologies and best practices. This section focuses primarily on Coast Guard naviga- tion safety risk assessments. Operations occurring in the MTS, novel or otherwise, are subject to Coast Guard navigation safety risk assess- ments. Evaluating risk in the maritime domain starts with clear lines of communication between the Coast Guard and industry. Once the Coast Guard engages the operator and reviews the proposed operation, a decision is made on what type of navigational safety risk assess- ment is needed. Depending on the scope and frequency of the operations, the assessment may be undertaken by the Coast Guard or the operator. Navigation safety risk assessments for operations with a small footprint or one-time events are usually conducted by the Coast Guard. However, large or long- term projects with the potential to impact port dynamics and waterway usage are traditionally conducted by the operator. Risk assessments inform whether proposed operations influence public safety, the economy, and the environment. If the risk is found to be too high, risk-mit- igation strategies must be implemented to lessen the risk prior to operating. Otherwise, the scope of the proposed operation must be modified. As the presence of space activities, offshore renew- able energy installations, autonomous vessels, aqua- culture, and additional novel uses expand in the MTS, risk analysis will become more essential. Failure to thor- oughly analyze risk could severely impact the backbone of our economy—the transport of imports and exports. Disruptions to the flow of cargo within the MTS hinder economic growth by limiting the sales of goods, which translates to business profits, employee wages, and tax revenue. Conclusion The MTS is vast and becoming more dynamic as time and technology evolves. Its uses reflect the objectives and priorities of the United States’ government and peo- ple. Maintaining the safety and security of the nation’s waterways requires the implementation of multifaceted risk mitigation strategies. Such strategies include updat- ing statutes, regulations, and policies that inadequately address novel operations; enhancing interagency col- laboration at the federal and local levels; and thoroughly assessing risk in the maritime domain. Similar to the interconnected nature of the MTS, the environment. aforementioned risk mitigation strategies are interde- pendent and will not successfully reduce risk if imple- mented in isolation. Integration of novel technologies in the MTS requires statutory and regulatory framework, interagency and stakeholder cooperation, and risk anal- ysis. This is because jurisdictional authority provides agencies the legal responsibility for developing, updat- ing, and enforcing laws and regulations. Furthermore, including novel uses within a department, agency, or bureau’s jurisdictional authority legitimizes novel opera- tions and assures the promulgation of minimum safety and environmental protection standards. Collaboration among federal agencies with a stake in the MTS engen- ders a macro viewpoint of domestic maritime labor and operations. Meanwhile, local collaboration and risk assessments evaluate the risk of operating in a specific About the author: LCDR Lindsay N. Cook has served in the U.S. Coast Guard for 13 years in many capacities; most notably in operational tours as a Prevention officer in the Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Mexico. Endnotes: 1. 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Retrieved 17 July 2022, from www.whitehouse.gov/ briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/20/fact-sheetpresident-bidens- executive-actions-on-climate-to-address-extreme-heat-and-boost-offshore- wind/; Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence. (2019). Retrieved 10 June 2022, from www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-14/ pdf/2019-02544.pdf; Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth. (2020). Retrieved 15 July 2022, from www.govinfo.gov/ content/pkg/FR-2020-05-12/pdf/2020-10315.pdf 2. Maritime Transportation System (MTS) | MARAD. (2021). Retrieved 15 August 2022, from www.maritime.dot.gov/outreach/maritime-transpor- tation-system-mts/maritime-transportation-system-mts 3. Exports, Jobs & Economic Growth. Retrieved 2 June 2022, from www.aapa- ports.org/advocating/content.aspx?ItemNumber=21150 4. Maritime Services Trade Data. Retrieved 12 June 2022, from www.trade.gov/ maritime-services-trade-data 5. Miller, G. (2021). $25B worth of cargo stuck on 80 container ships off California. Retrieved 22 August 2022, from https://urldefense.proofpoint. com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.freightwaves.com_news_22b-2Dworth- 2Dof-2Dcargo-2Dis-2Dnow-2Dstuck-2Don-2Dcontainer-2Dships-2Doff- 2Dcalifornia&d=DwIFAg&c=tnPw9yRHa20_HV5YVoVFtg&r=S2mv_pwjc M3Rp7dDo_2Swjq2paRVBBJl53YqG_Xuyu0&m=CgZ1tNkPm03C7PXeIwRs 1U_9af-Oss-S3tJ67wCfMzy_T5RrsaSQftNec21Ywrn2&s=UKTlQ117YtmvyE 7zd0I-PtaCY_S1ngLF5aFuYD6y6r0&e= 6. Compendium. (2022). Retrieved 13 August 2022, from www.cmts.gov/ compendium/ 7. Guidance for the Establishment and Development of Harbor Safety Committees under the Marine Transportation System Initiative. (2000). Retrieved 13 July 2022, from www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20 Documents/5p/5ps/NVIC/2000/n1-00.pdf 8. Ibid 10 Proceedings Summer 2023