OceAn science OceAn science OceAn science

Rationale
Marine operations comprise a broad set of activities, including merchant ship traffic, commercial
fishing, marine public transportation, and military operations that occur in the
open ocean, coasts, coastal waterways, and Great Lakes. Even a brief interruption in marine
operations can have serious consequences for many sectors of society, national security,
and the U.S. economy. The broad scope and far-reaching impact of marine operations
requires expanding knowledge in several key areas. Though the priorities identified in this
theme emphasize the transportation sector, the knowledge derived from these efforts will
have broad applicability in other operational areas, such as national security (see Box 1).
Given that the majority of the nation’s commerce (by weight) travels through U.S. ports
and is anticipated to expand, including increased volume of open-sea shipping (potentially
through an ice-reduced or ice-free Arctic 16 ) and short-sea shipping 17 , the capacity of
the U.S. marine transportation system must be enhanced 18 . With that expansion, projections
state that trade will increase, ships will become larger, and population along coasts
will grow, all of which will have impacts on the marine environment and the nation’s ability
to conduct marine operations.
The United States has more than 90,000 miles of shoreline, 25,000 miles of navigable
waterways, and 3.4 million square miles of open water within the U.S. EEZ 19,20 . Safe and
effective navigation of harbors, ports, and waterways by various users requires reliable
weather and sea-state forecasts and up-to-date maps and charts.
Numerous other commercial but non-transportation uses of the maritime domain exist,
including offshore aquaculture, energy extraction/harnessing (i.e., facilities for oil, gas, and
wind), seabed and mineral-rights uses, and laying of subsea communications and cables,
all of which greatly affect the environment and use of the maritime domain. Resolving
conflicts among the numerous existing and emerging uses of the maritime domain represents
a challenge. To properly address these issues and to use the results of the research
outlined below effectively requires improved communication and collaboration among the
diverse stakeholders involved in marine operations, including industry; local, tribal, state,
and federal governments; and researchers.
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