· As a Trade Association, we actively advocate on behalf of the commercial maritime industry at a Federal, State, and Municipal level.
· In our urbanized environment, commercial maritime interests are constantly in competition with recreational, residential, and environmental interests who seek to exert influence on the property our Industry owns, and on the waterways upon which our businesses depend. In order to ensure that the value of our commercial maritime industry is known and respected, we maintain regular contact with key legislators, regulators, and agencies, and are actively engaged in explaining the key economic role of maritime jobs, trade, and operations.
· We represent the interests, positions, and requirements of the commercial maritime industry in many forums, events, hearings, public comment sessions, and petitions.
· We are recognized as representing the broad, non-biased, best interest of the Port, and are well established as holding an “honest broker” position. As such, we have been successful in both protecting the industry and creating opportunities for growth.
· We are routinely acting on behalf of the Industry and have had significant success in such matters as zoning, permitting, public access, dredging, environmental compliance, ballast water policy, vessel discharge regulation, safe recreational boating, labor, and a host of other issues.
· We have been named as a member of the NYC Mayor’s Maritime Advisory Board.
· We have been a primary input in developing the Commercial aspects of NYC’s Comprehensive Waterfront Plan
· We have been a primary input in developing the NYS/NYC One-Stop Permitting Process
· We have been a primary advocate of Federal funding of the PORTS array.
· We have been the primary party responsible for exempting commercial facilities with Federal Security Plans from NJ Public-Access legislation