Q What makes U.S. ports and navigable waterways such important assets? What is considered the most significant threat to the Maritime Transportation System?
One of the most important assets of the United States is their ports and navigable waterways because they play crucial roles in the overall international as well as the domestic trade system of the United States. As they play a crucial role in the national economy by managing trades, safety and security of them is extremely important. According to the National Academies Press (n.d.), “The U.S. Coast Guard is responsible for maritime law enforcement, port safety and security, and search and rescue, for example, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is responsible for maintaining accurate nautical charts