Maritime Information Sharing Taskforce (MIST)
A process for understanding private sector needs for the sharing of maritime threat information
GMISS is conducted in close cooperation with the Maritime Information Sharing Taskforce (MIST) to maintain a unified government voice for industry outreach while developing a well-rounded understanding of the industry perspective. While GMISS focuses on the national and international level, MIST reaches out at the local and regional level, ensuring local concerns and issues are understand and addessed.
To ensure that our national/global efforts align with the local/regional work efforts, both organizations look at incentives and models for information sharing and ways to streamline government requests. The MIST team probes for operational level goals, gaps, barriers and risks in the sharing of threat information and meets with local port personnel for feedback on specific policies and technologies, while GMISS uses ongoing working groups comprised of government and industry representatives to develop innovative strategies, and brings the industry voice to bodies that coordinate national-level maritime security policy.MIST: A Call for Action
The National Maritime Security Policy, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, and the National Strategy for Information Sharing have all called for increased participation by the private sector in improving maritime domain awareness. The MIST effort supports this call for action by facilitating cooperation between local, private sector stakeholders and federal stakeholders.
MIST Mission
The Maritime Information Sharing Taskforce (MIST) is a two-way process for understanding and communicating the needs of local, private sector communities when sharing threat information.
A Prototype Process
In 2008, the MIST Steering Committee created an exploratory process for facilitating the sharing of threat information. This process began with an event at the Port of Long Beach/Los Angeles that included a local workshop and a social networking web site. Continuing in Seattle in 2009, event activities expanded to include a study of local information flow and additional community building. Future plans include a mapping of local networks and a mechanism for consolidating national feedback.
A Goal to Facilitate
The goal of MIST is to capture the voice of the private sector maritime industry at the local/regional port level in a way that will:
- capture best practices in information sharing
- create a structure for collaborative problem solving
- convey unique local issues to national policy makers
A Multi-Lateral Response
Conceived as a multi-agency process, MIST coordinates with a number of private and public agencies:
- Maritime Administration (MARAD)
- US Coast Guard
- Customs & Border Protection
- National Maritime Domain Awareness Coordination Office (NMCO)
- Global Maritime & Air Intelligence Integration (GMAII)
- Marine Exchange
- Pacific Maritime Association
- Port Authority
- Local and State Responders
MIST Vision
The intent of MIST is to integrate local private sector perspectives into a national picture for the sharing of maritime threat information. Our role is to facilitate the interaction between government and the private sector and focus on delivering actionable recommendations based on private-sector input.
It is critical for MIST to align with on-going efforts in order to reduce duplication and to be effective. Partnering with multiple public and private agencies has helped MIST identify a number of issues related to the sharing of threat information. MIST will continue to develop strong partnerships with key organizations to ensure the ongoing viability and effectiveness of information sharing.
Who We Are
The MIST team is led by the Maritime Defense and Security Research Program (MDSRP) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in partnership with several federal agencies: the Maritime Administration (MARAD), the National Maritime Domain Awareness Coordination Office (NMCO), Global Maritime and Air Intelligence Integration (GMAII), the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS).
