GMISS 08 Summary Report

Tab 1: GMISS Agenda, Invitation & Media Release

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GMISS Agenda

GMISS 08 Agenda">Download PDF.

GMISS Invitation

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GMISS 08 Media Release

Maritime Industry to Help Shape Government Information Sharing

The commercial maritime industry will have a forum to help guide the evolution of maritime information sharing policies, procedures and regulation at a symposium at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Global Maritime and Transportation School in Kings Point, NY, August 20 and 21.

Maritime information sharing is seen by many governmental agencies as an effective means of improving security, safety and environmental protection in the maritime domain, while increasing efficiency and reducing friction on legitimate commerce. The policies that will govern this shift in information use are just beginning to emerge.

The Global Maritime Information Sharing Symposium is the first of several planned annual conferences to bring together representatives of the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and government agencies to collaborate on a global system of maritime information sharing.

GMISS will begin with a plenary session featuring keynote addresses by senior representatives from the Department of Justice, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Maritime Service.

Symposium participants will have the opportunity to attend two of thee break-out sessions that address industry and maritime information sharing, law enforcement in the maritime environment, and regional blue water information sharing. These sessions will include presentations by insurance underwriters, classification societies, the U.S. Department of Justice, and uniformed services from around the world including the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy.

All break-out sessions will include open discussions and question-and-answer sessions.

Each symposium participant will also have the opportunity to participate in one of four working groups that address whether government information requests to shipping companies can be consolidated, streamlined or reduced; the optimum law enforcement/industry model for an international/domestic maritime information sharing center; what the maritime industry wants from the worlds' navies; and creating economic incentives for information sharing.

The working groups will be guided by representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Navy, marine terminal companies, vessel owners, shipping brokerage firms, shipping agents, information sharing and knowledge management consultants, and leading maritime researchers.

Each working group will present its conclusions and recommendations to the entire symposium on the final day.

GMISS is sponsored by U.S. Fleet Forces Command, the Department of Justice, and the Office of Global Maritime Situational Awareness. NMCO is tasked by the U.S. government to develop effective maritime information sharing between federal, state, local, tribal, international, private-sector, and non-governmental partners. Toward that end, NMCO will follow up on issues developed but not resolved at the conference, and work with conference participants and the appropriate governmental and non-governmental agencies and private-sector partners to find solutions that best serve the maritime community. The results of these efforts will be presented at the next year's GMISS.

GMISS attendees must register in advance by contacting the Global Maritime and Transportation School. More information is available at https://www.gmats.usmma.edu or at www.gmsa.gov.

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-- ChadHolmes - 22 Jan 2009