Agencies collaborate for emergency harbor assessments

The Coast Guard recently joined three other agencies in signing an agreement they said is designed to assess Hawaii’s harbors following disasters such as severe weather events.

The Coast Guard has agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Coast Survey, State of Hawaii Department of Transportation and United States Army Corps of Engineers regarding maritime emergency harbor assessments within federal waterways. The effort would restore the flow of commerce vital to the health and safety of residents and the economy.

“Hawaii’s supply chain is reliant on the maritime transport of goods,” Rear Adm. Shepard Smith, director of the Office of the Coast Survey, said. “NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey plays an important role in not only charting but all preparedness and resilience in the event of an emergency disaster. Our navigation managers work with maritime stakeholders to strengthen relationships in these critical areas, and this MOU is a result of that work.”

Officials indicated the entities often work together to ensure harbor safety and emergency response.

“This is an important agreement for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and our Federal and State partners,” Lt. Col. Kathryn P. Sanborn, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District, said. “It improves our response time and communication collaboration during a navigation emergency.”