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North American Marine Conference 2006 |
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Transport Canada, in association with the Chamber
of Shipping (on behalf of the Canada’s Marine Industry Alliance), the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration,
and the Secretariat of
Communications and Transport of Mexico, hosted the
North American Marine
Conference in Vancouver,
British Columbia, Canada, from April 18-20, 2006.
Towards a Shortsea Shipping Strategy for the North American Continent
The Conference
was the result of collaboration between Canada, the United
States, and Mexico following the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation on
Shortsea Shipping in 2003.
The Conference also represented a commitment between the three nations
under the Security and Prosperity
Partnership, a trilateral action plan designed
to increase the security, prosperity, and quality of life in North America.
The Conference promoted
the shortsea shipping concept and
facilitated
discussion of the contribution of the marine mode within an integrated North
American transportation system.
Through
an exchange of knowledge and ideas, participants from all three nations
endeavoured to enhance the understanding of the advantages and challenges
associated with shortsea shipping.
By facilitating new discussions and building upon previous efforts, the
conference laid the foundation for a shared North American shortsea shipping strategy.
Participation featured senior North American transportation officials:
The Honourable
Lawrence Cannon
Canada's Minister of Transport,
Infrastructure and Communities
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The Honourable
Norman Y. Mineta
U.S. Secretary of Transportation
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Mr.
Cesar Patricio Reyes Roel
Mexico's General Coordinator on Ports
and Merchant Marine in the Secretariat of Communications and Transport |
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DECLARATION
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In
closing the event, transportation officials from Canada, the U.S., and
Mexico, signed a Declaration to
demonstrate each government’s commitment to continue trilateral
cooperation and develop insights into the challenges associated with
shortsea shipping.
The Declaration
provides a general framework for the development of a tripartite North
American shortsea shipping steering committee with the objective of
establishing an active relationship between the participants within
which the experience and professional knowledge of each can be shared. |
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