U.S. Coast Guard chief seeks risk-based supply chain security
Adm. Thad Allen, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, said he's concerned about the stretch in agency resources and personnel, in addition to the possible industry confusion, which could result from fragmented legislative mandates to protect the nation's maritime infrastructure.
'We need to get away from individual supply chains,' Allen told attendees at a National Cargo Bureau luncheon in Washington Monday.
Allen noted that liquefied natural gas, petroleum, hazardous chemicals and even grains have different levels of risks associated with them, but the safety and security measures required for these different commodities should not require individual rulemakings. 'We need to decide which ones require a higher degree of security and how much (Coast Guard resources and personnel) will be dedicated to it,' he said.
Allen said he hopes to avoid the implementation of a hodgepodge of legislatively mandated security requirements for each type of cargo. 'I don't think it helps anyone to manage this in stovepipes,' he said.
Allen said it's one of his goals as Coast Guard commandant to encourage lawmakers, through industry backing, to generate streamlined, risk-based security measures which adequately cover the country's diverse spectrum of marine cargo handling.
'We've got to force a discussion about where we're going and what the level of security should be,' he said.