I recently had the opportunity to participate in the 2016 Critical Infrastructure Symposium, sponsored by the Society for American Military Engineers (SAME) and the Infrastructure Security Partnership (TISP) Council. The theme for the April symposium, held in Charleston, South Carolina, was "Resilience: An Infrastructure, Social & Economic Imperative." More than a dozen technical sessions addressed infrastructure security, ranging from electrical grids to major ports and maritime facilities.
Coordinating Across the "Stovepipes"
Major coastal storm events in recent years have demonstrated the dire necessity of planning to mitigate damage and disruption as a result of natural disasters. This includes our nation's ports, which play a vital role in the U.S. transportation system. Ports are threatened by storms as well as the increasing impacts of climate change, including sea level rise and coastal flooding. The devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy, for example, resulted in extensive damage and closed Port Newark and the Elizabeth Marine Terminal in New Jersey for a week.
As a panelist addressing the importance of planning for port resilience for a symposium audience that included state and local officials, members of the military, and representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, I helped to address key issues in reviewing port operations, establishing clear lines of communication, identifying priorities, and preparing for future threats. Our experience at Dewberry, which includes a recent top-level review of the potential impact of sea level rise and climate change at Port Newark South for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), makes clear the need to eliminate the "stovepipes" between the multiple entities involved in port operations. Comprehensive resilience plans address all aspects of operations, including public works, power, water, wastewater, freight rail, road networks, cranes, and much more. An important first step in planning is to identify ways in which to work horizontally, with all of these interests informed and involved.
Beyond the Fence Line
We also emphasize the importance of looking beyond the fence line. Port operations don't start and stop at the fence line; resilience plans must address the broader considerations that can cause disruption. In the event of a major storm or disaster, how will the workforce access the port? How will fuel continue to arrive? What will happen to rail and transportation networks beyond port property? How will supplies arrive? How will offloaded shipments depart?
The good news, as I was able to share with symposium participants last month, is that top-line reviews and resilience plans don't necessarily require a lot of time and money. Our work for PANYNJ at Port Newark was completed in approximately three months. The review codified services that are critical to the port, and identified priorities based on a cost/benefit ratio that assessed potential disruptions to operations. The assessment included the identification of capital improvements to improve resilience in the event of major storms and projected sea level rise.
Ports are complex networks. Resilience plans are a critical tool for preparing for future threats and minimizing disruption to these vital components of our national infrastructure—and our national economy.