The Associate Administrator for Environment and Compliance and his associates collaborate extensively with governmental and private entities to foster and support innovation in the key areas of maritime Energy/Environment, Security, and Safety.

The Office of Energy/Environment promotes maritime industry sustainability and profitability through development of new technologies and practices that increase maritime energy efficiency, thereby reducing both operating costs and the environmental footprint. The Office contributes to American energy independence by enabling expanded maritime use of domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG), biofuels, hydrogen fuel cells and high density batteries. The Office also sponsors development of equipment and processes to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, which clog water intakes and diminish the value of water bodies for recreation and other beneficial uses.

As an advocate for the maritime industry, the Office of Safety assists in developing affordable and practicable international and U.S. maritime safety regulations and consensus standards. The Office supports the adoption of improved safety-related technology and practices that reduce the risk of injury to workers and passengers, and thus minimizes time lost and the significant financial burden when injuries do occur. Among the Office’s significant focus areas are cyber security as it relates to safety, and preparing for the advent of autonomous vessel technology.

In close collaboration with the Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security and the Navy, the Office of Security is a key player in maintaining both government and maritime industry awareness of potential threats from the maritime domain. The Office administers the U.S. government Maritime Security Communications with Industry program, which provides stakeholders a single point of contact for current threat information anywhere in the world. The Office also contributes substantially to the international and U.S. development of best practices to protect the maritime industry from cyber, pirate, terrorist and other security threats.