Safe movement of vessels, with trained crews and properly maintained equipment, in properly marked and lighted channels and waterways, with adequate depth and width. Promoting factors are current pre-clearance procedures. Recommendations are for U.S Customs to develop more of a customer focus, documentation by cargo activities of Customs obstructions, and communications with Congress about the problem. Promoting factors are the positive trends in partnerships, communications, improved technology and creation of maritime exchanges. Promoting factors are the need to keep foreign competition out of domestic trade.
Barriers are a dated interpretation of laws that no longer serves competing interests.
Recommendations are to review and reform legislation from the viewpoint of a global, market-driven economy. Improved safety standards for personnel, hardware, and environment. Barriers are the existence of too many regulations to permit full compliance, too many agencies and overlap of regulatory authority, too many different standards state-wide, and inadequate regulations for licensing of recreational boaters.