A systems approach to governance in Maritime Transportation System of Systems

Maritime transportation system (MTS) is a critical infrastructure system that enables economic activity through transferring goods between national and international destinations and hence, is extremely important for the U.S. National Security. This research applies a systems approach to define MTS as a system of systems (SoS). The presented definition of Maritime Transportation System of Systems (MTSoS) enables us to study its critical attributes such as resilience and security, and increases understanding of how to govern it more effectively. A variety of systems engineering models have been applied to MTS. However, it is necessary to form a structure for understanding MTSoS and to develop a new system of systems engineering (SoSE) toolset that help us in viewing interdependencies and adopting effective governance. Based on Boardman-Sauser definition of SoS, We defined MTSoS as integration of interdependent constituent systems. While each constituent system seeks its own goals, their collective body pursues a unified objective, which is transferring goods in a safe, secure, and efficient manner. This approach enables us to create a SoSE framework that can be used as a tool for more effective governance in MTSoS.