NATO and the Planning Board for Ocean Shipping (PBOS)
General
The Maritime Administration is the United States representative to NATO’s Planning Board for Ocean Shipping (PBOS). Additionally, MARAD’s Office of Emergency Preparedness provides the Secretariat for PBOS and the Assistant Administrator currently serves as the Chairman of PBOS.
PBOS was established by the NATO North Atlantic Council (NAC) in 1950. It is one of nine NATO Planning Boards and Committees (PB&Cs) responsible in peacetime for coordinating and monitoring National and NATO arrangements for civil emergency preparedness and crisis management.
The Planning Board is responsible for developing and maintaining plans for civil shipping support to the Alliance in crisis and war. PBOS planning takes into account the international character of merchant shipping and seeks to facilitate access to worldwide shipping. Its planning responsibilities include planning for the provision of shipping resources