Page 6: of Marine News Magazine (March 2012)

These are interesting times for MarineNews readers. It doesn?t matter whether your focus resides in one category ? offshore, inland, coastal, patrol, Great Lakes ? or all of the above. In any of these diverse sectors, three common denominators connect them all. Environmental issues, regulatory and training requirements and the changing world of mar- itime security are all combining to push costs and issues into areas thought previously immune to these metrics. In this issue, we tackle all of it. In a world where piracy and the threat of terrorism have changed many of the things that we used to take for granted, the same also holds true for military and law enforcement organ- izations tasked with keeping us safe. Nowhere is that more apparent than the change of plat- forms on which these missions are carried out. Port security and anti-piracy efforts, formerly the domain of larger, deep draft assets, are quickly switching gears to provide more nimble and appropriate response tactics. Increasingly, these efforts are launched from smaller platforms; RIB?s and other similar-sized boats. Inside, Susan Buchanan leads us through a variety of different build and acquisition programs; some amounting to big dollars and all of which show the way to a new security strategy. New technologies and yes ? some environmentally savvy and fuel-efficient options ? are also in the works. The environment, in case you had forgotten, remains as a prime mover in business decisions on the water. At the heart of that discussion, marine coatings have moved from something that you had previously hoped would simply adhere to the hull until your next drydocking and on to (an important) part of your overall ?green? strategic planning. Whether you are hoping to save fuel (and reduce stack emissions) by gliding more smoothly through the water via use of a bio- cide-free fouling release coating or perhaps hoping to reduce the impact of your water treatment system on your bal- last tanks, there is much to consider beyond the selection of color for your boot topping. You may have heard that the Coast Guard had finally produced a final ballast water treatment (BWT) standard (details to be released later this month) and the EPA has its proposed Vessel General Permit (VGP) in place. Those two standards could very soon impact your bottom line in a big way. That?s because the ballast water issue, long thought to be a ?big boat? problem, has now been pushed down onto the 79-foot hull. That?s probably you. Fortunately, there are viable, economically packaged and space-saving BWT options to consider. Naturally, you?ll find details inside. Finally, you will undoubtedly need some well-trained mariners to implement all of these changes in real operational situations. In that case, look no further than SUNY Maritime College where the curriculum ? including Coast Guard approved Associate Degree programs, specifically targeted to serve the domestic brown water industry ? is constantly evolving. The environment, maritime training and security, too, all come together in this edition. The voice of the modern workboat industry ? MarineNews ? delivers again, for you. SUBSCRIBESubscribe to the print or electronic edition of MarineNews at www.marinelink.com/renewsubscr/Renew04/subscribe.html or e-mail Kathleen Hickey at [email protected] DAILY NEWS via E-MAILTwice every business day we provide breaking news, tailored to your specification, delivered FREE directly to your e-mail. To subscribe visit http://maritimetoday.com/login.aspx POST & SEARCHJOBSJob listings are updated daily and help match employers with qualified employees. Post a position or keep abreast of new employment opportunities at http://www.maritimejobs.com ADVERTISEMN offers a number of print and electronic advertising packages. To see our editorial calendar and advertising rates, visit www.marinelink.com/AdvRates/Rates.asp Joseph Keefe, Editor, [email protected] Online Resources 6MNMarch 2012 EDITOR?S NOTEkeefe@ marinelink.comMN#3 (1-17):MN 2011 Layouts 3/2/2012 5:02 PM Page 6