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EDITOR’S NOTE 100 ver time, and unlike our blue water cousins, progress in brown water markets simply can’t be measured in terms of deadweight, LOA or other such linear units of measure- ment. That’s because when you are battling to ? nd nine feet of available draft or perhaps

O trying to squeeze a 1,250 foot boxship into a berth originally built for T-2 sized tonnage using a pint-sized, but powerful assist tug, the old adage that ‘big things come in small packages’ is particularly apt for our market(s). The same thing can be said for this year’s MN100 list.

It is no secret that these are exciting, but also uncertain times for the North American work- boat and brown water sectors. We use the word ‘exciting’ to convey the abundance of innova- tion that makes its way through the marine markets even as many sectors still struggle to ? nd a rhythm in choppy waters. ‘Uncertain’ because no one really has a ? nger on the pulse of what [email protected] will happen next, especially in terms of the price of oil and the ultimate long term impact of that metric on marine transportation and energy support sectors alike.

All of that said, a year has come and gone since our last MN100 edition – our annual look at the best of the Workboat, Offshore, Inland and Coastal Marine sectors and the stakeholders that make that engine run. And, no amount of ‘excitement’ and/or ‘uncertainty’ ever prevents the very best ? rms from rising to the top, continuing their quest for excellence, no matter what market conditions might present at any one time. That’s not likely to change. Similarly,

MarineNews, the ultimate information authority for this sector for the past 26+ years, as always presents the ‘best of the best’ in this, our August print edition.

Also within this edition, we pay particular attention to boat builders, marine vessel opera- tors and propulsion providers. That’s because these three sectors, in particular, represent the engine(s) that move us through the proverbial waters, while also providing a barometer of sorts for each niche as it exists today and a porthole into what’s just over the horizon. Within three separate feature articles, we highlight the achievements of the past year and what that means for the ? rms that collectively brought this innovation and operating excellence to market.

When it comes to the MN100 vetting and selection process, the buck stops at my desk, with just one important caveat: if you did not apply, you could not be considered. Applications for the

MN100 continue to increase and this variable alone makes it that much more dif? cult to as- semble the ? nal list. Nevertheless, this is one of my favorite editions, if for no other reason than this exercise, which allows me to examine a wider swath of the industry, also gives me greater insight into where we might be headed next. Leveraging that process, we look to improve the focus and quality of our editorial product(s). Like our impressive MN100 lineup, those efforts are always ongoing – and never stop.

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Joseph Keefe, Editor, [email protected]

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