Page 6: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 1999)

International

Representatives m w

EDITOR'S NOTE T he title which adorns this months cover — Bigger, Faster & Stronger — is truly reflective of the trend toward the use of new, innovative materi- als in all phases of vessel building and outfitting. While the maritime industry is labeled conservative in terms of incorporating new technology by some outsiders (and some insiders, too!), caution when utilizing new materials is war- ranted and oftentimes regulated, given the unique and rigorous demands of ship- board service, and the high stakes in the event of a failure.

While advances in hull materials often gets a lion's share of exposure, it is simply one small portion where advanced materials have been incorporated. Cruise ships, for example, can serve as a micro- cosm of marine materials advances, incorporating everything from longer lasting stair treads to cabin construction to fiber optic cabling. New materials are constantly being evaluated in terms of provid- ing longer-lasting life, structural strength and stability and, of course, for weight savings. Scrutinizing of marine materials, particularly on the cruise ship side with thousands of lives (and potential lawsuits) at stake, is understandably rigid. "Materials Matter" begins on page 22.

While the Bigger, Faster & Stronger title may ring true in terms of marine materials, it is perhaps a paradox in terms of the state of the commercial shipbuilding business today. Last month, two indus- try giants — Kvaerner ASA and Daewoo — announced plans to walk away from the shipbuilding business. In both cases, the business of building ships is viewed as not profitable enough, although in both cases the shipbuilding component is simply one aspect of a larger conglomerate which is experi- encing tough economic times.

It is yet to be determined, and probably never will be, if the moves are influenced more by politics, shareholders or the business itself. Most likely it was a liberal combination of the three. At press time,

Kvaerner was set to announce its plans — outright sale, partnership or spin-off — while Daewoo was reported to be in talks with Japan's Mitsui. Regardless of the outcome, the sight of two industry majors heading for the "Exit" door after constructing massive infrastructure with the goal of economizing the shipbuilding process — and constant talk of low to no margins on the ship repair side — should pro- vide a jolting wake-up call to the industry. nq In C< _

June 1999 YEARBOOK EDITION

Country Focus: U.K.

July

Diesel Power Annual • Cruise Industry

Report • Safety Products Review •

CAD/CAM Systems • SatCom Suppliers •

Deck Machinery & Cargo Handling Equip.

August

U.S. Ship & Boatbuilding Annual •

Software Solutions • Fast Ferry Technology • Engine Performance Equipment •

Country Focus: Germany

September

SNAME Annual • Marine Propulsion

Technology • Ship Maintenance/Safety

Products • Information Technology

October 60^ ANNIVERSARY EDITION • SatCom

Innovations • Vessel Overhaul &

Maintenance • Regional Focus: U.S. East

Coast • Country Focus: Sweden

INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS

CHARLES E. KEIL, Vice President 4400 N. Federal Highway, Ste. 210-06, Boca Raton, FL 33431

Telephone: +561-368-1021; Fax: +561-368-1161 24-hr Tel/Fax: +561-998-0313; Mobile Tel: +561-716-0338

Australia

ANNE MURRAY/YVONNE SANDF0RD

World Media Network Pty. Ltd.

Soite 5, Level 1,89 York St., Sydney, NSW 2000

Australia

Tel: +61 2 9299 5677; Fax: +61 2 9299 6178

Argentina

R. LESLIE RAMSAY

Calle Pellegrini 173

Primer Piso, Deparlamento C 1009 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Tel: +54 1 394 8821; Fax: +54 1 326 4377

Benelux

PAULA TACQ

Maritime Media ML

Otweg 18 2771 VX Boskoop, Netherlands

Te: +31 172 230707; Fax: +31 172 230708

Brazil

JOSEDUARTE DOS SANTOS

Multipla Agencial Martima, Ltda.

Rua Carolino Rodrigues 28

Cuarto Andar, CEP-11055-070

Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Tel/Fax: +55 1 32 32 74 74

Central America

EDUARDO F. LOPEZ

Transmarine Media, P.O. Box 5-8578,

Balboa, Panama 1, Panama

Tel: +507 223-8367; Fax: +507 223 8367

China

WANG ZE/XU XIAO FENG

Liaoning Foreign Trade Advertising Corp. 2 Zhongshan Square, Dalian, China 116002

Tel: +86 411 2801924; Fax: +86 411 2644606

Eastern Europe

IVAN BERENYI/OLGAIVANOVA

Pannonia Media Agency, 8630 Balatonboglar

Radnoti Miklos u.l 4, Hungary

Tel: +36 85 353 319; Fax: +36 85 353 442

Egypt

CAPTAIN TARIQM. OSMAN

Osman Marine Media Co.

Algamhoria St., P.O. Box 1248, Alkleej Bldg,

Port Said, Egypt

Tel: +20 66 340988; Fax: +20 66 325705

France

DANIEL SOLNICA

Ediconsult Internazionale, 25 rue Saulnier 75009 Paris, France

Tel: +33 1 4246 9571; Fax: +33 1 4246 8508

Germany/Switzerland

HANSJORG BRANS

Maritime Media

Freiherr v. Stein Str. 24, D-63303

Dreieich, Germany

Tel: +49 6103 697745; Fax: +49 6103 697743

Hong Kong/Taiwan

DENNIS LO/JIMME KWAN

Phantom International, Ltd.

Room 208, Seaview Centre 139 Hoi Bun Rd.,

Kowloon East, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 9179 9872; Fax: +852 2304 1232

Italy/Malta

VITTORIO NEGR0NE

Ediconsult Internazionale

Piazza Fontane Marose, 3-16123 Genoa, Italy

Tel: +390 10 583684; Fax: +390 10 566578

Japan

AKIO ISHII

Ace Media Service Inc. 12-6,4-chome, Nishiike

Adachi-ku, Tokyo 121, Japan

Tel: +81 3 5691 3335; Fax: + 81 3 5691 3336

Korea

JO, YOUNG SANG

Business Communications, Inc.

Kwangwhamun P.O. Box 1916, Seoul, Korea

Tel: +82 2 739 7840; Fax: +82 2 732 3662

Peru

WILLIAM FRY

Trahites y Despachos S.A.

Avenida Salaverry 3005, Lima 27, Peru

Tel: +51 1 264 3225; Fax: +51 1 264 1974

Portugal/Gibraltar

PAULO BREHM

AZ Publiciadade Lda., Rua Almirante Barroso, 52-1 D, P-1000 Lisbon, Portugal

Tel:+351 1 3142256; Fax: +351 1 3525157

Scandinavia

STEPHAN R.G. ORN/LEON SCHULZ

AB Stephan R.G. Orn, Box 184

S-271 24 Ystad, Sweden

Tel: +46 411-184 00; Fax: +46 411 105 31

Singapore

CATHERINE WONG

The Euro-Asia Link, 391 A Orchard Road #12-01

Ngee Ann City Tower A, Singapore 238873

Tel: +65 337 4658; Fax: +65 456 4610

South Africa

FINN KVAMSDAHL

Finn's Enterprises, Media Marketing Division

P.O. Box 99,2250,

Blinkpan, Republic of South Africa

Tel/Fax: +27 13 2953 023

South America/

Caribbean Basin

DELI0 R. ALONSO

Multilink International 115 Calabria Ave., Ste. 12

Coral Gables, Fla. 33134

Tel: +305-445-6423; Fax: +305-445-1483

Spain

JOSE LUIS SEVA

Via Exdusiuas S.L.

Viriato, 69 S-C 28010, Madrid, Spain

Tel: +34 91 448 7622; Fax: +34 91 446 0214

Turkey

NIHAT BOYTUZUN

Kamera Corp., Cumhurlyet Cad. 257/3,

Harblye 80230, Istanbul, Turkey

Tel: +90 212 248 48 64;

Fax: +90 212 230 36 97

United Kingdom

MICHAEL J. DAMSELL

Euromedia Ltd., P.O. Box 122,

Hayward's Heath,West Sussex

RH161YF, England

Tel: +44 1444 417360;

Fax: +44 1444 410497 6 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News