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MARITIME REPORTER AND ENGINEERING NEWS Editor's Note C | ompiling the mountain of articles, data and information that constitute MR's Annual "Yearbook Edition has got to be the most har- rowing, yet fulfilling, part of my job. Every year the edi- torial staff seeks to discover and deliver a melange of arti- cles and information that best reflects happenings of the previous year, and provides insights to emerging trends. The lead-in article to this year's Yearbook section actu- ally stretches a tad beyond the previous year ... back to 1952 to be exact. Norwegian Cruise Lines announced plans in April to refurbish the fabled S.S. United States, which despite a relatively short operational life of 17 years has left an indelible mark. The article, starting on page 34, explores the vessel's life, from conception by William Francis Gibbs to its long demise. Though details of the project are scant, it will be interesting to see if and how the explosion aboard another NCL ship — the 42-year-old S.S. Norway — an explosion in port that killed six and wounded more than a dozen, impacts the line's plan for the S.S. United States project. One of the most powerful editorials in this edition comes from Captain Noel G. Hart, manager, BP Shipping (USA). Mr. Hart addressed INTERTANKO's Tanker Event in Washington in April, delivering a straightforward assessment of the Prestige disaster and its ramifications to the marine industry as a whole. BP Shipping is aggressively adding tonnage to its fleet, as it has found its own ships to be the most reliable. Yet this article stretches far beyond the context of a sin- gle company or a single ship, as it covers a broad cross section of issues that will shape and affect the marine business for many years to come. In essence, it extends the message that owners that operate shoddily maintained ships increas- ingly have no place in the marine market, a trend towards the employment of quality, well-maintained vessels, which is a situation that would bode well for all concerned. On the Cover On the Cover: The S.S. United States is a signature ves- sel which inspires passion across maritime circles. NCL recently announced plans to buy and refurbish the ship. MR takes a retrospective look ot the vessel, the people and the companies that made it a reality, starling on page 34. 81 People & Company 91 Ship's Store 93 Buyer's Directory 96 Advertiser's Index 97 Classified Subscriptions: One full year (12 issues) S24.00 in U.S.; outside of U.S. S96.00 including postage and handling. For subscription information, con- tact: Dale Barnett, fax: (212) 254-6271; e-mail: bornett@marinelink.com www.marinelink.com ISSN-0025-3448 USPS-016-750 No. 6 Vol. 65 118 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 477-6700; fax: (212) 254-6271 Founder: John J. O'Malley 1905 - 1980 Charles P. O'Malley 1928 - 2000 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News is published monthly by Maritime Activity Reports, Inc. Mailed at Periodicals Postage Rates at Waterbury, CT 06701 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send notification (Form 3579) regarding undeliverable magazines to Maritime Reporter/Engineering News, 118 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 0970700. Printed in U.S.A. Publishers are not responsible for the safekeeping or return of editorial material. ©2003 Maritime Activity Reports, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro- duced or transmitted in any form or by any means mechani- cal, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers. Member INTERNAHONAi. ® Business Publications Audit of Circulation, Inc. www.marinelink.com trauthwein@marinelink.com Looking for service reliability, we deliver it. ABB Turbochargers ABB New York/NJ, Miami, Houston, Seattle/ Iacoma, Los Angeles - email: turbochargers6Sus.abb.com Other Printed & Electronic Products MarineNe ws Published 18 times per year, MarineNews is covers the North American inland/offshore shallow draft market. Marine Security Sourcebook Published four times per year, the definitive guide to marine security systems, products and services. The Repair Report Weekly electronic newsletter dedicated to delivering the world of Ship Repair News, Contracts and Data. Sample (or FREE at www.shiprepairer.com 2003 Global Marine Directory CD More than 110,000 records... log onto www.marinelink.com and download a FREE SAMPLE. www.maritimetoday.com • Customized e-mail news service twice a day. www.maritimejobs.com • The marine industry's recruiting & employment resource. www.marinelink.com • The Internet's largest marine website, with over 270,000 "hits" 6 Circle 202 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter & Engineering News