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Editor's Note Frankly, I'm tired. Having passed yet another summer and now embarked upon the path of Autumn 2004, my schedule is packed not only with work and the requisite travel, but the schedule of a fourth grader and the myriad of after school and weekend activities, not to mention the pile of paper- work from school and clubs. To tell the truth, I would rather evaluate the merits of a corporate consolidation than be forced to decipher the nuances of my son's 'school picture' package. But my over tiredness has lit- tle real world consequences, the worst being a late afternoon nod-off in yet another meeting, or a missed snooze' alarm in the early Dawn, meaning I'm a half hour late to work. For mariners, being tired has a completely different meaning. Tired for mariners can mean life and death; for themselves, their crewmembers and potentially the general public. Fatigue has long been cited as a major factor in maritime accidents, yet accord- ing to Dennis Bryant and his 'Asleep at the Wheel' commentary in this month's Government Update (starting on page 9) precious little has been done to reme- dy the matter. While technological development is often positioned as an answer to this conundrum, it is merely a factor in the equation, rather than the solution itself. Bridge technology evolution has multiplied exponentially in the past decade, and there is nothing to suggest that the trend will not continue. Companies that continue to develop new and innovative solutions for the marine market: on the navigation, communication and total vessel management fronts; will prosper, as increasingly - whether it be by market demand or legislation — owners will continue to adopt these advanced solutions on vessels of every shape and size. That said, the challenge for vessel operators becomes not only ensuring that the mariner is adequately outfitted for the task of safe and efficient navigation, but that its crews are appropriately trained, educated and managed. This formula for success — technology, training and effective management — is not an option, it is a necessity. On the Cover Pictured on this month's cover is one of the out- standing megayocht offerings from Germany's Blohm + Voss. Turn to page 34 to read about the yard's spectacular new M-147 megayacht, with exclusive insights from lead designer Hermidas Atabeyki. 11 Government Update 17 Chouest Stays Aggressive 42 RIB Directory 45 Buyer's Directory 48 Ad Index 49 Ship's Store 50 Classifieds 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: barnett@marinelink.com MARITIME REPORTER AND ENGINEERING NEWS www.marinelink.com ISSN-0025-3448 USPS-016-750 No. 10 Vol. 66 118 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 477-6700; fax: (212) 254-6271 Founder: John J. O'Mai ley 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 atWaterbury, 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, Publications Mail Agreement No: 40024966 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to Circulation Dept. of DPGM 4960-2 Walker Road Windsor, ON N9A 6J3 Publishers are not responsible for the safekeeping or return of editorial material. ©2004 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 BPA WTERNAT10KAI 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/Tacoma, Los Angeles - email: turbochargers@us.abb.com Coming in Maritime Reporter & Engineering News November 2004 The Workboat Show Edition • The Electric Ship • Training & Education • Ship Repair & Conversion Technologies • Coatings & Corrosion Control • China December 2004 GREAT SHIPS of 2004 • Naval Architecture Annual • Deck Machinery & Cargo Handling Equipment • Safety Products and Systems • Korea & Japan January 2005 Passenger Vessel Yearbook • Fast Ferry Report • Marine Electronics • Marine Propulsion Directory • Australia ... PLUS: Bonus Distribution @ PVA Ferry Conference & Maritrends 2005 — ShipTech2005 — Seatec 2005 6 Circle 200 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter & Engineering News