Two technology development streams are converging toward a point that makes fuel cells attractive as a power source for marine propulsion. They are the growing adoption of hybrid-electric powertrain systems and the projected growth in the number of vessels burning LNG as fuel.

The American Waterways Operators (AWO) and Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) are calling upon Congress and the Administration to address a developing situation on the Mississippi River which could effectively bring commerce on the Mighty Mississippi to a halt in early December.

Commercial vessels that operate beyond the internal waters of the United States, otherwise known as "beyond the boundary line," are subject to the provisions of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, which requires that they be allowed to rest.

The primary business of a port is serving as a hub for water-borne commerce and all of the logistics that entails, with each port competing for the business of shippers and container operators. Every investment made by a port authority, from a crane to a dredge to a security checkpoint, must be based on how this activity will not only position the port to current customers, but how it will affect the attraction of future customers.

There are clearly identifiable steps needed to enhance shipping's already very impressive record of maritime safety, says International Chamber of Shipping Secretary General Peter Hinchliffe. There should be mandatory provisions to provide a place of refuge for ships in need of assistance, plus timely and obligatory reporting of casualty investigations by Flag States to the International Maritime Organization, replicating the handling of aviation incidents. In addition, environmental protection and crew and passenger safety can be addressed better by raising the current level of guidance on providing a place of refuge to a new level of obligation, he said.

Pirate attacks off the Somali coast have declined by more than 54 percent, leading to a softening of insurance premiums for the global shipping community but raising controversy surrounding the use of onboard private armed security contractors, according to the International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Centre.

The Panama Canal set a mark in its history as it reached a new tonnage record of 333.7 million Panama Canal tons (PC/UMS) during fiscal year 2012 which concluded on September 30. This achievement highlights the value of Panama and its significance as a link in the chain of global trade.

The European Commission has announced that it will propose, in early 2013, measures to monitor, verify and report on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping. This measure will apply to all ships calling at EU ports and could also be the basis for a global approach towards cleaner shipping.

While incidents of piracy decline off the Horn of Africa, an inestimable number of seafarers continue to bear the psychological impact of captivity by pirates. To describe their condition and to advise the maritime industry on how to care for affected individuals, the Seamen's Church Institute (SCI), in collaboration with New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine, has released a report from its clinical study of the effects of piracy on seafarers.

India is changing, growing and shifting its weight in anticipation of greater maritime independence as a result of much-needed port and terminal development.