Yearbook.

Some of the big topics in the marine industry are OPA '90 construction, fast ferries, and the dismal domestic offshore market. Shipyards that build for more than one of these markets have done well. For the passenger vessel industry, security costs are still an issue, but as the economy strengthens, more discretionary income means more customers. It may also lead some operators to finally go forward with construction projects that they put on hold for a few years. A year ago, the economy was in low gear, and while it has shown some improvement, it still translated into a bad year in the inland sector. Offshore, it's more of the same. Operators have about given up on seeing a domestic rebound in the near term. In the following pages, we update our coverage of the principal sectors we follow, touching once again on major developments and issues. We open with boatbuilding, followed by inland waterways (page 54), tugs/coastal towing (page 60), passenger vessels (page 64), and the energy market (page 70).

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For shipyards, the strong and the smart are doing well

"We're still here paying our bills," said Joe Rodriguez Jr., president of Rodriguez Boat Builders, Bayou La Batre, Ala. Most shipyard owners can identify with those words because they know how it feels to beat the odds and stay afloat. Most have survived by diversifying or finding a niche and staying with it.

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For those who primarily build for the offshore energy market, times are tough. But for those who build passenger vessels or patrol boats, business has been a lot better.

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