The most important challenge facing the maritime industry is to maintain our energy, our forward motion and our can-do attitude of years past in the face of continuing economic uncertainty.
One might say the economy itself is the main challenge, but isn’t that old news? We know there’s a new economic reality, but we can’t use it as an excuse to lose our way or to rest on our laurels. Port authorities and the private businesses that work along with them can accomplish every bit as much as they have in past decades. They just need to be a little smarter and more creative to meet goals and objectives.
Examples abound around the world of impressive projects and major progress despite financial hurdles. Look at Panama Canal expansion, which will ultimately allow the world’s most massive cargo vessels to traverse its locks, to the betterment of world trade. We should look at that project as an example that great things can still get done in challenging economic times, and as a major development in the industry that we need to respond to with our own can-do attitude. After all, what good is it if the industry’s largest vessels can more easily travel the world’s trade lanes if ports aren’t prepared to receive those vessels?
So, hold that spectacular engineering project up as an example and a challenge. Yes, public and private funds are tight, but we have some great minds in this industry. We must continually develop new methods and workable plans to get our channels and berths deepened, our facilities modernized and our infrastructures expanded. If others around the world can do these things, so can we. Americans have always addressed tough situations with a positive, goal-oriented response. Let’s keep doing that!