The Maritime Executive's Annual Shipbuilding Edition is Available Online

150 YEARS! 

That’s how long Colonna’s Shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia has been around, and that’s why we put Randall Crutchfield, a fifth-generation family member and current CEO, on the cover of this, our annual Shipbuilding & Repair edition. We wanted you to know about it, and we wanted you to celebrate with us. So check out the Case Study and Executive Interview to learn how this family-owned and operated shipyard has survived and thrived over the years and why Crutchfield thinks the best is yet to come. 

The same may be true of shipbuilding in general. As News Editor Paul Benecki points out in his Global Shipbuilding Report, both the U.S. and E.U. have ambitious plans to bolster their flagging shipbuilding sectors and regain some of the market share they long ago ceded to China. That could take years, but every long journey begins with a single step. 

In the U.S., that step is the Trump Administration’s determination to “Restore America’s Maritime Dominance,” which – among other things – includes construction of a 250-vessel Strategic Commercial Fleet and the creation of a Maritime Action Plan, or MAP, to show us the way. 

Can it be done? 

Senior Editor Jack O’Connell asked Matt Paxton, President of the Shipbuilders Council of America, that question in this edition’s Executive Achievement feature, and his answer may surprise you. Jack also devoted his own column, Upgrades & Downgrades, to an examination of the proposed SHIPS for America Act, which in many respects mirrors the Administration’s proposals. 

Eye on Energy columnist Allen Brooks puts his finger on one of the biggest challenges in “America’s Maritime Labor Shortage.” He also has a potential solution. Sean Hogue discusses the evolving role of ship repair yards – like Colonna’s – in expanding beyond traditional maritime activities in “From Keels to Coatings and Beyond” while Pat Zeitler shows how MAP could benefit even seals and bearings makers in his cleverly titled “Executive Boost.” 

European correspondent Erik Kravets turns a gimlet eye on the E.U.’s latest plans to triple offshore wind capacity by 2030 in his View from the E.U. feature, “Sowing the Wind,” pointing out that Europe lacks the grid infrastructure to absorb all the new output. Professor Mia Bennett gives us a fascinating overview of classification societies and their critical role in “Charting a Digital and Decarbonized Future” for maritime while Chad Fuhrmann shows how naval architects combine the old and the new to design the vessels of the future in “Legacy and Innovation.” 

Lots of intellectual capital there! 

Rounding out this edition and coming full circle is Tom Peters’ fine article on Ro-Ro Ports, which are struggling with the effects of tariff uncertainty – another aspect of MAP – but nonetheless continuing to invest in new facilities. It’s aptly titled “Roller-Coaster Ride.” 

New beginnings, 150-year anniversaries! Lots to celebrate and lots to calibrate. We’re here to help you do that, and we’re grateful for your continued readership and support. Enjoy! -- MarEx 

 

Tony Munoz is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of The Maritime Executive.

To read the latest edition of the magazine, go to The Maritime Executive May/June 2025 Shipbuilding Report.  To subscribe to the magazine, please go to https://www.maritime-executive.com/subscribe.