CELEBRATING WOMEN

With the IMO’s International Day for Women in Maritime coming up in May, we thought it appropriate to highlight two stellar examples of women’s achievements in our current issue. The first is Elpi Petraki, pictured on the cover, and the second is Helen Barden, featured in our Executive Achievement column.

Elpi, of course, is the dynamic President of WISTA International, the leading organization for women in maritime. In her third year at the helm, she has increased membership, introduced new programs, expanded the group’s reach, and been a champion for diversity and inclusion in the maritime and trade arenas. Read all about it in this edition’s Case Study and Executive Interview.

Helen Barden is a decarbonization expert and Director of External Affairs at NorthStandard, one of the world’s largest P&I Clubs. She’s one of the few “go-to” lawyers in the world when it comes to the liability regimes required to support the maritime industry’s transition to net zero. You won’t want to miss what she has to say in her interview with Senior Editor Jack O’Connell. And by the way, she’s also a proud member of WISTA.

We wish Elpi and Helen continued success in their groundbreaking careers!

The policies of the new Administration in Washington and their impact on global trade are the subject of no fewer than three of the articles in this edition. View from the E.U. columnist Erik Kravets kicks it off in “Unfair Trade,” where he posits that Trump’s tariffs don’t signal the end of globalization but rather an attempt to level the playing field. Energy guru Allen Brooks explores the implications for oil and gas prices in “Is the World We Know Ending?,” and Jack O’Connell discusses the Administration’s efforts to revive America’s shipbuilding industry and ocean-going fleet in “Making Maritime Great Again.”

Lots of intellectual capital there for the taking!

Meanwhile, News Editor Paul Benecki writes about a “Change of Direction” in his Offshore Energy Report with offshore wind taking a back seat to a resurgent oil and gas industry, and new writer Brian Gicheru explores the challenges – and the promise – of carbon capture technology for maritime in “Value Chain.”

On the technology side, master mariner Sean Hogue explains how the right marine coating can go a long way toward reducing drag and saving on fuel in “Peak Performance.” Chad Fuhrmann underscores the vital role played by lubes and additives in his cleverly titled “Oil and Water,” and Tom Peters discusses the wonders of 3D printing, among other topics, in his Pipes, Pumps & Valves feature.

Not to be missed!

Rounding out this edition and coming full circle is Sean Holt’s fine article on Energy Ports titled “Strategic Channels,” in which he argues that three key U.S. ports are taking the lead in the fossil fuel revival. You’ll just have to read the article to find out what ports he’s talking about.

So there you have it! A lot to digest, so take your time and enjoy. And here’s to the women in our lives! – 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 March/April 2025 Offshore Energy Report. To subscribe to the magazine, please go to https://www.maritime-executive.com/subscribe.