Book excerpt: Changing vessel technology presents a major challenge to shipping management. Vessels cost tens of millions of dollars and have a long physical life. A change in vessel design for a company may also require a change in port facilities, information systems, and marketing techniques. This book, first published in 1987, deals with many of the vessel technology issues that shipping companies have confronted in recent years. Specific technologies are described along with their economic, regulatory and political aspects. Each chapter is in the form of a case study based on an actual management situation where management had to deal with an aspect of changing vessel technology.