Book excerpt: This book presents selected contributions to the Pan-American Congress of Naval Engineering, Maritime Transport and Port Engineering (COPINAVAL), which is in its twenty-fifth edition and has become a reference event for the global maritime and port sector, attracting more and more participants from different countries. The 2017 congress was held in Panama City, Panama, bringing together a select group of scientists, entrepreneurs, academics and professionals to discuss the latest technological advances in the maritime industry.