In the News...

*For the first time on record, the Northwest Passage over Canada is virtually free of ice due to global warming. As shipping companies worldwide prepare to begin regular transits, the Canadian Coast Guard is preparing to deploy armed icebreakers to the area to enforce environmental regulations and protect the region.

*The people of Panama have voted overwhelmingly in support of an ambitious plan to widen the Panama Canal, the first serious modification to the waterway since its completion in 1914.

*The port of Mogadishu, Somalia is finally safe enough for merchant ships to enter. Foodstuffs are finally being delivered in bulk to Somalis.

*Fish stocks in the Mediterannean are rapidly collapsing.

*Those pretty Asian carp we see in hotel lobby ponds are devastating natural fish stocks throughout the American Midwest and threatening the Great Lakes.

*Seattle is gaining significant momentum on its maritime heritage aims as the city and county budgets for next year approach settlement.

Lots of other monumental events are happening on the seas right now that are well-worth following.

Remember, about 70% of our planet is covered by oceans, lakes, and rivers which carry over 90% of the tonnage of all international trade goods. What happens at sea directly impacts us all. Stay informed.