Ocean engineering is generally considered to be concerned with studies on the effects of the ocean on the land and with the design, construction and operation of vehicles, structures and systems for use in the ocean or marine environment. The practice of engineering differs from that of science in both motivations and objectives. Science seeks understanding of the principles of nature in terms of generalizations expressed as laws and classifications. Engineering seeks the application of knowledge of the physical and natural world to produce a benefit expressed as a device, system, material, and/or process. From the standpoint of the financial sponsors of an engineering project, the ideal approach is one of minimal risk in which only proven knowledge, materials and procedures are employed. There is frequent departure from this ideal in anticipation of the increased benefit expected from a large increase in performance of a structure or device. The process of acquiring this new capability is engineering research. Historically, ocean engineering developed with the application of engineering principles and processes to the design of ships and, later, to the machinery that propels them. In most societies, naval architecture and marine engineering are recognised as the origin of ocean engineering. In fact, the design of a ship constitutes the original systems engineering programme involving hydrodynamics/fluid flow, structural design, machinery design, electrical engineering and so on as well as requiring knowledge of the ocean environment (waves, corrosion, etc.).

Today western nations consume annually only a small percentage of their resources from the sea, despite the proclamation of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) by many. In contrast, most Pacific Basin Countries obtain more than a quarter of their annual needs from the ocean. Determination of greater rewards from the development of marine resources is markedly inhibited by the limited technical abilities available to locate and assess them. Knowledge of Exclusive Economic Zone resources is schematic and generalised, and a detailed understanding of the geology and processes relating to the economic use of the seafloor is both fragmentary and very basic. Technology for mapping the mineral resources of continental shelves and ocean areas, except in active offshore hydrocarbon provinces, has been largely developed in pursuit of scientific objectives and competence to rapidly appraise economic potential is limited. Similarly, the capability to characterise and evaluate the other resources of the seas is rudimentary. The development of ocean resources will become increasingly urgent as the growth of the world population and the depletion of land reserves combine to enhance demand. Also, increasing environmental constraints will limit the availability of traditional land-based resources; nevertheless, new offshore development must proceed in a manner whereby the marine environment is not plundered but protected and conserved. The challenge to develop ocean resources with responsible environmental stewardship will require greater leadership than the development of the technologies of exploitation.

single toxicant before it, yet one that has now been brought under effective control-at least in estuaries and the nearshore environment. The problem with TBT and its cause was first recognized in France, then in the United Kingdom and the United States of America; and in these and other countries legislation is now in place (see Abel, Chapter 2; Champ and Wade, Chapter 3), but in many countries the hazard is only now being identified. This volume has the important function of making available to all a summary of the results of work on TBT and the main conclusions. It will help to minimize the duplication of research and speed the introduction of legislation around the world to control organotin pollution. It is the more valuable because research on TBT has often been published in less accessible journals and symposium proceedings. This volume brings together accounts of these findings by the major contributors to the TBT story, providing the most comprehensive account to date. The TBT problem has proved to be instructive in a number of different ways beyond the bounds of the specific issue (Stebbing, 1985). Most important is that TBT can be seen as a challenge to monitoring systems for nearshore waters, by which it can be judged how effective monitoring has been in fulfilling its purpose, and what improvements should be made. Most instructive was the time it took to bring TBT under control.

single toxicant before it, yet one that has now been brought under effective control-at least in estuaries and the nearshore environment. The problem with TBT and its cause was first recognized in France, then in the United Kingdom and the United States of America; and in these and other countries legislation is now in place (see Abel, Chapter 2; Champ and Wade, Chapter 3), but in many countries the hazard is only now being identified. This volume has the important function of making available to all a summary of the results of work on TBT and the main conclusions. It will help to minimize the duplication of research and speed the introduction of legislation around the world to control organotin pollution. It is the more valuable because research on TBT has often been published in less accessible journals and symposium proceedings. This volume brings together accounts of these findings by the major contributors to the TBT story, providing the most comprehensive account to date. The TBT problem has proved to be instructive in a number of different ways beyond the bounds of the specific issue (Stebbing, 1985). Most important is that TBT can be seen as a challenge to monitoring systems for nearshore waters, by which it can be judged how effective monitoring has been in fulfilling its purpose, and what improvements should be made. Most instructive was the time it took to bring TBT under control.

Ocean engineering is generally considered to be concerned with studies on the effects of the ocean on the land and with the design, construction and operation of vehicles, structures and systems for use in the ocean or marine environment. The practice of engineering differs from that of science in both motivations and objectives. Science seeks understanding of the principles of nature in terms of generalizations expressed as laws and classifications. Engineering seeks the application of knowledge of the physical and natural world to produce a benefit expressed as a device, system, material, and/or process. From the standpoint of the financial sponsors of an engineering project, the ideal approach is one of minimal risk in which only proven knowledge, materials and procedures are employed. There is frequent departure from this ideal in anticipation of the increased benefit expected from a large increase in performance of a structure or device. The process of acquiring this new capability is engineering research. Historically, ocean engineering developed with the application of engineering principles and processes to the design of ships and, later, to the machinery that propels them. In most societies, naval architecture and marine engineering are recognised as the origin of ocean engineering. In fact, the design of a ship constitutes the original systems engineering programme involving hydrodynamics/fluid flow, structural design, machinery design, electrical engineering and so on as well as requiring knowledge of the ocean environment (waves, corrosion, etc.).

Today western nations consume annually only a small percentage of their resources from the sea, despite the proclamation of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) by many. In contrast, most Pacific Basin Countries obtain more than a quarter of their annual needs from the ocean. Determination of greater rewards from the development of marine resources is markedly inhibited by the limited technical abilities available to locate and assess them. Knowledge of Exclusive Economic Zone resources is schematic and generalised, and a detailed understanding of the geology and processes relating to the economic use of the seafloor is both fragmentary and very basic. Technology for mapping the mineral resources of continental shelves and ocean areas, except in active offshore hydrocarbon provinces, has been largely developed in pursuit of scientific objectives and competence to rapidly appraise economic potential is limited. Similarly, the capability to characterise and evaluate the other resources of the seas is rudimentary. The development of ocean resources will become increasingly urgent as the growth of the world population and the depletion of land reserves combine to enhance demand. Also, increasing environmental constraints will limit the availability of traditional land-based resources; nevertheless, new offshore development must proceed in a manner whereby the marine environment is not plundered but protected and conserved. The challenge to develop ocean resources with responsible environmental stewardship will require greater leadership than the development of the technologies of exploitation.