Predicting business trends in the notoriously fickle marine business is difficult if not impossible. Yet when developments transpire as they have in the fast craft niche of the ferry business, it is difficult to not read the writing on the wall. The business of designing, building, outfitting and operating fast ferries in the United States is set to take off, as increasing pressures from traffic and environmental concerns force more people to the waterways. U.S. waterborne passenger transport already is large, according to Tim Kelley of Dalton & Kelley, who gave a presentation on the matter at the 17th Fast Ferry Conference, held March 13-15, 2001 in New Orleans. Currently there are 400 operators carrying more than 205 million passengers and 31 million vehicles annually. The largest U.S.