From The Virginian-Pilot..."Supplying merchant ships with the vast amounts of fuel they need to travel the globe is neither quick nor easy. And it's done on the water, from oil barges such as the one pushed by Meekins' tug. The barge crews work around the clock ferrying fuel to ships around Hampton Roads - a journey most people never see. This little-known corner of the East Coast maritime trade rests with one company: Vane Brothers, which began in Baltimore in 1898 as a ship chandler, ferrying supplies to anchored ships. Today, it owns a fleet of 66barges and 48 tugs.

After a steep drop in activity that followed the Great Recession, the maritime industry is growing again...growth in trade is translating into growth in jobs. To read the full CNBC story, please click here.