International Maritime Organization News

Fuels of the future and shipping charge points in harbours are at the centre of a major new strategy to make Britain’s shipping fleet net zero by 2050 and drive growth in coastal communities. The Maritime Minister has revealed the Government’s new goals for all vessels that operate in UK waters and dock at UK ports to be carbon-free and help vessel owners, operators and scientists make emission-free voyages a reality. Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy Maritime Decarbonisation Stra...

Ammonia is gaining traction as a future fuel in the maritime industry, primarily due to its potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A key driver for ammonia's interest is that it can be carbon-free when combusted, which aligns with the maritime industry's increasing pressure to meet emissions regulations. However, most ammonia production currently relies on fossil fuels. Transitioning to "green ammonia" production is crucial for sustainability. If "green ammonia" is produced...

The shipping industry is currently navigating a profound transformation driven by environmental concerns, new emissions targets, and evolving regulations. As vessel owners and operators seek to reduce emissions while remaining competitive, determining the right strategy has become increasingly complex. Factors such as alternative fuel availability, fluctuating prices, and an ever-expanding range of technological solutions have made decision-making anything but straightforward. Lack of motivat...

Under Zero-Emission Accelerating Ship Finance (the Program), which is jointly operated by Development Bank of Japan Inc. (DBJ) and ClassNK, ClassNK evaluated the LNG-fueled car carrier ‘OCEANUS HIGHWAY’ (IMO No. 1046049), owned by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. ("K" LINE). DBJ provided financing to "K" LINE. In the shipping industry, where environmental regulations are becoming stricter as the industry moves towards decarbonisation, ClassNK evaluates ships based on a comprehensive scor...

Baltic Exchange, the world's only independent source of maritime market information for the trading and settlement of physical and derivative contracts, and Veson Nautical, a global pioneer in maritime data and freight management solutions, have joined forces to launch the latest version of the official Baltic99 Questionnaire for the dry bulk sector. The questionnaire, which remains the industry standard for collecting and collating detailed information about the global dry bulk fleet, is desig...

The UK is well positioned to lead the safe development and deployment of new nuclear power systems for commercial ships and Floating Nuclear Power Plants (FNPPs), according to a new report from CORE POWER, NorthStandard and Lloyd’s Register (LR). Technology company CORE POWER, global marine insurer NorthStandard and maritime professional services provider LR have jointly published Advanced Maritime Nuclear: A unique opportunity for the UK.  Deployment of small nuclear reactors...

ABB has secured orders from shipbuilders in China and South Korea to equip 18 and 12 liquified natural gas (LNG) carriers, respectively, with permanent magnet shaft generator technology. The ships are due for delivery between 2028 and 2030. Enhancing operational efficiency by utilising the power from the main engine, ABB’s permanent magnet shaft generator system improves fuel economy compared to solutions where power is provided by auxiliary engines. Magnet shaft generator solution The...

With the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) set to take effect this year, shipowners should ensure compliance with regulatory controls and inspections governing ship recycling for their vessels. DNV’s latest guidance paper “Safe and Green Recycling for Ship Owners” outlines how they can work in line with both existing EU Ship Recycling Regulations (EU SRR) and the HKC, coming into effect on June 26, 2025. Ship recycling process Ships often contain hazardous materials that can pose s...

DNV has launched a new family of class notations, Autonomous and Remotely Operated Ships (AROS), providing a framework for how autoremote vessels can achieve equivalent or higher safety compared to conventional vessels. Autonomous shipping, ranging from remote control operations to fully unmanned vessels, marks a major advancement in the maritime industry. Regulatory frameworks While these progress hold great promise, regulatory frameworks are still being developed These solutions can delive...

The European Space Agency (ESA) has initiated a new flagship project, Decarbonisation through the Digitalisation in Shipping (DECARDIS), together with optimisation platform company Awake.AI, technology pioneer ABB and shipping company Wallenius Marine. The consortium, funded by ESA and led by Awake.AI, will collaborate on a port call optimisation solution, which focuses on helping ships cut greenhouse gas emissions by overcoming inefficiencies in the ship-port interaction.  Smart ship te...

The Brun Bear Foundation, a registered charity established by Edwin Lampert, executive editor of Riviera Maritime Media, is pleased to announce the launch of “Mealtimes With My Maritime Friends.” This unique cookbook celebrates the global maritime community while raising funds for important causes. Featuring 60 inspiring recipes from around the world, contributed by prominent figures in the maritime industry, this book offers a taste of maritime culture alongside the personal storie...

INTERCARGO, the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners, has announced significant changes to its leadership following its Annual General Meeting. The new appointments will take effect from 1 January 2025. In recognition of their distinguished service, Mr. Dimitrios Fafalios has been appointed Honourary Chairman following six years as Chairman. Mr Fafalios, President of Fafalios Shipping S.A., has led INTERCARGO through significant developments in the shipping sector since 2019, havin...

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has achieved key progress in negotiations towards a set of binding global regulations on the IMO net-zero framework, aimed at achieving the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction objectives set out in the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships.  GHG reduction At the conclusion of the 82nd session of IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee held from 30 September to 4 October 2024, Member States had identified further a...

World Maritime Day on 26 September will highlight the importance of safety at sea in an era of significant transformations and new risks.  Fifty years since the adoption of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) - the world’s most important treaty for the safety of merchant ships – the maritime community is at a crossroads, facing rapid advances in technology, global security challenges and the shift to green energy.  Facing rapid advances This year&r...

Amogy, a provider of mature, scalable, and efficient ammonia-to-power solutions, announced that the world’s first carbon-free, ammonia-powered maritime vessel successfully completed its maiden voyage.  The NH3 Kraken, a tugboat originally constructed in 1957 and retrofitted with Amogy’s ammonia-to-electrical power system, sailed on a tributary of the Hudson River, upstream from New York City. Net-zero emissions by 2050 A significant step towards reducing global carbon emissio...

KR (Korean Register) has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Mipo (HD HMD) for their innovative 23K Ammonia Bunkering Vessel and 18K LNG Bunkering Vessel on September 18, at GASTECH 2024, paving the way for green shipping. The development of these vessels represents a significant advancement in the maritime industry’s efforts to meet the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets, which include at least 20% by 2030 an...

The opening press conference for the renowned international maritime trade fair gave a foretaste of the coming SMM days. Political and business leaders discussed current challenges and opportunities facing the shipping industry. The overarching topic was the decarbonisation of the shipping sector. The conclusion: While the technology is mature, what is needed now is courageous investment decisions – and a system to reward that courage. Initial major success The 31st edition of SMM was l...

Iridium Communications Inc. unveiled Iridium Certus® GMDSS, a generational advancement in maritime safety, compliance, and communication. Building on the powerful capabilities of Iridium Certus technology, Iridium Certus GMDSS features distress alert, safety voice and Maritime Safety Information (MSI), while integrating additional regulated services like Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) and Ship Security Alert System (SSAS). The combination of capabilit...

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) has released a new report offering guidelines and key safety considerations for developing liquefied hydrogen bunkering systems and procedures. The report underlines the potential use of hydrogen as a zero-emission fuel to meet the IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships by 2050. It acknowledges the challenges associated with bunkering hydrogen as a marine fuel and as maritime cargo, identifying design and functional implications and limitatio...

Innovative technology developed by Arkitech delivers substantial efficiency improvements to the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system onboard MSC Magnifica. Leveraging AI and machine learning, the technology analyses data from over 1,500 sensors on the MSC Cruises’ ship, enhancing chiller efficiency by up to 12% and achieving predicted annual savings of 1600MW which is equivalent to removing the 687 cars from European roads. This efficiency is realised without compromis...

Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity has been selected as the International Maritime Organisation's World Maritime Day theme for 2025, which will culminate in the celebration of World Maritime Day on 25 September 2025. The IMO Council, meeting for its 132nd session, endorsed the theme following a proposal by IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez. Management of ocean resources The theme reflects the ocean’s vital role in the world economy, with more than 80% of glo...

A collaboration between ABB and Arkitech has brought significant efficiency gains for the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system on board MSC Magnifica. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse data from over 1,500 sensors on the MSC Cruises ship, this technology enables up to 12 percent increase in chiller efficiency to achieve monthly energy savings of 100 MW by the 15-year-old ship, while maintaining optimal air-handling unit performance. Energy effici...

IMO’s Technical Cooperation Committee has made headway towards finalising a streamlined, comprehensive strategy for the organisation’s technical support for Member States. Meeting in London from 24 to 28 June, the Committee finalised a revised draft of the IMO Capacity-Development Strategy, aimed at enhancing the maritime capabilities of IMO's Member States, particularly Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.  Revised draft strategy Addressing the Mem...

International®, AkzoNobel’s marine coatings brand has announced that a new cable-laying vessel, the Monna Lisa, owned by Prysmian, is to be coated in the Intergard® 7500 primer and Intersmooth® 7465Si antifouling solution. This decision is estimated to reduce the vessel’s carbon emissions (CO2) by 672 tonnes over the dry docking period and lower Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) by more than 11 tonnes during construction. By utilising Intergard 7500, a high-solids un...

The performance of Hempel’s cutting-edge silicone-based hull coating solution, Hempaguard X7, and its ability to accelerate decarbonisation efforts in the maritime industry are now third-party validated by DNV. Since its launch in 2013, Hempaguard has provided vessels around the world with significant energy efficiency compared to the industry average and contributed to substantial reductions in carbon emissions. With this external validation by DNV, Hempel is now better able to demonstra...

Pioneer shipowner Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN), which has been a publicly-listed maritime company for more than 30 years, has given its backing to the highly anticipated Headline Conference of London International Shipping Week 2025 (LISW25). The LISW25 Headline Conference will once again be held at the prestigious London headquarters of the International Maritime Organization and will be attended by some of the world’s most prominent shipping and government leaders. There will be much...

Watson Farley & Williams advised Crédit Mutuel Impact and Atlante Gestion on their equity investment in SO TOWT to finance the construction of six new sailing cargo ships for TOWT TransOceanic Wind Transport (“TOWT”), the pioneering French low-carbon shipping company. The six new vessels are being built in Brittany’s Piriou shipyards for delivery in 2027. Once operational they will join the first two vessels of TOWT’s fleet, which are expected to enter commerc...

Real-time, data-driven insights supporting regulatory compliance, improving fleet efficiency, reducing operational costs and meeting fleet decarbonisation goals are key benefits of ABS Wavesight My Digital Fleet (MDF) software that were unveiled during Posidonia.  MDF introduces groundbreaking features aimed at empowering maritime operators to optimise performance, improve energy efficiency and streamline compliance with decarbonisation requirements from both the International Maritime Org...

A research project that brings together The Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES), Laskaridis Shipping Co. Ltd and Metis will evaluate the real impacts of the fuels offered to solve shipping’s decarbonisation dilemma. The International Maritime Organisation’s strategy for greenhouse gases aims at ships reaching net-zero GHG emissions by around 2050 and ensuring uptake of near-zero GHG fuels by 2030. However, reliable real-world data regarding the...

The Port of Las Palmas is a key strategic mid-Atlantic maritime and logistics hub serving the offshore energy sector as well as ships sailing to and from Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Lately, it has also been playing a vital role in refuelling vessels diverted around Africa from the Red Sea and Suez Canal.  Maritime Week Las Palmas Maritime Week Las Palmas - the second edition of which takes place from 17-19 June at the famous Santa Catalina Hotel in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - will...