International Maritime Organization News

Norway-funded Carib-SMART Preparatory Phase Programme will enable Caribbean SIDS maritime sector to build-back better, post the COVID-19 pandemic. A new programme to develop and implement a Sustainable Maritime Transport (SMART) system in the Caribbean has begun in a preparatory phase, aimed at supporting the small island developing states (SIDS) of the Caribbean region, in order to build-back better from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the maritime sector. Carib-SMART Preparatory Phase...

OceanGate Expeditions has announced Inmarsat as the 2022 Titanic Survey Expedition satellite service provider. Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress high speed broadband satellite service will enable OceanGate Expeditions’ crew to instantly connect with scientific and operational resources anywhere in the world and to share important findings immediately, while enhancing safety for the entire operation. Modern wireless communications for maritime vessels Following the tragic loss of life in the...

States are being urged to take action to bring into force the Cape Town Agreement of 2012, a key international treaty, which will establish an international regime for fishing vessel safety. This will help make fishing safe, sustainable and legal - and make a significant contribution to the protection of fishers, an unacceptable high number of whom lose their lives every year. “We cannot afford to be complacent, when it comes to addressing the safety of fishers and fishing vessels,”...

NextGEN Connect will bring diverse stakeholders together for route-based action to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Route-based action to reduce GHG Singapore and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have jointly launched NextGEN Connect, which aims to bring industry stakeholders, academia, and global research centres together to offer inclusive solutions for maritime decarbonisation for trials along specific shipping routes. The launch was made during the IMO-Singapore Future of Shippin...

The foundation project of the IMO Coordinated Actions to Reduce Emissions from Shipping (IMO CARES) project, which aims to bring stakeholders together from the global north and global south, was launched on 6th April at the IMO-Singapore Future of Shipping Conference. IMO CARES is expected to be a long-term programme. It will support coordination to promote innovation, research and development collaboration, accelerate the adoption of green technologies and facilitate their deployment in develo...

Inmarsat, the globally renowned company in global, mobile satellite communications, has published a new decarbonisation report exploring the impact digital technology can make on shipping’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Compiled by maritime innovation consultancy - Thetius and sponsored by the Inmarsat Research Programme, The Optimal Route – The Why and How of Digital Decarbonisation in Shipping provides evidence that digital optimisation offers a key strategy for owners set on me...

The latest in-line shaft generator from ABB will enable ship operators to benefit from the efficiency, performance and reliability advantages of permanent magnet technology. The new generator brings flexibility and ease of installation to a wide range of vessels, including bulk carriers, container carriers, liquid natural gas tankers and ferries transporting passengers and cars. Permanent magnet shaft generator The AMZ 1400 permanent magnet shaft generator is optimised for converter control a...

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and SafetyAgency, NIMASA, and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) setting out areas of collaboration in weather forecasting and climate research. Director-General NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, and his counterpart from NiMet, Prof Mansur Bako Matazu signed on behalf of both Agencies of government. Meteorological services The MoU is designed as a framework for NiMet to provide meteorological services for...

The removal of all national coronavirus restrictions in Norway added to easier international travel, is set to deliver a long-awaited gathering point for top industry leaders at Nor-Shipping’s Ocean Leadership Conference on 4 April. The event, which kickstarts four days of networking, knowledge-sharing, and showcasing innovation at Nor-Shipping 2022, will bring together over 900 executives for the first major ‘post pandemic’ summit of C-level maritime heads. Organisers say tha...

The International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have issued a joint statement asking stakeholders to take action to support the world’s 1.9 million seafarers from being unduly impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. The statement comes in the wake of the Omicron COVID-19 variant of concern (VOC), which has, once again, c...

ABB and Ballard are progressing with their partnership to decarbonise marine transport and have received an AiP from DNV for their high-power fuel cell concept, the development of which was launched in 2018. An AiP is a major milestone in developing new technology as an independent assessment of the concept, confirming that the design is feasible and no significant obstacles exist to prevent the concept from being realised. With the AiP in place, the jointly developed solution can be completed...

Ship owners, operators and managers responding to an environmental survey, carried out by Canadian-based McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business, have acknowledged the need to reduce operational oil leakage from propeller shafts, but a lack of understanding about cleaner alternatives is preventing any meaningful technological change. Environmental survey Researchers questioned more than 1000 marine industry professionals in 2021, in order to better understand why the majority o...

MSC CEO Soren Toft joined Head of States and CEOs of other major container lines to discuss ocean protection and the importance of decarbonising shipping at the One Ocean Summit, a global summit dedicated to the protection of the oceans organised by French President Emmanuel Macron. “At MSC, our heritage is the sea, our present is the sea, and our future is the sea,” Soren said. Net decarbonisation by 2050 During his speech, he focused on MSC’s commitment to achieving net de...

Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh says the Agency is committed to continuously collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria attains the status of not only the hub of maritime activities in the West and Central Africa region but also a major maritime player globally. Dr. Bashir Jamoh who reiterated this in Lagos during an interactive session with media stakeholders over the weekend noted the steady progress in terms...

The shipping industry has the ability to hit its international decarbonisation goals by following pathways identified by global experts. A new evidence-based study outlines the need for large-scale deployment of new technologies and the use of low-carbon fuels to help the sector reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared with 2008 levels to achieve the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) target. Energy efficiency technologies The study, produced for OGCI an...

In September 2017, a treaty adopted by the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) to help prevent the spread of potentially harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in ships' ballast water became a reality. Treating ballast water Under the order, ships must manage their ballast water so that aquatic organisms and pathogens are removed or rendered harmless before the ballast water is released into a new location; marine protection will help prevent the spread of invasive...

To make sure the customers’ sustainability objectives are met, when transporting their products across the globe, A.P. Moller – Maersk has announced a more ambitious climate neutral target. The goal is to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions, across the entire business, by 2040, one decade ahead of the initial 2050 ambition. Maersk's Net zero carbon targets Mads Stensen, the Senior Sustainability Advisor at Maersk, said “More than half of Maersk’s top 200 customers...

At the 32nd session of the IMO Assembly (A 32) from December 6 to December 15, 2021, the Assembly adopted a resolution on comprehensive action to address seafarers’ challenges, during the COVID-19 pandemic, consolidating issues related to crew change, access to medical care, ‘key worker’ designation and seafarers' prioritisation for COVID-19 vaccination. The resolution urges IMO Member States to: Designate seafarers as ‘key workers’, in order to facilitate shore...

Swiss based marine engine technology developer, Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd. (WinGD) continues to invest in its R&D (Research & Development) testing infrastructure, with the opening of a new collaborative Global Test Centre in Shanghai, China. Global Test Centre The new test centre, which opened on the December 16, 2021, is in collaboration with CSPI (China Shipbuilding Power Engineering Institute Co., Ltd.), for the advancement of a decarbonised future, through sustainable fuel an...

A newly signed TEST (Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies) Biofouling Project is set to provide pilot projects in developing countries, in order to demonstrate technical solutions for biofouling management in those countries, along with addressing the transfer of invasive aquatic species and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships and ocean vessels. Biofouling is the accumulation of aquatic organisms on wetted or immersed surfaces, such as ships and other offshore structures....

The IMO Assembly has adopted a resolution proclaiming an International Day for Women in Maritime, to be observed on 18th May every year. The Assembly is meeting for its 32nd session from 6-15 December. The observance will celebrate women in the industry and is intended to promote the recruitment, retention and sustained employment of women in the maritime sector, raise the profile of women in maritime, strengthen IMO's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (gender...

​The Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has elected the members of its Council for the 2022-2023 biennium. IMO Council members elected The Council is the executive organ of the IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the organisation. Between sessions of the Assembly, the Council performs the functions of the Assembly, except that of making recommendations to Governments on maritime safety and pollution prevention. The Assembly of the Int...

Nigeria, through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Republic of Korea, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of cooperation in the field of Maritime Security and Safety. The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh signed on behalf of NIMASA while the Director-General, International Affairs and Intelligence Bureau, Korean Coast Guard, Seonggi Kang signed on behalf of Korea. The MoU which provides a framework for NIMASA and the Korean Coast Guard i...

Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, says inter-agency collaboration is key to a sustainable resolution of the problem of accidents in the Nigerian inland waterways, which has led to avoidable loss of lives and property. Jamoh made the assertion at an awareness forum in Lagos organised by the NIMASA in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and Lagos State Waterways Author...

Signatories of the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonisation urge pioneers to align shipping with the Paris Agreement temperature goal. The private sector is already taking important steps to decarbonise global supply chains. Now governments must deliver the policies that will supercharge the transition and make zero-emission shipping the default choice by 2030. Full decarbonisation of international shipping is urgent and achievable. This is the clear message from Unifeeder and more than...

Cleaner and greener channel crossings are expected in the next decade, as the London International Shipping Week 2021 (LISW 2021) launches, announced the Department for Transport’s, Robert Courts MP, and The Rt. Hon Grant Shapps MP. Highlights include: UK to push for international shipping emissions to reach absolute zero by 2050, Transport Secretary sets out ambitious global 2050 target, as the UK government launches greenest ever International Shipping Week, and Vision of...

Newport Shipping, the global dry-docking, retrofit repair and vessel conversion specialist, has signed up to London International Shipping Week 2021 (LISW21) as a Bronze Sponsor, showcasing its support for one of the industry’s biggest events. "LISW is one of the must-attend events for the shipping industry, so we’re honored to be a sponsor,” said Lianghui Xia, Managing Director, Newport Shipping. “We really appreciate this chance to showcase Newport’s unique value...

Digital shipping platform provider Sea/ has signed up as a Bronze Sponsor of London International Shipping Week 2021 (LISW21). The company, which digitalises workflows to enable traders, charterers, operators, analysts, owners and brokers to manage freight transactions, has committed to supporting one of the shipping industry’s biggest global events. Responsibility As a bronze sponsor, Sea/ will have a brand presence across LISW21, which takes place from 13–17 September. Company r...

Inmarsat, the globally renowned company in global, mobile satellite communications, has published a new report based on an exclusive analysis of Global Maritime Distress and Safety Services alerts from ships. The Future of Maritime Safety Drawing on distress calls sent free at the point of use via the Inmarsat network, from vessels worldwide, between 2018 and 2020, The Future of Maritime Safety report is published by the Inmarsat Research Programme and has been written by the team at Intent Co...

Tokyo-based renowned maritime services and classification society, ClassNK has announced the release of their ‘ClassNK Technical Journal’. ‘ClassNK Technical Journal’ The purpose of the publication, ‘ClassNK Technical Journal’, is contributing to the development of the maritime industry, by publishing the outcome of R&D (Research & Development) and technical activities. The latest issue ‘Class NK Technical Journal No.3 2021 (I)’ focuses...