Regulations - News

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (‘KONGSBERG’) has been awarded a contract from the Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS) on behalf of the Norwegian government to provide satellite maritime surveillance data to cover Norwegian Areas of Interest. NIS has the overall responsibility for space operations and development in the Norwegian Armed Forces. The data will be utilised by the Norwegian Armed Forces, as well as other Norwegian government institutions involved in maritime security,...

Wärtsilä ANCS, part of technology group - Wärtsilä, introduces NACOS Platinum Solid State X-Band Radar, a new radar system engineered to redefine safety and reliability standards in marine navigation. Designed with the latest solid-state transceiver technology, the system features a compact housing and gearbox, eliminating the need for traditional magnetrons. This design ensures low maintenance and reduced lifecycle costs for vessel operators, without compromising on perform...

Wärtsilä ANCS, part of the technology group - Wärtsilä, launches a new digital platform, NACOS Connect, for commercial use after five years of careful development, rigorous testing, and extensive customer trials. NACOS Connect is a comprehensive solution designed to empower end customers to optimise the functionality and maintainability of their onboard NACOS systems. The platform offers a wide range of features designed to meet the ever-changing needs of the industry. NACO...

There’s a silver shimmer over London International Shipping Week 2025 (LISW25) thanks to a flood of silver sponsors who have come onboard during the first quarter of this year. Adding their support are legal firms Quadrant Chambers and Twenty Essex who have signed up to take an active part in the event, which runs from 15th to 19th September 2025. Digital transformation specialist They are joined by top ten ship management company Columbia Shipmanagement Group and digital transformatio...

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has received an order from Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) for an ammonia fuel supply system (AFSS) and ammonia gas abatement system (AGAS). The AFSS will supply ammonia fuel to ammonia-powered marine engines developed by J-ENG, and the AGAS will safely treat any surplus ammonia. AFSS and AGAS are remotely controlled Newly ordered AFSS and AGAS are remotely controlled automatically by an integrated control...

Accelleron customers will gain easier access to data-driven performance improvements and cost reductions, due to a new partnership with maritime data platform provider - BEMAC. Under the agreement signed with Accelleron’s Japanese joint venture company - Turbo Systems United, data gathering and transmission for Accelleron’s digital optimisation solutions and data-enabled service agreements will be automated within BEMAC’s MaSSA-One platform. A ship that never stops Accellero...

In the extension of the delivery of Seaonics' first electric gangway system to Norwind Hurricane 21st of March 2024, Norwind Offshore has placed an order for a stand-alone ECMC 7t-3D crane for the newbuild 952 - Norwind Helm.  The crane is to be installed in connection with the delivery of the newbuild from Vard Brattvaag end of November 2024 and Norwind Helm will be the first CSOV with two 3D cranes installed. Integrated 3D crane This delivery is in addition to the ECMC Gangway with an...

ClassNK has issued a statement of fact (SOF) for the results of the hull performance analysis and operational profile analysis by Chugoku Marine Paints, Ltd. (CMP) based on actual data of a ship in service. Through its hull data analysis service "CMP-MAP", CMP offers hull performance analysis based on the ISO19030, the standard for evaluating fouling and age-related changes, in combination with their own methodology and operational profile analysis. Data processing and calculations This time,...

Manta Marine Technologies (formerly known as Yara Marine Technologies, YMT) has successfully completed the installation and commissioning of onboard shore power systems for three Finnlines vessels: the Finnlady, the Finnmaid and the Finnstar.  These projects cement Manta Marine Technologies’ reputation as a provider of turnkey shore power solutions, which are likely to see higher take-up by the maritime sector as it transitions to a low and zero-carbon future. Finnlines RoPax vessel...

X-Press Feeders, the world’s largest independent common carrier, has signed of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with six European ports: Port of Antwerp Bruges (Belgium), Port of Tallinn (Estonia), Port of Helsinki (Finland), Port of HaminaKotka (Finland), Freeport of Riga (Latvia) and Klaipeda Port (Lithuania). This landmark agreement signifies a joint commitment to accelerate the establishment of green shipping corridors and the broader decarbonisation of the marine sector in Scandin...

ClassNK has signed a joint R&D agreement with Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. (NSY) and IMC Co., Ltd. (IMC) to ensure the safety and performance evaluation of anti-roll tanks (ART) installed on large container ships. An anti-roll tank is a device designed to suppress the ship's roll by moving liquid, such as water, within the tank. Consideration for ART installation on large container ships is advancing due to the expectation of improving container loading efficiency by reducing roll motion and pr...

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) has released guidelines highlighting recommendations for developing and implementing the Safety Management System (SMS) under the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, addressing specifically, potentially more hazardous alternative fuels used on board ships. This report follows last year’s publication, ‘Operational Management to Accelerate Maritime Decarbonisation’, which identified critical gaps in implementing three current regula...

Easy to use and powered by artificial intelligence, Crewlinker’s web application makes it easy for crewing agencies, shipping companies and other employers in the maritime industry to find people in seconds, and with all the necessary competences. Seafarers can easily enter all their certificates and working experience to automatically create an in-depth resumé that helps them find jobs that fit their experience. Deckhands, engineers, navigators, technicians and officers in the mar...

ClassNK has extended its services to support concrete actions by customers towards a smooth transition to shipping zero-emission. With the revision of IMO's GHG emissions reduction targets and the introduction of the EU climate policy package for the shipping sector, regulations towards zero-emission are becoming increasingly stringent. However, the infrastructure for supplying zero-emission fuels is still under development. Shipping industry players need to select and utilise the appropriate...

Tokyo – based classification society, ClassNK has issued a type approval certificate for the lithium-ion storage battery system - ‘ORCA Energy’, developed by Corvus Energy. Recently, the utilisation of lithium-ion storage batteries as ship’s main sources of electrical power has been increasing in response to the growing momentum toward decarbonisation. Based on its ‘Guidelines for Large-Capacity Storage Batteries’ issued in 2013 and industry feedback, ClassNK...

ABS has awarded ECOLOG, a mid-stream Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Sequestration (CCUS) service provider, with an industry-first ISM Document of Compliance for the operation of liquified CO2 carriers on behalf of the Bermuda flag administration. ABS audited ECOLOG to verify compliance with the International Safety Management Code. ECOLOG plans to build and own CO2 terminals and a carrier fleet to service the emerging CCUS sector, connecting hard-to-abate emitters with cost-competitive se...

ClassNK has carried out a regular reshuffle of its full-time executives, underlining its commitment to charting the maritime industry’s shift through a period of significant transformation. President & CEO - Hiroaki Sakashita and Senior Executive Vice President (SEVP) - Junichiro Iida continue in their current roles, while Executive Vice President (EVP) - Hayato Suga is promoted to SEVP. Additionally, Dr. Toshiro Arima, Masaki Matsunaga, and Dr. Yoshiya Yamaguchi have been appointed a...

ABS has joined the BlueBARGE Project, a programme funded by the Horizon Europe programme and involving 14 partners from 10 European countries to develop a comprehensive solution for offshore electrical power bunkering. ABS is heading the 36-month, €11 million project and will support the consortium in safety, classification, and regulatory compliance. Cold ironing The BlueBARGE model will look at an offshore supply of electrical power to anchored vessels To limit local pollution and gre...

Ocean Infinity, a world pioneer in robotic and uncrewed vessel technology, is pleased to announce the signing of a Global Framework Agreement (GFA) with Shell, marking a significant milestone in the provision of lean-crewed and robotic seabed geomatics, spanning geophysical and geotechnical services, within the offshore energy sector. The GFA spans 5 years, encompassing all countries where Shell is currently active or plans to operate in the future. Fuel-efficient vessels Services governed by...

Bureau Veritas (BV), a global pioneer in testing, inspection, and certification (TIC), has awarded the Dutch-Norwegian renewable energy company SolarDuck the world’s first Prototype Certification for a floating offshore solar technology, as applied in SolarDuck’s 0.5 MW pilot "Merganser". This certification represents a significant step forward in the development of marine renewable energy technologies for offshore applications. Real-world operational environment The Merganser pr...

Bleste Sia introduces its new ‘Bleste Bucket’ bulk handling solution. The Bleste Bucket is a modern iteration of the traditional bulk grab container, however, this innovative yet simple product improves dry bulk handling for companies looking for efficiency, cost and speed gains.  Simple technology saves time and money According to Dinis Hruscovs, Managing Director of the Latvian company, the Bleste Bucket speeds up bulk cargo logistics, especially for terminals, and in a...

In a proactive move towards energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, Pacific Basin, a dry bulk shipping company, has decided to apply a sustainable graphene-based propeller coating, XGIT-PROP, across its entire fleet. This innovative coating, developed by Canadian company GIT Coatings, has demonstrated the potential to enhance vessel performance by up to 4%, which also makes it a highly effective solution to improve CII and RightShip GHG ratings. Decarbonisation initiative Followin...

International® Marine Coatings has published a new whitepaper that reveals the high degree of accuracy of its predictive Intertrac® Vision tool to real-life vessel operations by correlating to the speed loss of a globally trading VLCC vessel over a five-year docking period, in line with the principles of the ISO 19030 standard. International® used the forecasting tool to project a 1.4 percent speed loss over a 60-month in-service period which proved to be in line with actual ve...

Sea Maritime International in Singapore acquired the VSTEP’s latest NAUTIS 3 trainer. VSTEP is proud to see repeat customers and takes it as a testament to its commitment to delivering excellent service.  Seamlessly compatible with the Wartsila DP system, this simulator guarantees top-notch training for maritime professionals within the region and allows the customer to further serve the market. Excellence in maritime training “We eagerly anticipate the partnershi...

Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a long-term Guaranteed Asset Performance agreement with CSBC-DEME Wind Engineering Co Ltd (CDWE), a joint venture between CSBC Corporation and DEME Offshore. The agreement covers CDWE’s new 216 metres-long marine installation vessel (MIV), the ‘Green Jade’. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q1 2024. Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreement Green Jade is designed and built in Taiwan with the mission to facilit...

Many shipping companies are still striving to define their strategy for EU ETS compliance some 90 days after implementation of the complex regulation, according to OceanScore, as it leverages lessons learned from clients to date to define best practices. EU Allowances (EUAs) Shipowners are required to acquire and account for EU Allowances (EUAs) on an ongoing basis, as well as allocate these to charterers, to cover the cost of their emissions from 2024 under the initial three-year phase-in of...

AVIKUS, HD Hyundai's autonomous navigation in-house startup, announced its autonomous navigation is proven to reduce fuel use by as much as 15% and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 10%. This is the first time these fuel savings have been verified. The fuel savings were quantified on a 325,000-ton Very Large Ore Carrier (VLOC) operating several times on a 5,800-mile route from Singapore to Brazil using Avikus’ autonomous HiNAS Control system. The verification of this performance w...

A universal, global carbon tax on shipping is coming, as alternative blue fuels made with carbon capture emerge as a critical step in the energy transition at sea. That was the message from Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman and CEO, during an appearance at the CERAWeek energy conference. Intermediate economy “We need to recognise that there is an intermediate step in the energy transition,” he said. “Last year the conversations were focused on going from oil to...

Accelleron’s Japanese joint venture company Turbo Systems United has signed a memorandum of understanding with marine systems provider Furuno Electric Co to cooperate in digital activities. The agreement, the first of its kind for the Accelleron group in Japan, will dramatically improve access to optimisation solutions and digitally enabled services in one of the world’s most important shipbuilding markets. Furuno has a pioneering position in the supply of marine radar systems, with...

​IMO has agreed on an illustration of a possible draft outline of an “IMO net-zero framework” for cutting greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from international shipping. This marks a step forward in the legal process towards adopting global regulations, referred to as “mid-term GHG reduction measures”, that will help achieve the targets contained in the 2023 IMO Strategy on the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships.  IMO net-zero framework After the eighty-first ses...