Regulations - News

IMO and the Republic of Korea have signed a suite of agreements to formally establish and boost the IMO-Republic of Korea Sustainable Maritime Transport Cooperation (SMART-C) Programme. The goal of the KRW 25.5 billion (approx. US$20 million) SMART-C Programme is to promote sustainable maritime transport systems and a sustainable marine environment, by building knowledge and developing technical capacity in developing countries via long-term thematic projects. GHG project agreement This Offic...

Mr. Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco has been confirmed as the next Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO Assembly unanimously approved (30 November) the decision of the Council at its 129th session (C129) to appoint him to the role. Mr. Dominguez Velasco will take up the office of Secretary-General on 1 January 2024 for an initial term of four years, ending on 31 December 2027. He becomes the Organisation's 10th elected Secretary-General. Comprehensive b...

Working together with ABS, McAllister Towing, one of the oldest and largest marine towing and transportation companies in the U.S., has released its inaugural sustainability report, showcasing efforts to reduce its environmental impact and highlight its social and governance performance. ABS specialists worked with McAllister’s team to provide greenhouse gas inventory and sustainability reporting services, calculating the operational carbon intensity and benchmarking the performance of th...

Maritime UK has launched Version 7 of the Industry Code of Practice for Maritime Autonomous Ship Systems. The accelerating pace of change in maritime autonomy has required updated guidance for those owning and operating Maritime Autonomous Ship Systems (MASS). Whilst not a legal text, the Code has been used by manufacturers, service providers, and others as part of their day-to-day work. Many manufacturers have reported clients requiring compliance with the Code as a basis for contractual negot...

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF), whose founding members include ABS, DNV, Lloyd’s Register, ClassNK, Japan’s Maritime Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Norwegian Maritime Authority, and the U.K.’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency, welcomed the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) as an associate member, further strengthening MTF’s collaborative approach to advancing safety and sustainability in the maritime industry. Globa...

ABS is working with Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO), a globally renowned offshore support vessel (OSV) operator with nearly 300 vessels, on its decarbonisation journey with greenhouse gas inventory and sustainability reporting services. ABS specialists have been working with the ECO team since 2022 providing a gap analysis for the ECO Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Framework. This led to a full sustainability reporting project i...

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Commission (EC) have announced a second phase of the Global Maritime Technology Cooperation Centres Network (GMN) project, to upscale the work of the five regional centres, with a particular emphasis on pilot demonstrations aimed at achieving quantifiable reductions in GHG emissions. IMO Secretary-General - Kitack Lim and representatives of the European Commission (EC) formalized the agreement at IMO Headquarters (on 29 November), d...

The first three (3) ships in the series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts under construction in Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for Indian Navy were launched at CSL’s Kochi Yard. After the ceremonial pooja, the first vessel was launched by Smt Anjali Bahl - the second vessel was launched by Smt Kangana Berry, and the third vessel by Smt Zarine Lord Singh. Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts The launching of the three (3) vessels was carried out in the presence o...

ClassNK has released "Guidelines for Cyber Resilience of on-board systems and equipment". The guidelines expound new IACS Unified Requirements (UR). For supporting the consideration of measures to ensure the cybersecurity of ships. Cyber resilience IACS has established UR E26 for ships and UR E27 for onboard systems and equipment as minimum requirements for cyber resilience, which is the capability to reduce the occurrence and mitigate the effects of cyber incidents due to cyber-attacks. The...

ClassNK has released "Guidelines for cyber resilience of on-board systems and equipment". The guidelines expound new IACS Unified Requirements (UR). For supporting the consideration of measures to ensure the cybersecurity of ships. IACS has established UR E26 for ships and UR E27 for on-board systems and equipment as minimum requirements for cyber resilience, which is the capability to reduce the occurrence and mitigate the effects of cyber incidents due to cyber-attacks. The URs will be applie...

The Port of València is already the first port in the world to use a ReachStacker or stacker capable of moving containers of more than 30 tonnes using hydrogen as the only fuel.  The European H2PORTS project, led by the Fundación Valenciaport, has organised this morning a public demonstration of the three pilots developed within the framework of this project, the ReachStacker (container stacker) and the 4×4 tractor unit propelled by hydrogen and the mobile supply statio...

Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a strategic partnership agreement to provide its Fleet Electrification and Systems Integrator Services for a project to build the first zero-emission high speed ferries in the USA. The fully electric vessels will be built for San Francisco’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), the operator of the San Francisco Bay Ferry system. The project, and several others Wärtsilä will work on under this partnership, are a part of t...

Andrew Mueller has joined Crowley as vice president of government relations where he will be pioneering the company’s activities at the federal level with members of Congress and the Administration. His leadership will strengthen the company’s advocacy for laws, policies, and regulations that support the comprehensive array of Crowley’s business strategy and growth. Mueller's experience Mueller joins Crowley with more than 20 years of in-depth experience in federal a...

Almost a thousand children from the Port of València have started their classes with the help of Aportem- Puerto Solidario València. As every year, these last few months have been particularly intense for the association. The campaign for the start of the school year for the children of the Maritime District has meant a total mobilisation of human and economic resources within this association for the promotion of Social Responsibility. Difficulty accessing clothing The campaig...

ABB has secured an order with Spanish state-owned shipbuilding company Navantia to supply the Spanish Navy’s forthcoming submarine rescue vessel, Poseidon, with high-performance, DC-based power and distribution. Following the delivery scheduled for 2026, the vessel will be the first of its kind equipped with this system. The ship will be responsible for executing and supporting submarine missions, including diving operations, intervention and rescue in accidents and shipwrecks and underw...

Tokyo-based ClassNK has granted its Innovation Endorsement for Products & Solutions to a Blue Visby Solution developed by Blue Visby Services Ltd. The company describes Blue Visby Solution as a multilateral platform for reducing shipping GHG emissions by 15% by eradicating the practice of ‘Sail Fast, then Wait (SFTW)’ by overcoming the obstacles of implementing ‘Just-in-Time’ berthing. Collaborative technological and contractual platform It consists of a collaborat...

Thordon Bearings’ ThorPlas-Blue grease-free bearings won the annual IBJ Environment Protection (Marine) Award 2023 during a gala dinner last night hosted by British comedian Hugh Dennis and International Bulk Journal publisher Ray Girvan. Thordon Bearings was also nominated in the Innovative Technology Award category for the same product. Designed and developed by Thordon, the polymer deck equipment bearings not only eliminate the risk of pollution from greasing systems, but also offer...

DNV-classed rig, Transocean Norge, has become the first semisubmersible rig to be awarded DNV’s Abate (Power+) notation following significant upgrades designed to lower its greenhouse gas emissions during operation. The Abate (Power+) notation is designed to reflect the best industry practices in greenhouse gas abatement for offshore units. Enhancing sustainability While the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulates carbon intensity for sea vessels, offshore installations do n...

Babcock has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hanwha Aerospace to offer enhanced capabilities across land, air and sea domains, by bringing together the companies’ combined skills through a collaborative range of products, services and integrated solutions. Under the agreement, which was signed during the President of Korea’s recent visit to the United Kingdom (UK), the companies will work together to pursue global business development opportunities, with an initial fo...

The completion of the pilot Single Window for Facilitation of Trade (SWiFT) project has been marked with a ceremony to hand over a newly developed generic Maritime Single Window (MSW) platform to the Port of Lobito in Angola. Maritime Single Window platform The new Maritime Single Window digital system allows the electronic submission, through a single online portal, of all information required by various agencies to ensure efficient clearance of ships during port calls.  The handover ce...

Global automation technology pioneer Emerson has made a strategic investment in Frugal Technologies, which will use Emerson's global organisation to accelerate sales of its fuel-saving AI technology for ships. With a control system based on artificial intelligence (AI), Frugal Technologies (Aalborg, Denmark) has helped shipping companies such as Uni-Tankers, Christiania Shipping, and Royal Arctic Line to reduce fuel consumption on their ships by up to 15%. Strategic investment Frugal Technolo...

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply its latest simulator technology for a new maritime training centre in Finland. The order has been placed by the South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk) and the Joint Authority of Education of Kotka-Hamina Region (Ekami). It was booked by Wärtsilä in November 2023. The simulator will be installed in Xamk's new campus in Kotka, Finland, where also part of Ekami´s maritime training will take place in the...

Global provider of marine solutions, P&O Maritime Logistics (a DP World Company), is unwavering in its commitment to shaping a low-carbon future. Driven by innovation, the Company’s journey towards carbon neutrality showcases the power of collaboration and shared responsibility in a robust decarbonisation pathway. Capturing the essence of this pivotal journey, Benjamin Neal’s, Head of HSSEQ, latest whitepaper titled ‘Developing P&O Maritime Logistics’ Decarbonisa...

Protecting seafarers and fishers’ rights and working conditions now – while preparing them for a digitalised and decarbonised future – were key themes explored during the first International Maritime Organization (IMO)/International Labour Organization (ILO) Conference on Work at Sea, which took place at IMO Headquarters in London on 13 November. “The professionals who work at sea, the seafarers, fishers and other maritime personnel, are the lifeblood of shipping and th...

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Citibank N.A and BNP Paribas as global co-ordinators, initial mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners on a $2.8bn sustainability- and gender diversity-linked facility to GasLog Ltd. The revolving facility is secured on GasLog's fleet of LNG carriers and incorporates KPIs linked to both carbon emissions and female representation in the company’s cadetship programme. Greek law aspects DNB Bank ASA acted as Agent for the deal, ABN...

DNV and 14 partners have concluded phase 1 of the Emission Reduction (EMRED) Joint Industry Project (JIP), developing a monitoring and reporting framework to quantitively assess greenhouse emissions (GHG) from the offshore wind segment. In November, phase 2 of the project will entail testing the framework by including more offshore vessel types and gathering more data. Operational modes As the offshore industry is looking to decarbonise, DNV and partners including RWE, Vattenfall, &Oslas...

The maritime industry continues to be shaped by extensive uncertainty, influenced by a changing regulatory framework and evolving boundary conditions of safety, fuel availability and scalability and ship-to-port infrastructure. That was the message for members at the annual ABS Advisory Council Meeting on November 14, which included presentations from the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD). Range of emerging technolo...

Investing in a sustainable value chain is a key opportunity for energy companies transitioning to a lower-carbon system. Additive manufacturing, a forefront in sustainable manufacturing, addresses challenges posed by traditional methods. Reports reveal inconsistencies in sustainability reporting among energy and oil and gas companies, compounded by a lack of supply chain indicators in reporting guidelines, hindering objective assessments. Sustainability of AM parts In phase 3, the aim has bee...

In April 2024, the first inland vessel running completely on ZES technology is set to sail with zero emissions between Den Bosch, the Maasvlakte, and Moerdijk (The Netherlands). For electric sailing with standard 20-foot modular energy containers (ZESpacks), a fixed battery package will be installed. The vessel, the Den Bosch Max Groen, is 90 metres long and was prepared for electric sailing during construction. Initiators Inland Terminals Group (ITG), Nedcargo, and Zero Emission Services (ZES)...

Hydrogen from renewable sources is set to play a major role for industry by replacing fossil-based energy and feedstocks. The hydrogen ecosystem that is currently under development was showcased during King Willem-Alexander's visit to duisport, Germany’s largest inland port on November 14th. There also was a demonstration of how the transportation of low-emission hydrogen is already possible. Collaboration with partners throughout the chain is crucial to enable industry’s transition...