Marshall Islands News

ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki was honoured by The Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI), receiving the 2025 Silver Bell Award for lifelong service and outstanding leadership in the maritime industry. Lives of mariners and seafarers SCI is a nearly 200-year-old charity headquartered in New York that serves and protects the personal and professional lives of mariners and seafarers, both internationally and domestically, by partnering with the maritime industry to ensure dignity w...

Swiss marine power company - WinGD is to deliver X-DF-A ammonia-fuelled engine designs for four newbuild medium gas carriers (MGC) to be built by HD Hyundai Mipo for Trafigura, a market pioneer in the global commodities industry. The 45,000 cubic.metres vessels will each be powered by a six-cylinder, 52-bore 6X52DF-A engine with high-pressure selective catalytic reduction. WinGD ammonia-carrying vessels The order is one of several that WinGD has received for ammonia-carrying vessels The Traf...

Marcura and Dataloy Systems have announced a new phase in their long-standing strategic partnership, adding deeper automation and embedded insights into Dataloy's Voyage Management System (VMS). The expansion is designed to give chartering and operations teams direct access to key Marcura products, including DA-Desk, Portlog and Marcura Claims (formerly ClaimsHub), without the need to switch systems. Marcura’s workflows For many maritime professionals, Dataloy i...

Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS) prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species, which pose significant ecological, economic, and health threats. The systems treat and purify a ship's ballast water before it is discharged into a new environment. Regulations dictate how ballast water is managed and discharged. The IMO Ballast Water Management Convention was adopted in 2004 and ratified on 8 September 2017. In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has also regulated discharges in the USA t...

Peel Ports Group has officially unveiled its new £30m RoRo (Roll-on, Roll-off) berth at London Medway as it welcomed a key freight service to the facility. The UK’s second largest operator hosted guests at the port in Sheerness for a ceremony to mark the completion of the new in-river vessel berth and floating pontoon, which will boost capacity for RoRo cargo handling. As part of the official opening, the port welcomed one of Finnlines’ new Finneco-class hybrid RoRo vessels &...

Bolidt has acquired a majority stake in Florida-based Boteka, in a move intended to consolidate Bolidt’s major position in the global cruise industry. As a specialist in prefabricated elements for cruise ships, Boteka has worked exclusively with Bolidt products during a 14-year relationship that has seen the two parties serve major operators including Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Group, and Celebrity Cruises. The collaboration has covered both newbuild and retrofit projects....

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply an integrated hybrid propulsion solution for four new 10,700 DWT geared tween decker vessels being built for Dutch ship owner and maritime service provider Vertom Group. Combining the Wärtsilä 25 medium-speed 4-stroke engine with a hybrid propulsion drive train with PTO/PTI/PTH, the package is designed to optimise vessel propulsion efficiency, while enabling sailing modes on batteries without using combustion power. The 10,700 DWT serie...

EV Maritime, New Zealand’s pioneering electric ferry design and technology company, announced the launch of its first fully electric passenger ferry. The new vessel will operate between downtown Auckland and the suburb of Half Moon Bay. This is the first of the EVM200 class – a series of battery-electric fast ferries built using lightweight carbon fibre. Designed for urban public transport, the EVM200 offers service speeds of up to 25 knots and a range of up to 20 miles. Auckland T...

In a complex case highlighting the risks ship managers face from legacy vessel issues, the International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) has successfully resolved a US$6 million claim against a ship manager for only a fraction of the original demand. The ship manager took charge of a ship over 12 years old under a SHIPMAN contract, albeit for just a short six-month duration. Despite the brief tenure, the manager faced a substantial claim alleging failure to identify and address pre-existin...

OceanScore has launched a new FuelEU Pooling Marketplace designed to simplify one of the newest and untrialled compliance mechanisms in maritime regulations: pooling of FuelEU compliance balances. Integrated directly into the market-leading OceanScore Compliance Manager, the Marketplace gives shipowners, managers, and operators a seamless way to manage their FuelEU obligations while connecting with reliable pooling partners — all in one place. “This just makes sense.” That&rs...

MacGregor has secured a contract to supply an advanced anchor handling towing winch (AHTW) package for a series of SPA90 (90T BP AHTS ABS Class) anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels owned by SINOPACIFIC Engineering & Contracting Co Ltd (SPEC). The MacGregor AHTW package is designed to support the complex operations of SPA90, ensuring precision, safety, and operational efficiency in all offshore conditions. The MacGregor scope of supply includes anchor windlass with roller chain stoppe...

ABB has been awarded a large order by Seatrium, a provider of marine engineering solutions based in Singapore, for the supply of electrical equipment and automation solutions on a new generation of floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels for operator Petrobras. The two vessels – P-84 and P-85 – will be deployed in the Atapu and Sépia fields, approximately 200 kilometres off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. ABB Ability™ System 800xA® ABB wil...

BERG Propulsion is offering the shipping industry its first opportunity to select propeller shafts made using the climate-neutral GreenForge® production process, in a maritime sector that is highly exposed to anticipated carbon pricing. Three Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) ro-ro vessels due in service from 2026 to carry aircraft parts across the Atlantic are already set to take advantage of sustainable wind power, courtesy of their rotor sails, while their hybrid propulsion, power manag...

INTERCARGO, the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners, reports encouraging progress in bulk carrier safety, with vessel losses and fatalities continuing to decline over the last decade. However, serious security threats in 2024 demand urgent international action to protect seafarers and uphold freedom of navigation. Cause of vessel losses Cargo shifting caused the loss of two ships and 12 lives, highlighting an extra area of concern The Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2025 identifie...

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) advised shipping company MPC Container Ships ASA (“MPCC”) on its strategic sale of seven container ships for a transaction value of US$94m. The disposal is part of MPCC's strategic development and the targeted restructuring of its fleet. MPCC has agreed to sell five ships en bloc to Contships Group, comprising three 1,300 TEU ships and two 2,000 TEU ships. In addition, two further ships have been sold to Seacon Group. Portf...

Skarv Shipping Solutions has increased its order for ‘zero carbon project carriers’ from Shandong Huanghai Shipbuilding Co. Ltd to five ships, extending its commitment to a Berg Propulsion package that optimises vessel efficiency regardless of power source. Bergen-based Skarv, a joint venture formed by Peak CSL Group and Grieg Edge to develop sustainable short-sea shipping, specified inline ammonia-ready engines for the initial four 7,000 dwt ships, with the first ship due delivery...

ABS issued approval in principle (AIP) to Pherousa Shipping for its ammonia cracking technology onboard ships, featuring proton exchange membrane fuel cells and fuel gas supply system (FGSS) for fully electric propulsion. The emissions-free propulsion system is targeted for application on Pherousa’s Ultramax 64,000 dwt bulk carrier to transport copper, a key material in solar panels and electric cars, in fully emissions-free vessels. Rapid innovation and new developments “We are s...

The commissioning of France’s largest-ever shore power solution for ships at the Port of Toulon has been completed. Operational since February 13, the installation is currently in its final acceptance period. The consortium responsible for delivering the installation was led by ABB, comprising also construction company Eiffage Construction and electrical installation company - Fauché responsible for building and civil engineering services. The facility supports cruise and ferry ve...

bound4blue has taken a major step forward in simplifying the adoption of wind power worldwide, with DNV validation of its ‘wind propulsion system force matrix’ calculation method. This validation provides ship owners, designers, and yards with a trusted, regulation-ready tool to evaluate the performance of bound4blue’s eSAIL®. The validation gives the industry a reliable tool to easily calculate the benefits of bound4blue’s eSAIL® suction sail technology, without...

Kongsberg Maritime has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India’s Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) during the Nor-Shipping 2025 event in Oslo, initiating a collaborative effort to explore the design of India’s first indigenous polar research vessel. The agreement marks a significant milestone in India’s ambitions to strengthen its polar research capabilities and scientific presence in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Kongsberg Maritime signs MoU...

Inert Gas specialists Maritime Protection, a brand of global Survival Technology solutions provider Survitec, has been awarded a contract valued at €22.7 million to supply dry inert gas systems for 24 LNG carriers being constructed at a major shipyard in China as part of Qatar’s second LNG fleet expansion program. The contract represents the most significant single order in Maritime Protection’s history and includes the delivery of high-capacity dry inert gas generators, each r...

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry wraps up a dynamic week at Nor-Shipping 2025. With 16 team members at the conference and adjacent events, the global team from International Registries, Inc. and its affiliates (IRI), which provide administrative and technical support to the RMI Registry, prioritised collaboration, innovation, and client engagement during the conference. Highlights from the week included active engagement at DNV’s VIP reception and BBQ, the announcement...

KR (Korean Register) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) on June 3 during Nor-Shipping 2025 to jointly develop a very large ethane carrier (VLEC). Ethane carriers are high value-added vessels designed to transport liquefied ethane at ultra-low temperatures of around -100°C. These ships require advanced engineering capabilities and highly specialised design expertise due to the complexity of their cargo. New very large ethane carrier (VLEC)...

DNV has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Mipo for its 20,000 cbm liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO₂) carrier. This AiP is another milestone in the development of next-generation CO₂ transport solutions in this rapidly developing vessel segment. As the first major projects in the global carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) sector start to come on-line, shipping is stepping up to support this emerging industry. An innovative new 20K-class LCO₂ carrier design has been dev...

Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) is pleased to announce a significant milestone with the successful launch of an inter-island passenger ferry at Mokpo, South Korea. This vessel marks the first project from a Korean owner to be classed with IRS, representing a landmark moment in the class society’s growing international footprint. The vessel is being constructed by Miraero Shipbuilding, Ltd for Dea Bu Marine Transport Ltd., and is intended for inter-island service along the Korean coast....

NAVTOR has taken another step in its mission to ‘make life easier’ for shipping crews and companies, announcing a fresh strategic partnership with Sweden’s Chris-Marine. The agreement will see Chris-Marine integrate its acclaimed Trust-Ocean data collection system within NAVTOR’s NavBox and NavReporting platforms, empowering greater efficiency and data accuracy for users worldwide. Simple, seamless, accurate Jacob Clausen, Director of Performance, NAVTOR, says the move...

Dubai-based GeoServe, a provider of voyage management solutions, announces the launch of GeoOne, a unified Voyage Operations Suite (VOS) that orchestrates multiple digital systems to deliver an innovative, integrated solution. GeoOne integrates all the key functions of a vessel operator’s workflow into a single solution, thereby boosting productivity, improving overall visibility, and reducing operational challenges. This unique platform represents a world-first for marine applications, p...

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply a conversion package featuring the company’s Fit4Power radical derating solution for the containership ‘ONE Maestro’. The Fit4Power solution optimises the power output from the ship’s engine, thereby reducing fuel consumption by on average, approximately 13 percent. This will, in turn, reduce emissions. The conversion is also expected to extend the operational life of the vessel. The ship is owned by Ocean Network Express...

Driven by the need for decarbonisation and to advance fuel flexibility, Alfa Laval is leading the way with the first fuel-flexible marine boiler solutions that can be delivered as electric hybrid or hybrid-ready boilers. This innovation supports shipowners in reducing emissions, saving fuel, and staying ahead of evolving green port regulations. Since its launch in early 2025, the solutions have generated strong interest and secured multiple orders. Rising demand for hybrid boilers and shore p...

Alfa Laval announces a milestone in maritime decarbonisation with an order for the world’s first marine boiler system designed for the safe incineration of ammonia emissions. Confirmed for a fleet of four ammonia dual-fuel vessels, this innovation is part of a joint development project with industry frontrunners and is set for delivery in 2027-2028. A first-of-its-kind innovation for ammonia-powered ships As the shipping industry transitions to alternative fuels, ammonia is emerging as...