Skills - News

“We must design for safety, train for safety, and lead with safety. If we don’t, the consequences can be profound, not just for business, but for lives. Every innovation, every operational change, must be tested against one question: Does it make us safer?” This was the message from ABS Chairman and CEO, Christopher J. Wiernicki in a welcome address to attendees at the Gala Reception for London International Shipping Week 2025 (LISW25). Wiernicki emphasised the importance of h...

Technology group - Wärtsilä has signed a strategic training partnership agreement with GigaMare Inc., a major provider of tailor-made training in maritime operations, repairs and maintenance. The agreement makes GigaMare an official Wärtsilä training partner with the right to deliver crew training on selected Wärtsilä engines in the Philippines. The Philippines plays a significant role in the global maritime industry, home to a large percentage of the world's seafa...

Brownell Boat Stands & Equipment, manufacturer of the highest-quality, safest boat storage equipment on the market, now in its 70th year of operation, announced the expansion of its leadership team with the addition of Matt Duggan in the role of VP of Sales & Business Development. Duggan joins Brownell with a wealth of marine industry experience, having most recently spent the last three years with Edson Marine in New Bedford, Mass., where he worked with both OEM and retail customers as...

Moving from concept to early-stage implementation in just five years, ammonia has a path to becoming a low-GHG fuel alternative for deep-sea shipping, according to a new paper from DNV. DNV’s new report, Ammonia in Shipping: Tracing the Emergence of a New Fuel, addresses the key barriers to the uptake of ammonia and outlines a two-phase pathway for its widespread adoption in shipping. The first phase would see the building, fuelling, and operation of a pioneering ammonia-powered fleet c...

Gibdock has completed a series of high-profile offshore support vessel (OSV) projects in recent months to consolidate its reputation for delivering exceptional and timely service to the offshore industry. In a significant and growing market for Gibdock, the Gibraltar-based ship repair yard has established itself as a trusted strategic partner to several major offshore players by consistently executing projects on time, within budget, and to the highest safety and quality standards. Gibdock&rsq...

DNV has released a revision of its Maritime Simulator Systems Standard (DNV-ST-0033), reflecting the growing diversity of simulation technologies used in maritime training and certification. As vessel systems become more complex and alternative fuels gain traction, simulation is playing an increasingly central role in preparing seafarers and maritime professionals for operational realities. The revised standard responds to these developments by refining class definitions and expanding simulati...

IMTRA, the globally renowned manufacturer and importer of quality solutions and products for the marine, energy and transportation markets, announced now it has been selected to be the exclusive distributor for Seaview Blinds in North America. Seaview is at the forefront of product innovation, bringing to market the next generation of shading products, including hatch blinds, venetian blinds, pleated blinds, roof blinds, roller blinds, and roman blinds, both manual and powered. Range of pleate...

Intellian Technologies, a major global provider of multi-constellation, feature-rich, future-proof satellite user terminals and communications solutions, announced their $100m investment into the research and development of satellite communication technologies at the official opening of their Advanced Development Center (ADC) in the City of Rockville in Montgomery County, Maryland. Intellian’s role within the satellite communications industry has become increasingly essential in the past...

The Centre of Excellence in Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS) has inaugurated an extension centre at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE), as part of GRSE’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. The centre was inaugurated at the GRSE Taratala unit by Cmde PR Hari IN (Retd.), Chairman & Managing Director, GRSE, in the presence of Mr Saikat Roychowdhury, Head – Operations, Indian Register of Shipping (IRS), and Cdr Gopi Krishna Sivvam IN (Retd...

The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX), North America’s premier technical trade event for the recreational marine industry, announced its slate of new presentations, panel discussions, and technical seminars as part of its world-class IBEX Education Conference. With a can’t-miss lineup of opportunities from Tech Talks to Main Stage events, the 2025 IBEX Education Conference features sessions for everyone from leadership to engineers. This year&rsquo...

Sunderland Marine, part of global marine insurer - NorthStandard, has announced its contribution to the release of 'The Lifeboat', a stirring new single by Celtic music icons - Skipinnish, featuring renowned sea shanty group - The Fisherman’s Friends. The song is a tribute to two centuries of bravery by Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) volunteers, honouring their courageous service saving lives at sea under the most challenging conditions – including the North East shores....

Samskip, one of Europe's renowned logistics service providers, has officially joined the DCSA+ partnership program, reinforcing its commitment to digital innovation, interoperability, and the evolution of global logistics standards. By becoming part of this influential network, Samskip takes a pioneering role in shaping the digital frameworks that will power tomorrow’s logistics, frameworks built on openness, collaboration, and efficiency. Future industry standards “We believe the...

MacGregor continues to serve its maritime and offshore customers with its wide portfolio of cargo and load handling equipment under the ownership of Triton, a pioneering European mid-market investment company. The transaction between Triton and MacGregor’s previous owner, Hiab (former Cargotec) Corporation, was closed on 31 July 2025. Merchant and offshore businesses “We at Triton are very pleased and excited about being the new owner of MacGregor. MacGregor has great engineering...

The volume of nominations for this year’s TMS Awards, which will take place on October 29th at the Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai, has been the highest ever. Moreover, there has been a clamour of requests for more time to get entries in. As a result, TMS has decided to extend the deadline by two weeks, from August 1st to August 15th. TMS Awards Chairman of Judges, Clive Woodbridge, says, “While we are conscious of the time pressures facing the judges, we want to make sure that as many co...

The Board of Directors of MacGregor Group AB has appointed Jonas Gustavsson as the new Chief Executive Officer of MacGregor, as of 1 August 2025. He succeeds Leif Byström, who is retiring. “We are delighted to welcome Jonas Gustavsson as CEO of MacGregor,” says Ilkka Tuominen, Investment Advisory Professional at MacGregor’s new owner - Triton and Board Member in MacGregor Group AB, adding “Jonas is an experienced and visionary leader with an excellent track record o...

Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) has played a critical role as provider of Quality Assurance (QA) services during Hindustan Shipyard Limited’s (HSL) fastest-ever 'normal refit' of an EKM‑class submarine, which was successfully completed on 21 July 2025. A national benchmark was set in achieving the shortest ever turnaround time and ensuring technical excellence. Under a strategic partnership formed as part of India’s push for self-reliance in national defence, IRS was appointed to...

As maritime companies digitise, decarbonise, and expand across continents, standing out in the market has never been more challenging. Customers expect clarity. Talent is scarce. And lead generation takes more than a good product. It requires creativity, consistency, and the right message at the right time. To meet that demand, maritime marketing agency Getting the Market has opened an office in Singapore to support clients across Asia. Latest BIMCO/ICS report These combined forces are makin...

KR (Korean Register) is pleased to announce that Lee Jungkun, General Manager of KR’s Convention & Legislation Service Team, has been elected as the next Chair of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) Safety Panel, with a three-year term running from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028.  The appointment was confirmed at the 91st IACS Council Meeting held in Beijing, China.  IACS’s seven technical panels The Safety Panel is one of IAC...

In its 19th edition, Navalshore 2025 is consolidating its position as the largest maritime industry trade fair in Latin America, marked by significant growth in both infrastructure and industry participation. The event will take place from August 19 to 21 at Expo Rio Cidade Nova (formerly Expo Mag) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the exhibition area expanded from 6,000 to 10,000 square metres. The number of exhibitors has also increased, from 110 to 136 companies, representing over 400 national...

As geopolitical tensions reshape global trade routes and maritime operations, Europort 2025 offers a pivotal platform for the international maritime community to come together, share ideas and navigate a rapidly evolving industry. Taking place at Rotterdam Ahoy, the 42nd edition of Europort will spotlight four core themes driving the future of shipping: Energy Transition, Digitalisation, Ship Finance, and Human Capital. The event will feature an inspiring and diverse programme designe...

Condon Claims Management, one of the world’s renowned claims management advisory firms, has acquired US-based Marine Claims Associates LLC in a move that will strengthen its portfolio and enable it to expand its services and presence in the United States. Strategic milestone The acquisition marks a strategic milestone for Condon Claims Management, which is part of the Thomas Miller Group, as the firm continues to broaden its presence in the US market, enabling it to offer greater claims...

ABS opened the doors on its latest training centre, the Hellenic Ship Safety Centre in Athens, harnessing the power of new immersive training techniques, game-based learning and virtual reality environments for the Greek shipping community. Greek shipping pioneers joined ABS executives at the opening celebration for the new facility that features computer simulation stations, collaboration areas and a training room for virtual reality and game-based scenarios and interaction. Immersive learnin...

The Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) has announced a partnership agreement with the Joaan Bin Jassim Academy for Defence Studies to jointly host the Middle East Naval Commanders Conference (MENC). The MENC is a key feature of the ninth edition of DIMDEX which will take place from 19 to 22 January 2026 at the Qatar National Convention Centre. DIMDEX 2026 is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar,...

The London P&I Club has announced its financial results for 2024/25, reporting an operating surplus of US$21.3m, while also strengthening its free reserves to US$171.2m. Gross earned premium income increased 12% to reach US$159.8m. The Club’s combined ratio for the period was 101.7%, which contributed to an improved three-year weighted average combined ratio of 103.9%. Meanwhile, the investment return on assets under management and cash was 6.3%, contributing US$24.7m to the operating...

KR (Korean Register) has officially launched a joint working group to establish international standards for the safe discharge of toxic ammonia effluent generated from ammonia-fueled ships. The initiative brings together Korean major shipbuilders—HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI), HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), HD Hyundai Samho, Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), and Hanwha Ocean—as well as the Korea Testing & Research Institute (KTR), a national ce...

As part of the Ammonia Energy APAC Conference 2025, Classification society DNV has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to SeaTech Solutions International (SeaTech) in collaboration with Oceania Marine Energy (Oceania) for the design of a new 10,000cbm ammonia bunkering vessel. This AiP builds on a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between DNV, SeaTech, and Oceania, initiated at Singapore Maritime Week and signed in April this year. Port of Dampier The Port of Dampier is emerging as...

Proteus Energy, headquartered in Singapore, has developed the Proteus® Maritime Fuel Cell Solution, a modular hydrogen fuel-based system for ports and vessels. The first offering is the Proteus®75. Each fuel cell stack is 75 kW output, and these can be combined for larger power requirements. Offshore support Symbio is jointly owned by global industrial groups Michelin, Stellantis, and Forvia The vessel types being targeted are harbour craft, and vessels in the coastal, offshore...

Global technology pioneer - Kongsberg Discovery announced on June 17, 2025, the signing of an agreement to acquire Sonatech, a prominent expert in the field of underwater acoustics. This strategic move will support Kongsberg Discovery’s growth ambitions and enhance access to the U.S. Navy for the company’s product portfolio. The acquisition is expected to close later in 2025, subject to the necessary governmental approvals. Strengthening the presence in the USA For Kongsberg Disco...

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...