Validation News

AkzoNobel’s marine coatings brand, International, has launched Intergard 6788, a new aluminum-pigmented universal primer developed to meet the demands of the global newbuilding market. The launch in Asia will take place at the Asia Pacific Maritime conference in Singapore, with availability in China and Vietnam as key markets.Epoxy technology enables a higher solids content for the product, proactively meeting increasingly stringent global Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) regulations.

Shipping companies must improve how they collect, structure and use operational data if they are to remain competitive in an increasingly regulated and digital operating environment, according to new research from Lloyd’s Register (LR) and OneOcean. The report, Mastering maritime data for competitive advantage, launched March 18 at the Smart Maritime Network Conference in Athens, argues that while the maritime sector is generating more operational information than ever before, much of it remains fragmented, poorly structured or underused.

lomarlabs has entered a collaboration with Blaze Energy to pilot a third-generation, compact, engine-integrated fuel reformer designed to accelerate the practical adoption of alternative fuels in commercial shipping.The collaboration will culminate in a pilot installation onboard a Lomar vessel, enabling Blaze Energy to validate its multi-fuel reforming system, under real marine operating conditions. The Flex-Fuel Reformer converts ammonia, methanol, or LNG into hydrogen directly onboard the ship…

Maersk Offshore Wind has officially christened its new Seatrium-built wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) Maersk Viridis, marking the entry of the first vessel in the company’s new offshore wind installation fleet.The naming ceremony was held on board the vessel, where its godmother, Charlotte Nørkjær Larsen, formally named the ship by smashing a bottle of champagne against the main crane pedestal.Delivered by Seatrium, the 40,000-tonne vessel was recently delivered following sea trials and final readiness evaluations.

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, is rolling out its NexusWave connectivity service across the fleet of Belgian gas shipping company EXMAR to support ship-to-shore communications and crew connectivity.The deployment targets EXMAR’s growing fleet of gas carriers operating globally in high-demand environments, where the company aims to strengthen links between vessels and shore-based teams while improving seafarer welfare.NexusWave is a fully managed connectivity service that bonds multiple network underlays including GX Ka-band, LEO, LTE and L-band to help ensure uninterrupted connectivity.

Owning and operating a quiet boat offers many benefits, from crew comfort and retention to efficient, safe operations. While the benefits are clear, it’s generally not the first line of design and concern for most vessel owners.Noise is a funny thing in the marine world: it’s invisible, it sneaks up on you, and it’s usually not the headline item on a newbuild spec sheet, until you’re standing in the pilothouse, trying to talk over the machinery, thinking, “oh my gosh, I can’t stand this thing.”That’s the moment Jesse Spence…

Singapore-based Seatrium has delivered a next-generation wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) to Maersk Offshore Wind, following the completion of sea trials and final readiness evaluations.The custom-engineered vessel is designed to install 15+ MW-class offshore wind turbines and is equipped with a 1,900-tonne main crane featuring a 180-metre hook height.The construction program included heavy-lift operations, full system integration and validation by international classification…

Swiss marine power company WinGD has completed both Type Approval Testing (TAT) and Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) of its ammonia-fueled two-stroke marine engine, marking a milestone in efforts to decarbonize shipping.The test programs were completed in January 2026 on the X52DF-A-1.0 engine at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Engine & Machinery (HHI-EMD) facility in South Korea. The tests were witnessed by classification society Lloyd’s Register together with representatives from major classification societies…

GT Wings has secured Lloyd’s Register (LR) verification of sea trials performance assessment methodology for its AirWing™ Jet Sail technology.The announcement follows some 10 months of commercial operation of a 20-metre AirWing™ onboard MV Vectis Progress, a general cargo vessel operated by Carisbrooke Shipping.Installed in March 2025, the AirWing™ has been operating on live commercial routes across the Atlantic, navigating North Atlantic winter conditions, as well as on voyages…

Italian shipbuilding giant Fincantieri has launched an industrial partnership with Generative Bionics aimed at developing a humanoid welding robot designed to operate alongside human workers in shipyard environments. The initiative aligns with Fincantieri’s broader strategy around advanced robotics, physical AI and innovation, core pillars of the Group’s new Industrial Plan.The collaboration brings together Fincantieri’s deep industrial and shipbuilding expertise with Generative Bionics’ autonomous humanoid robotics platform.

Copenhagen Atomics has successfully completed two years of continuous operation of a molten salt pump and test loop at its facilities in Copenhagen. The system has been running without issues under high-temperature molten salt conditions, marking one of the longest continuous durability tests of its kind worldwide.Molten salt reactors rely on pumps to circulate liquid fuel or coolant at temperatures exceeding 600 °C for years at a time. Demonstrating long-term, stable pump operation…

NYK recently made an equity investment in Oceanic Constellations Inc. (OC) through a third-party allotment of new shares, funding expected to support OC’s efforts to establish a mass-production framework for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), among other initiatives.OC, an ocean-tech startup, aims to establish a mass-production framework for USVs within the next few years. The large-scale production and social implementation of USVs will enable the creation of new marine infrastructure that contributes to addressing societal challenges such as ocean surveillance…

On February 5, NYK made an equity investment in Oceanic Constellations Inc. (OC) through a third-party allotment of new shares. The funds from this investment are expected to support OC’s efforts to establish a mass-production framework for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), among other initiatives.OC, an ocean-tech startup, aims to establish a mass-production framework for USVs within the next few years. The large-scale production and social implementation of USVs will enable…

BIO-UV Group has announced a strategic partnership with water-monitoring specialist MicroWISE to develop new ballast-water treatment and verification solutions designed to address rising enforcement pressures and the anticipated growth of port-side reception facilities.The collaboration combines BIO-UV Group’s BIO-SEA ballast-water treatment technology with MicroWISE real-time organism analysis, creating an integrated approach to treatment and compliance validation.The partnership comes at a critical moment for the maritime industry.

ABS and Siemens Energy have signed a joint development project (JDP) to advance the understanding of thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries through modeling and simulation, supporting safer and more reliable energy storage systems for the marine and offshore industries.The JDP brings together ABS’s technical expertise in classification, verification, and standards development with leadership from Siemens Energy in digital simulation and industrial technology innovation. The collaboration aims to create new insights into how lithium-ion battery systems behave under extreme conditions…

Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and the Republic of Korea’s Korean Register (KR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to co-develop a framework to strengthen verification and validation (V&V) for perception and autonomy technologies used in Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs).The agreement brings together DSTA’s expertise in systems engineering with KR’s leadership in maritime policy, certification and safety standards. Both organizations will jointly…

French offshore services provider Bourbon has signed a five-year contract, with extension options, with ExxonMobil Guyana (EMGL) to provide maritime services in Guyana.It will start in the first quarter of 2026, with the commissioning of the large platform supply vessel (PSV) Bourbon Calm and covers the transport of products essential to offshore operations in one of the world's most dynamic oil basins.The discovery of oil fields in 2015 has made Guyana one of the fastest-growing offshore operations…

DNV has granted a Type Approval Design Certificate (TADC) to CSSC Shanghai Marine Energy Saving Technology (CMES-Tech) for its new 35-meter tilting type wind assisted rotor system.This is the first domestically developed rotor sail system in China to achieve this recognition under DNV’s WAPS rules (ST-0511). With this certification, the system is confirmed ready for installation on DNV classed commercial vessels and marks a major milestone for China’s green-shipping technology industry.As shipping faces mounting pressure from fuel costs and emissions regulations…

Marine decarbonization testing and advisory services company VPS has launched the latest update of its digital data-driven decarbonization platform, Maress 2.0.Maress monitors main engine and emissions equipment performance for offshore vessels. With powerful new analytics, high-resolution vessel insights and an intelligent data validation engine, Maress 2.0 helps its users sail smarter, improve their vessel and fleet performance and trust their data like never before.Maress 2.0 is designed to give users actionable insights at every level…

DNV has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to the joint consortium of MSC, Zhoushan Changhong International, and CIMC ORIC for a new 21,700 TEU ammonia-dual fueled ultra-large container ship design.The AiP is another milestone in the development of next-generation, zero-carbon mainline container shipping.The proposed 21,700 TEU container ship integrates the latest-generation of ammonia dual-fuel main engines alongside oversized C-type ammonia tanks.The hull design, with a new vertical bow…

DNV has awarded Jiangnan Shipyard an Approval in Principle (AiP) for its Jiangnan Intelligent System JNIS (DATA) under the D-INF(S) class notation. Jiangnan received the recognition for their standardized onboard data platform which is aligned with ISO 19847 and ISO 19848.The accelerating digital transformation of the maritime industry depends on trusted, high-quality data collected systematically from sensors, control systems, and other onboard sources. But as vessels generate increasingly large and complex datasets, the reliability and consistency of this data is critical.

ADNOC Logistics & Services has unveiled the UAE’s first remotely operated offshore landing craft vessel, a 60-metre unmanned platform designed to improve safety, efficiency and emissions performance across offshore operations.Developed with SeaOwl and launched during Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week 2025, the vessel uses AI-enabled systems, satellite-linked controls and remote operation from ADNOC L&S’s center in Mussafah. The design eliminates onboard crew accommodation, reducing weight…

CALCAREA Inc. and AURELIA Design B.V. entered into a collaboration to bring ocean-based carbon capture technology to the maritime sector. The partnership combines CALCAREA’s unique carbon removal process with AURELIA’s experience in green ship design and e-systems integration.At the heart of the collaboration is CALCAREA’s limestone weathering technology — a system that accelerates a natural process where carbon dioxide (CO₂) reacts with limestone and seawater, transforming it into stable bicarbonates safely stored in the ocean.