Classification Society News

Japanese shipping major NYK Line has completed the basic design of a new long-distance subsea cable-laying vessel intended to support the development of Japan’s future high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission network, marking a key milestone in a national effort to strengthen offshore renewable energy infrastructure.The vessel’s design recently received General Design Approval (GDA) from classification society ClassNK, confirming that the concept meets relevant international…

Palumbo Group’s Naples facility has successfully completed the refit of the LPG/C Rhourd El Fares.The 174‑meter LPG/C, 23,059 GT, arrived with an extensive scope of work, ranging from mechanical systems to coatings.Engineers coordinated multiple technical teams engaged in dry‑docking operations, mechanical works and, in particular, main‑engine maintenance and generator tuning. Specialist crews carried out the removal and dismantling of the 13‑ton propeller and the complete treatment of the vessel’s steel surfaces.For this project…

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…

All 271 passengers from the Liberia-registered passenger vessel World Legacy have been safely evacuated.The fire occurred on February 20 while the vessel was en route to Singapore and resulted in the death of one crew member. The fire was brought under control by the crew shortly after.Passengers who required medical attention were attended to by paramedics, and four have been taken to hospital.Based on preliminary investigations, the fire occurred at the lounge area on deck nine of the vessel.

NYK convened its third annual Dry Bulk Safety Conference in Athens, Greece, on January 21. The event brought together 150 participants representing 70 Greek shipowners and other companies active in the dry bulk sector. Originally established in 2010 in Japan for domestic shipowners and ship-management companies, the conference first expanded to Greece in 2024.At the conference, we shared with Greek shipowners and related companies case studies of past accidents and incidents, along with countermeasures and measures for crew welfare.

Asia Pacific Maritime (APM), Asia’s premier exhibition and conference for Shipbuilding & Marine, Workboat, Offshore, and Electric & Hybrid Marine, will return for its 19th instalment, from 25-27 March 2026 at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, with its largest edition to date. Anchored by the theme “Future of Vessels, Solutions for Tomorrow”, APM 2026 is set to convene the global leaders to examine how the next energy technologies and innovation are driving the future of maritime.As decarbonisation targets intensify and digital innovation accelerates…

A study led by Vard, a subsidiary of Italy’s Fincantieri, has found that nuclear-powered offshore vessels are technically feasible, confirming that small fourth-generation nuclear reactors can be integrated into dynamically positioned vessels while meeting safety, redundancy and operational requirements.Results from the NuProShip II research and innovation project show that nuclear propulsion can support DP2 power architectures, with potential adaptability to DP3 standards, offering…

On Monday, January 19, 2026, production of the fifth vessel in the Icon Class began at the Meyer Turku shipyard. The ceremonial event held in the steel hall was attended by representatives of the ship’s owner Royal Caribbean Group, the Meyer Turku organization, and the classification society.The traditional steel-cutting ceremony marked the start of more than two years of construction and outfitting work, involving thousands of professionals across different fields. Once completed…

Coach Solutions, a Kongsberg Company, and classification society ClassNK have partnered to deliver an automated emissions data verification process for their mutual clients.The companies said the process creates a seamless experience for shipowners and Document of Compliance holders who need to extract, standardize, verify and share vessel data for transparent use by stakeholders.The integration with ClassNK is a strategic partnership that, from January 2026, will further strengthen Coach’s mission to put practical…

LNG-fueled container ships helped sustain the share of alternative fuels in the global shipbuilding orderbook in 2025, even as overall newbuilding activity slowed sharply following a record year, according to data from classification society DNV.Annual figures from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight platform show that while total newbuild orders fell to 2,403 vessels in 2025 from 4,405 a year earlier, alternative-fueled ships retained a 38% share of total gross tonnage, supported…

Japan’s ClassNK has issued an approval in principle (AiP) for a bulk carrier concept developed by Oshima Shipbuilding that is designed to be ready for multiple alternative fuels, including ammonia, methanol and liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS).The approval confirms the technical feasibility of the vessel from a regulatory and safety perspective and reflects growing industry efforts to future-proof newbuilds amid tightening emissions rules.The concept design was reviewed in line with ClassNK’s updated Guidelines for Ships Using Alternative Fuels…

Marine battery manufacturer AYK Energy has signed a second contract with Spanish ship owner Mureloil, extending the use of battery-supported diesel-electric propulsion into the chemical tanker segment.The agreement follows the installation of a battery system on Mureloil’s 8,000-deadweight-tonne tanker Bahía Candela and will see AYK supply an identical 4.2 MWh Aries+ battery system for its sister vessel Bahía Beatriz, currently under construction at Astilleros de Murueta shipyard near Bilbao.Battery systems are widely used in ferries and workboats…

In 2010, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) began the process of replacing its research vessel, R/V Western Flyer. With Glosten at their side as vessel designer, MBARI considered three types of ships for their new project. The Western Flyer was a small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH), but the parties agreed on a monohull design for the new vessel. In 2021, Freire Shipyard won the bid to build the vessel, and R/V David Packard came to life.There is no “I” in TeamWill Moon…

On December 8, Techcross received cyber security type approval from ABS and NK, becoming the first company in the industry to obtain cyber security type approvals from five major global classification societies.Both of Techcross's Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS), ECS and HYCHLOR, meet the international cyber security standard IACS UR E27. Based on this compliance, the systems had previously secured cyber security type approvals from KR (Korea), BV (France), and CCS (China)…

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…

ABS Chairman and Chief Executive Christopher J. Wiernicki was named International Personality of the Year at the Lloyds List Greek Shipping Awards, the second time he has received the honor.The accolade followed ABS being named Number One Classification Society by Gross Tonnage in the annual Lloyds List ranking of the Top 10 Class Organizations.“Over the years, I have felt a profound bond with Greece and its maritime community," said Wiernicki, who this week was also placed 72 in the Lloyds List ranking of the Top 100 People in Shipping.

Contemporary Amperex Electric Vessel (CAEV), a subsidiary of CATL, officially launched the world's first and only "ship-shore-cloud" zero-carbon shipping and integrated smart port solution at Marintec China 2025.The solution is designed to increase vessel electrification.Su Yiyi, General Manager of CATL Electric Vessel Department and Contemporary Amperex Electric Vessel said that previously, power supply, energy replenishment, and maintenance services were provided by separate suppliers.

Methanol is emerging as a practical alternative fuel for deep-sea shipping as engines and technical systems reach high readiness levels, but high costs and limited supply continue to constrain wider adoption, classification society DNV said in a new report.As the industry explores multiple decarbonization pathways, methanol is gaining attention as a practical and scalable alternative fuel for deep-sea shipping, supported by over 450 methanol-capable vessels in operation and on order and technical solutions now available for all major ship types.DNV’s latest white paper…

Alfa Laval Korea Ltd. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hanwha Ocean Ecotech, marking a step toward strengthening cooperation in developing safe and reliable ammonia fuel system solutions for dual-fuel vessels.The MOU will leverage Alfa Laval’s technical expertise in ammonia fuel systems with Hanwha Ocean Ecotech’s capabilities in marine technology. The joint approach aims to secure early market opportunities and build competitive advantage in the rapidly-growing…

Consilium Safety Group and Hyundai Heavy Industries have signed an agreement to explore the use of AI-powered cameras in certified fire alarm systems on ships.The memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the companies centers on Hyundai’s HiCAMS technology, which uses cameras to identify smoke and flames.While camera-based detection is emerging in other industries, this initiative is among the first to target marine applications directly.A pilot test is already underway on the test vessel Sawasdee Sunrise in Korea…

Austal Australia has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from classification society DNV, for their Autonomous and Remotely Operated Ships (AROS) Platform Controller.The AROS Controller, designed and developed by Austal at Henderson, Western Australia, is a safety control system that provides a standardised and managed interface between the vessel’s complex engineering systems and the navigational autonomy system. Managing the transfer of information in both directions, constantly checking system health…

Classification society DNV has awarded HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) an Approval in Principle (AiP) for a new 15,000 TEU container vessel design powered by Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology.The design demonstrates the application of SMR technology in a 15,000 TEU container vessel, capable of operating at 24 knots.The vessel concept incorporates a supercritical CO2-based power generation system, which can provide higher thermal efficiency and a reduced…

Helm Operations, a provider of maritime operations and crew management software, announced a key leadership transition as James Wadsworth assumes the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Nolan Barclay, Helm’s first employee and most recent CEO, will continue to support the company as Chairman.Wadsworth brings more than two decades of maritime industry experience and visionary leadership to the role. He joined Helm a decade ago after nearly ten years with ClassNK in Japan, where…