Principle News

A Key Locking the Courthouse Doors Unless Precisely and Appropriately TargetedThe U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit’s May 2026 ruling in Hill v. Jackson Offshore1 makes it clear: broadly challenging an arbitration agreement won’t get you into court. If there’s a delegation clause, you must aim directly at it first and separately.What HappenedSeaman Jeremiah Hill was severely injured on an offshore supply vessel in April 2023. During recovery, Jackson Offshore’s CEO provided the required maintenance and cure…

When Yeh Chih-sheng steps aboard Taiwan Coast Guard vessel CG1005 in the choppy waters of the Taiwan Strait, he brings more than his uniform and orders: he also has temple charms blessed by the gods revered by fishermen for protection at sea.Yeh is first mate of the 2,400-ton ship based in Taiwan's Penghu islands, and part of Taipei's maritime frontline as China asserts its claim of sovereignty over the democratically governed island.Off duty, he is an assistant priest, or "sio-huat" in Taiwanese…

Faced with declining production post-2030, across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the Majors have started the process of reloading exploration hoppers. Targeting predominantly deep and ultra-deep waters, they have signed numerous agreements aimed at unlocking acreage and discovering the next Namibia or Guyana. But while there have been agreements for acreage that were offered as part of traditional licensing rounds – such as the award to TotalEnergies of PPLs 2000 and 2001 in Nigeria in September 2025 – there has been an increasing trend to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoU)…

Looking back at history one could argue that it was French author Jules Verne in his book “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, published in 1869, who was speculating about a new power source much in the same out of the box thinking that H.G. Wells employed when he wrote about inter-planetary flight in “War of the World’s. Verne was writing about “electricity” from batteries using seawater which he created after studying the model of the newly developed French Navy submarine “Plongeur” at the Exposition of 1867.In the novel…

ABS and MOBY Robotics Inc. have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance technologies supporting subsea mining and offshore mineral transport.The MoU establishes a framework for ABS to support MOBY in the development, certification and eventual classification of autonomous robotic systems and other key technologies in accordance with ABS Requirements for Subsea Mining and ABS Offshore Rules. Areas of focus include subsea and surface robotics, vertical lifting systems…

BIMCO, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), INTERCARGO and INTERTANKO unanimously condemns recent attacks on seafarers and commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the organization has verified 46 attacks on international shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz since February 28, 2026, with 14 confirmed seafarer fatalities.There is grave concern about the recent escalation of the conflict which puts the lives of our seafarers at risk…

The UK-flagged research vessel Prince Madog has received certification for a hydrogen fuel cell retrofit, following approval by Lloyd’s Register (LR) under its ShipRight Risk Based Certification (RBC) framework. The certification was presented at Seaworks 2026 in Southampton.The project, delivered by vessel owner O.S. Energy’s Naval Architecture and R&D office in collaboration with hydrogen and clean energy systems specialist Ecomar Propulsion, included the development of the vessel’s gaseous hydrogen storage system and the detailed integration design of the associated fuel cell…

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) have completed a joint development project for a high-efficiency 16,000-TEU ultra-large container ship equipped with a battery hybrid system.ABS awarded approval in principle (AiP) to HD KSOE and HD HHI for the vessel's electrical analysis and electrical design following design reviews conducted in accordance with class requirements.The project…

Anemoi Marine Technologies and its partners have completed a joint development project aimed at simplifying the integration of Rotor Sail wind propulsion systems on medium-range (MR) tankers, with classification society DNV granting Approval in Principle (AiP) for the design.The project was developed in collaboration with Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) and tanker operator Hafnia and focused on integrating two folding, explosion-rated Rotor Sails into an MR tanker design.The…

ABS issued approval in principle (AIP) for the integration of a nuclear reactor into a cargo vessel propulsion system developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and Capital Maritime Group.This design uses a special synthetic fluid to carry heat from the reactor core. Today’s designs typically focus on micro-scale thermal outputs of 10 to 20 megawatts. The MIT design’s near-atmospheric operating pressure can allow for thinner…

DNV has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for an independent Type B LPG cargo tank design for very large gas carriers (VLGCs).The approval covers HHI's design for a 90,000-cubic-metre independent Type B containment system for LPG carriers.According to DNV, the use of Type B tanks in VLGCs is intended to improve operational safety and maintenance accessibility throughout a vessel's service life, while providing greater flexibility in the…

DNV has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for its new LPG dual-fuel 1,400 TEU container vessel design. The certificate was presented to Hongryeul Ryu, CTO from HHI by Vidar Dolonen, Regional Manager at DNV during the Posidonia trade fair.For container vessels, LNG has been the main alternative fuel choice, but LPG is potentially an equally interesting option offering an additional pathway to enhanced efficiency and reduced emissions. In application it can offer a compelling balance of capital and operating costs…

Classification societies have always occupied a unique position in maritime: technical arbiters, rule makers, certifiers, and, increasingly, strategic advisors helping shipowners navigate some of the most consequential decisions in shipping’s and shipbuilding’s history. As maritime grapples with decarbonization mandates, digital transformation, automation, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence, that role is becoming both broader and more complex.For ClassNK, one of the world’s largest and leading classification societies…

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Hyundai Samho for a container ship design standard supporting NAV1 compliance. The AiP, presented at Posidonia 2026, centers on a remote camera system designed to deliver a continuous 360-degree field of vision around a container ship. As shipowners seek to maximize cargo efficiency, higher container stack heights can create blind spots and reduce visibility from the wheelhouse. This becomes a greater design challenge under advanced navigation notations such as LR’s NAV1…

From Congestion-as-Normal to Time-as-a-ServiceAt the Port of the Future Conference in Houston, Texas, I had the privilege of speaking on a subject that, at first hearing, may sound radical, perhaps even impractical: “Zero-Queue Ports – No Anchored Ships and No Truck Lines.” Yet the packed room, the close attention of the audience, and the thoughtful discussion that followed confirmed something important. The maritime world is ready to challenge its old assumptions. It is ready to ask whether congestion…

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry recognized several milestones and achievements during Posidonia, highlighting the collaboration and teamwork to make them possible. In mid-May 2026, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) released the 2025 Port State Control (PSC) Annual Report, which recognized the RMI as a qualifying jurisdiction for the 22nd consecutive year. The RMI is the only one of the world’s three largest registries to achieve QUALSHIP 21 for this year and the only registry in the world to achieve 22 consecutive years.

Apollo has received an Approval in Principle (Level 2) from Bureau Veritas for its PALM Quick Connection System (QCS), a technology designed to simplify the connection and disconnection of dynamic cables from floating offshore wind turbines.The approval follows a 12-month full-scale front-end engineering and design (FEED) study funded by the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership and Wave Energy Scotland.Apollo said the certification confirms that the PALM QCS has been independently…

The International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea (2010 HNS Convention) is set to enter into force on 29 November 2027, marking a milestone for shipping’s global liability and compensation regime as increasing volumes of chemicals and alternative fuels are transported by sea.The conditions for the treaty’s entry into force were met on 29 May 2026, paving the way for the 2010 HNS Convention…

Seatrium has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for its NEXTGEN Energy Hub offshore concept.The NEXTGEN Energy Hub is designed to integrate ammonia storage and bunkering, power generation and marine electric vessel charging within a single offshore platform.Seatrium said the concept is intended to support the maritime energy transition by combining infrastructure for cleaner marine fuels, offshore power generation and charging capabilities for electric vessels.The concept is based on Seatrium’s proprietary GraviBED platform…

The IMO's Maritime Safety Committee met for its 111th session from May 13 to 22 and adopted a global code for autonomous ships and advanced guidelines for ships operating on alternative fuels.First global code for autonomous shipsIMO adopted a new International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code) to support the safe integration of AI-enabled and remotely operated commercial ships into global shipping.The MASS Code sets out a comprehensive, goal-based framework to ensure that remotely controlled or autonomous ships are designed and operated to a level of safety…

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he had told his representatives not to rush into any deal with Iran, as his administration played down hopes of an imminent breakthrough in the three-month-old war that had been raised a day earlier.The U.S. blockade on Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz would "remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Both sides must take their time and get it right," he added.There was no immediate response from Iran's government.

The UAE's new crude pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz is about 50% complete, the head of ADNOC said on Wednesday, adding that global oil flows may take at least four months to recover to 80% of pre-conflict levels after the Iran war ends.Tehran has largely kept the waterway critical for global oil and gas supplies shut to all ships other than its own since U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, sending energy prices and inflation surging and fanning fears of an economic downturn.The Abu Dhabi Media Office revealed the existence of the new West-East Pipeline project last week…

RINA awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to DRIFT Energy for a novel vessel concept designed not simply to transport cargo, but to generate and deliver clean energy at sea.The AiP marks what DRIFT claimsis the first such class recognition for an energy-harvesting ship concept, advancing the UK startup’s plans to develop what it describes as the world’s first net-positive vessel.Bath, England-based DRIFT Energy has developed a vessel design that uses deep-ocean wind resources to generate energy while underway.