Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) says it plans to use Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service as a tool to accelerate licensing processes for nuclear in maritime applications. The idea is to use the Azure OpenAI platform to analyse historic nuclear licensing data, which should help licensing engineers to draft new permit documents far more quickly, LR […]
Ulstein Design & Solutions has been contracted to provide the design for a heavy-lift ship for Japanese contractor Penta-Ocean Construction (POC). The vessel will specialise in offshore wind foundation installation work within the country’s waters, and will comprise a customised version of Ulstein’s HX118 design, which features a length of 215m, a 56m beam and […]
The island nation’s maritime industry is fraught with challenges, but glimmers of hope have emerged Japan’s maritime sector stands as a testament to the nation’s ingenuity, resilience, and global competitiveness. For over a century, Japanese shipbuilders have been at the forefront of the market, constructing vessels that have sailed the world’s waters with precision and […]
In a move towards harnessing more sustainable technology, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), Japan Engine Corporation, IHI Power Systems Co., and Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. have inked contracts for the construction of the world’s first ammonia-fueled medium gas carrier (AFMGC). The vessel, a 40,000 m³ type ammonia fuel ammonia carrier, is set to be delivered […]
Japanese shipowner NYK Line has announced it will commence full-scale trials exploring the long-term use of biofuels during its 2024 financial year, following the short-term trials it has been undertaking since 2019. Between 2019 and 2023 the operator has successfully conducted test voyages using biofuels on seven oceangoing vessels, mainly bulk carriers and two tugboats. […]
A Japanese consortium has been jointly awarded what is thought to be the first Approval in Principle (AiP) for a ship equipped with a large low-speed two-stroke hydrogen-fueled engine as the main propulsion engine. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), MOL Drybulk, Onomichi Dockyard, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) received the AiP from ClassNK for […]
More than half a year into the inaugural data reporting for IMO’s carbon intensity indicator (CII) many shipowners still seem a little uncertain exactly what the new regulations will mean for them, according to Japanese classification society ClassNK. “We tried to arrange interviews with the shipowners but most didn’t take it seriously because the company […]
Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and energy company Chevron Singapore have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a strategic alliance aimed at reducing the carbon intensity of marine fuels, as well as other decarbonisation technologies in shipping. The partnership will see joint studies carried out on next-generation fuels in various regions around the world […]
Hirokazu Kaji, technical division director, Nippon Paint Marine There is no ‘silver bullet’ to secure shipping’s decarbonisation, but it’s fair to say that future fuels dominate much of the sustainability conversation in the industry and across the supply chain. Whether it’s discussion of increasingly common LNG, methanol, and biofuel solutions, or less developed alternatives, such […]
The Japanese company’s fleet renewal strategy is targeting net-zero emissions by 2050, writes Tom Barlow-Brown. Japanese shipowner NYK Line is increasingly adopting a carbon neutral stance, transitioning its fuel choices to LNG and ordering newbuilds that utilise new environmentally conscious technology. WinGD is the latest to have been picked to provide dual-fuel option for NYK. […]
Ahead of last November’s 77th session of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 77), Japan joined calls to make international shipping carbon neutral by 2050, supporting a proposal by the US, the United Kingdom, Norway and Costa Rica for IMO to raise the bar on its ambition and bring the regulator […]
Ship & Boat International eNews: September/October 2021