In Korea, News 1 reports Jeonbuk State on March 25 set out a plan to turn the restart of Gunsan shipyard into a broader industrial relaunch, linking the site to AI based shipbuilding, alternative fuel testing and vessel repair. Governor Kim Kwan-young said the province wants the yard to move beyond producing ship sections and […]
In the US, Viking announced it has floated out the Viking Libra at Fincantieri’s Ancona, Italy yard, moving what it calls the world’s first hydrogen powered cruise ship into the final construction stage ahead of delivery in November 2026. The vessel, set for its first season in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, will use a […]
In Korea, Korean Register says the IMO is on track to adopt its first international safety rules for ships using compressed gaseous hydrogen and liquefied hydrogen as fuel, a move that could accelerate the development of hydrogen fueled vessels as shipping looks for cleaner propulsion options. KR said the draft Interim Guidelines were developed at […]
In China, Sina Finance reports that Jiaxing port zone has moved a hydrogen fueled container vessel closer to commercial service after the Dongfang Qinggang completed a long distance inland voyage test to Hangzhou’s Xiasha port, giving the Zhejiang hub a live demonstration of hydrogen shipping beyond the pilot stage. The 64 TEU vessel, described as […]
In China, China News reports that Guangxi shipbuilder Guiping Hongxin Ship Repair and Building on March 25 launched a batch of methanol, pure electric and LNG hybrid vessels and signed cooperation agreements covering 19 new energy ships with three companies, marking a move into cleaner inland shipbuilding for the region. The signing covered three projects […]
In India, Shipping Corporation of India signed a shipbuilding contract with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders on March 18 for one 3,000 dwt methanol dual-fuel diesel-electric platform supply vessel, giving the state-owned carrier its first ship designed to run on green methanol. The vessel is being positioned as Shipping Corporation of India’s first move into methanol fueled […]
In the UK, University College London researchers posit LNG and methanol should not automatically be treated as stepping stones to ammonia in shipping. The paper finds that methanol creates very little physical or financial overlap with a future ammonia system, while LNG offers more technical spillovers but only becomes a meaningful bridge if ships and […]
DNV announced on March 12 that it had completed a multi-year study for the European Maritime Safety Agency concluding that hydrogen-fuelled ships will need a design-based safety approach, with secondary enclosures recommended across all hydrogen-carrying components, including those installed on open deck. The report argues that hydrogen poses a different risk profile from other alternative […]
In Japan, Sumitomo Corporation, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha and NYK Bulkship announced on March 17 that they had signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly carry out front-end engineering and design for a new ammonia bunkering vessel intended for deployment in Singapore, while also studying ownership structures suited to that market. The agreement is meant to […]
In the Netherlands, the Port of Rotterdam Authority said on March 12 it will build a new inland shipping quay for Evos Rotterdam’s terminal expansion in Europoort, where the company plans to add five tanks with 67,500 cubic meters of storage for bio- and conventional methanol and ethanol on top of its existing 21 tanks […]
