International Report – Pacific Maritime Magazine

IMO Opening Regional Office in Fiji to Serve the Pacific

The International Maritime Organization is opening a Regional Presence Office in Suva, Fiji to serve countries and territories in the Pacific Islands region. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez and Fiji’s Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport of the Republic of Fiji, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, signed a Memorandum of Understanding at IMO Headquarters in London on March 18 to seal the arrangement. “The Regional Presence Office will support the maritime needs and priorities of countries in the Pacific Islands region,” the International Maritime Organization explained in a statement, “aligning IMO actions with national and regional development policies, while providing advice…

New Report Reveals Concerning Rise in Maritime Piracy Incidents

The annual Piracy and Armed Robbery Report of the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) released in mid-January has raised concern over the first successful Somali based hijacking since 2017. The IMB’s annual report recorded 120 incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery against ships in 2023 compared to 115 in 2022. According to the report, 105 vessels were boarded, nine attempted attacks, four vessels hijacked and two fired upon. Since the number of 2023 reported incidents has slightly increased compared to 2022, the IMB has urged caution for crew safety as the number of crew taken hostage and kidnapped increased…

IMO Names New Secretary-General, Senior Management Team

A new secretary-general has been installed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and has announced the members of his leadership team. Arsenio Dominguez became the 10th elected Secretary-General of IMO on Jan. 1. Dominguez, who’s from Panama, succeeded Kitack Lim of South Korea, who was IMO Secretary-General from 2016-2023. Dominguez was confirmed by the IMO Assembly 33rd session, which met in November-December 2023. His initial term is four years, ending Dec. 31, 2027. Dominguez had been director of the IMO’s Marine Environment Division, a post he’d held since January 2022. He joined the IMO Secretariat in 2017 as Chief of…

Dutch University Launches Maritime Cyberattack Database

Researchers at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands in July announced that they have launched the Maritime Cyber Attack Database (MCAD), a database of incidents involving the worldwide maritime sector. As of the time of its launch, the database contained more than 160 incidents. The university said in a statement that incidents in the database demonstrate the relevance of cybersecurity across the board of today’s maritime industry and the vulnerabilities that exist. Drawing from open source information, the NHL Stenden’s Maritime IT Security research group collected information on the more than 160 cyber incidents for the MCAD.…

Kongberg Maritime Awarded Vessel Design Contract

Kongsberg Maritime announced in mid-November that it has won a NOK 300 million ($30 million USD) contract with Pelagic Wind Services to supply advanced vessel design and equipment for two new commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs) to be built at Cochin Shipyard in India. The CSOVs are to be built to Kongsberg Maritime’s UT 5519 HL design. “We’re delighted to work with Kongsberg Maritime to develop this next-generation vessel, which is firmly focused on sustainable operation, safety and efficiency,” Pelagic Wind Services CEO Andre Groeneveld said. The equipment package includes a complete hybrid propulsion system driving highly efficient, permanent magnet…

UWL Opens First China Office

U.S.-based global third-party logistics solutions provider UWL has expanded its global footprint with the opening of its first office in China in Shanghai’s Bund area. UWL began servicing customers on Dec. 1. “2021 and 2022 were years of tremendous challenge for UWL and our customer base, who to this day, remain heavily invested in China and Asia for their manufacturing needs,” UWL President Duncan Wright said. “This expansion is part of our strategy to be physically closer to our customers’ factories and our ocean network and carrier partners. The better we can collaborate on solutions and have more direct control…

Intermarine Joins with WeShip Projects, Launches Intermarine Asia

U.S.-based ocean carrier Intermarine has joined forces with Thai project and breakbulk cargo specialist WeShip Projects to launch Intermarine Asia and strengthen Intermarine’s position in Europe. As part of the deal, WeShip partners Torben Reinhard and Lars Steen Rasmussen have joined Intermarine’s commercial team. “Intermarine and WeShip have already partnered successfully for over a year now in the Asia-Pacific trade, and we are very excited to combine our organizations to jointly grow the Intermarine presence in Asia and Europe,” Intermarine CEO Svend Andersen said. Since its relaunch in 2020, Intermarine has successfully developed its business within breakbulk and multipurpose shipping,…

Code of Safety Adopted for Ships Carrying Industrial Personnel

A new mandatory safety code for ships carrying industrial personnel—aimed at ensuring the safety of people transported to work on offshore facilities including windfarms—was adopted by the International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) during its November meeting. The new Chapter XV of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the associated new International Code of Safety for Ships Carrying Industrial Personnel (IP Code) were developed by the IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction. The aim is to provide minimum safety standards for ships that carry industrial personnel, as well as for the personnel…

Seapeak Orders 5 LNG Carrier Newbuilds

Bermuda-based LNG gas carrier owner and operator Seapeak LLC has entered into shipbuilding contracts for the construction of five, 174,000-cubic meter M-type, Electronically Controlled, Gas Admission (MEGA) propulsion LNG carrier newbuilds, the company confirmed in late November. The LNG carriers are to be built by Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. for a total fully built-up cost of about $1.1 billion. They’re scheduled for delivery in 2027. “Upon their deliveries, the five LNG carriers will each operate under a fixed-rate time-charter contract with an international energy major for a firm period of 10 years, each of which can be extended at…

Maersk, Carbon Sink Sign Partnership to Accelerate Green Marine Fuels Production

As part of a strategy to decarbonize its customers’ supply chains, Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk has entered a green marine fuels partnership with Annapolis, Md.-based project developer Carbon Sink. The parties have signed a letter of intent covering the development by Carbon Sink of green methanol production facilities in the U.S. The first facility is to be co-located with the Red River Energy existing bioethanol plant in Rosholt, South Dakota, with a production capacity of about 100,000 tons per year. The commercial start is anticipated in 2027. Maersk has said that it intends to purchase the full volume produced…