Decarbonisation

APM 2024: Achieving IMO GHG 2030 goal is possible but requires firing all cylinders, says DNV

DNV believes it is possible to meet IMO GHG 2030 goal which requires shipping to secure 30–40% of estimated annual global supply of carbon-neutral bunker fuels, but emphasizes a lot needs to be done.

Published

2 years ago

March 22, 2024

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APM 2024: Achieving IMO GHG 2030 goal is possible but requires firing all cylinders, says DNV

Experts from classification society DNV participated in various panel sessions at the Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) 2024, held from 13 to 15 March, discussing decarbonization, the importance of pilot projects to find green and sustainable solutions, industry trends and the evolving role of vessel classification among others:

At Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) at Marina Bay Sands Singapore last week, there was alot to see and hear about technology and innovations, about digitalization and decarbonization.

But was there enough evidence of genuine commitment by the maritime industry to make the very necessary changes – with alternative fuels, more energy efficient operations or in ship design – in time to reach the targets that IMO has set?

“A near impossible task” to meet the IMO GHG 2030 goal which requires shipping to secure 30–40% of the estimated annual global supply of carbon-neutral fuels, said DNV’s Area Business Development Manager Girish Sreeraman, in the discussion on “Clean Energy Transition in Shipping: Optimizing Strategies, Hitting IMO Targets and Balancing Profitability”.

Drawing on DNV’s latest report “Energy Transition Outlook 2023”, he pointed out that other sectors will be competing for the same cleaner and greener fuel supply. It is therefore imperative for the shipping industry to align environmental objectives with financial sustainability in its transition to cleaner energy sources.

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Operational Energy-efficient Measures

DNV believes it is possible, but a lot more needs to be done to reduce energy consumption, using operational energy-efficiency measures like speed reduction, route optimization, and hull and propeller cleaning.

This was reiterated by Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, VP, Regional Manager South East Asia, Pacific & India, Maritime at DNV – who said that we must continue to focus on all other ways to cut emissions from the maritime sector, which includes making our vessels more energy efficient and at the same time, looking to alternative fuels.

Speaking on the “Norwegian Innovations: Pioneering Green and Sustainable Maritime Solutions” panel, Cristina reinforced the value of learning and adopting innovative measures from Norway and applying them in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Norway and Singapore both put into practice the importance of testing, to ensure that any new ideas adopted are economically viable.

Pioneering Solutions by using Pilots

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When it comes to pioneering green and sustainable solutions, Cristina stressed on the importance of ‘piloting’ and the importance of safety and training our people to be ready for change.

She also noted increased activity in the electrification of vessels, where Norway has taken the lead – and is growing here in Singapore as well – with the introduction of electric and hybrid harbour craft.

It is essential to take into consideration the whole life cycle of the electric vessel supply chain.

This is where DNV together with local partners like Seatrium, Surbana Jurong Group and others, with support from Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), is working to develop Singapore’s first comprehensive electric vessel supply chain.

While electrification is but one solution to decarbonize the maritime industry, it is noteworthy that it might only account for about 4% of the 2050 maritime fuel-mix, as per DNV’s latest report.

Challenges, Uncertainties and New Risks

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The evolution happening in the maritime industry in connection with decarbonization and digitalization brings many new challenges, with numerous uncertainties and new risks.

This was emphasized by Vice President & Area Manager, SEA(S) & Indian Subcontinent at DNV Maritime, Denzal Hargreaves in the session on “Future of Vessel Classification – How Classification is Evolving to Support Innovation and Sustainability”.

With the emergence of new, alternative fuels and technologies, the increasing complexity and diversity of vessel designs come together to make the core role of Class Societies, like DNV – to safeguard life, property and the environment – more important now than ever.

But we must maximize the use of technology and all tools at our disposal.

Denzal believes we can achieve added efficiency through the effective use of technology, but we still need to rely on the expertise of our people playing key roles.

Maintaining the role of the ship surveyor

There are many expectations in the industry on the expanded role being played by digitalization, but we have to realize that the majority of these aids and algorithms are designed to collect information and supply the data we need, but they don’t replace the human element.

The role of the ship surveyor, for example, is to use all of his or her senses to observe, to assess and to collect everything needed to make decisions. The digital transformation helps us collect all the relevant data, but the human element is still there, and the specific skill sets are still required.

The maritime industry needs the ship surveyor more than ever as we need to identify and introduce collaboration and innovation, which are increasingly essential. Of course, we can make full use of technology. We’re seeing underwater drones being used to make inspections at sea. They can undertake cargo tank inspections, using visual recognition software and digital twins to perform surveys and highlight potential risk areas which can be followed up by experts.

We can have the best technology available, but not forget the importance of the human element, equipping and training people to do the job.

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 22 March 2024

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Alternative Fuels

MPA and MSC ink MoU to support adoption of alternative bunker fuels

MPA and MSC will explore new routes and services to strengthen connectivity, support the adoption of alternative marine fuels such as bio-LNG, and advance technologies to improve vessel energy efficiency.

Published

17 hours ago

June 4, 2026

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MPA and MSC ink MoU to support adoption of alternative bunker fuels

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Wednesday (3 June) said it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company to strengthen collaboration in maritime decarbonisation, digitalisation, innovation, and manpower development.

The MoU was signed on 25 May 2026 by Mr Ang Wee Keong, Chief Executive of MPA, and Mr Soren Toft, Chief Executive Officer of MSC.

The MoU underscores the shared commitment of MPA and MSC to foster a sustainable, digital, and future-ready maritime sector, while enhancing MSC’s operational and business activities in Singapore. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of MSC establishing its Asia Regional Office and local office in Singapore.

Under the MoU, MPA and MSC will explore new routes and services to strengthen connectivity, support the adoption of alternative marine fuels such as bio-LNG, and advance technologies to improve vessel energy efficiency and operational performance.

MPA and MSC will also collaborate on maritime digitalisation initiatives to improve operational efficiency, including streamlining vessel arrivals and port operations.

On manpower development, MSC will support internship and scholarship opportunities through Singapore Maritime Foundation’s Maritime Outreach Network (MaritimeONE) platform, an industry-led tripartite partnership comprising industry, government and institutes of higher learning that aims to raise awareness of the maritime industry and attract quality talent into the maritime sector.

Mr Ang Wee Keong, Chief Executive of MPA, said: “This partnership reflects the strong collaboration between MPA and MSC in driving sustainability and digitalisation in the maritime sector. By working together on decarbonisation, operational efficiency and talent development, we aim to strengthen Maritime Singapore’s position as a trusted and future-ready global maritime hub.”

Mr Soren Toft, Chief Executive Officer of MSC, said: “Singapore is a strategically important hub for MSC and a key gateway to the broader Asia region. As we mark 30 years in Singapore, this MOU reinforces our long-term commitment to strengthening our presence here. MSC and Singapore are closely aligned on the priorities shaping the future of global shipping, and we look forward to deepening this partnership to drive the continued growth and resilience of the maritime industry.”

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 4 June, 2026

Emissions reporting

StormGeo and OceanScore link emissions data, compliance workflows

Cooperation combines StormGeo’s expertise in operational vessel and emissions data with OceanScore’s expertise in emissions compliance workflows across EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime and UK ETS requirements.

Published

17 hours ago

June 4, 2026

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StormGeo and OceanScore link emissions data, compliance workflows

Weather intelligence and decision support solutions provider StormGeo and Hamburg-based technology platform OceanScore on Wednesday (3 June) said they have deepened their ongoing cooperation through the signing of a collaboration agreement during Posidonia 2026 in Athens on 2 June.

The cooperation combines StormGeo’s expertise in operational vessel and emissions data with OceanScore’s expertise in emissions compliance workflows across EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime and upcoming UK ETS requirements.

Together, the companies aim to help shipping companies seamlessly navigate increasing regulatory complexity more efficiently — from emissions reporting and data validation to compliance exposure management, pooling and financial settlement.

As emissions regulation becomes an increasingly important part of commercial shipping operations, the need for reliable operational data and streamlined compliance processes continues to grow. The cooperation between StormGeo and OceanScore is designed to support shipping companies with more connected, transparent and actionable processes across operational and commercial teams.

“From the outside, companies like StormGeo and OceanScore may sometimes be perceived as competitors because both operate around emissions and compliance workflows,” said Albrecht Grell, Managing Director at OceanScore.

“But in reality, the industry increasingly needs both perspectives working together: trusted operational emissions data on one side and commercial compliance execution on the other. Our cooperation reflects that shipping companies are no longer looking for isolated solutions — they need connected processes, automated across different systems and reliable decision-making throughout the full compliance chain.”

By connecting validated operational emissions data with commercial compliance management, the cooperation supports workflows across:

emissions reporting and validation
compliance management across EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime and upcoming UK ETS requirements
exposure visibility and cost transparency
pooling, settlement and financial processes

The cooperation also aims to improve commercial transparency and coordination across operational and commercial stakeholders.

“StormGeo plays a central role in helping shipping companies turn operational vessel and emissions data into trusted, decision-ready insights,” said Espen Martinsen, Chief Commercial Officer at StormGeo.

“As emissions regulations become more complex, this data is essential for transparent and efficient compliance management. By working with OceanScore, we can help customers connect StormGeo’s validated operational data with commercial compliance processes, creating a more integrated and practical approach to emissions management.”

The signing ceremony took place at the StormGeo booth during Posidonia 2026 in Athens and was attended by representatives from both companies.

Both companies expect the cooperation to continue evolving alongside upcoming regulatory developments, including FuelEU Maritime, EU ETS, the upcoming UK ETS and future emissions-related frameworks affecting global shipping.

Photo credit: StormGeo
Published: 4 June, 2026

Methanol

Seaspan and Hapag-Lloyd complete first of five methanol vessel retrofit

Following “Seaspan Yangtze”, the remaining vessels planned for retrofit under the methanol retrofit programme are “Seaspan Amazon”, “Seaspan Ganges”, “Seaspan Thames”, and “Seaspan Zambezi”.

Published

17 hours ago

June 4, 2026

Admin

Seaspan and Hapag-Lloyd complete first of five methanol vessel retrofit

Seaspan Corporation (Seaspan) and Hapag-Lloyd on Wednesday (3 June) announced the successful completion of the first of the five vessel conversions under their methanol retrofit programme with the delivery of Seaspan Yangtze.

From the early SAVER (Seaspan Action for Vessel Energy Reduction) programme to today’s CleanBlue initiative, Seaspan has committed over USD 230 USD million across 86 vessels, executing more than 550 efficiency and retrofit projects.

Following Seaspan Yangtze, the remaining vessels planned for retrofit under the programme are Seaspan Amazon, Seaspan Ganges, Seaspan Thames, and Seaspan Zambezi. Each retrofit is expected to reduce well-to-wake CO₂e emissions by approximately 30,000 to 50,000 metric tonnes per vessel annually when operating on low-carbon methanol, while also extending vessel lifespan and enhancing fuel flexibility.

“Decarbonisation is not just about building the fleet of tomorrow, it is also about unlocking the full potential of the fleet we have today. Retrofitting and upgrades on existing fleets play a practical, immediate, and economical role in accelerating shipping’s decarbonization journey,” said Bing Chen, Chairman, President and CEO of Seaspan.

“Project SAVER CleanBlue highlights Seaspan’s strong customer partnerships, deep technical expertise, and unique platform integrated with JV partners, such as WattSpan Maritime Technology, in executing complex and large-scale retrofit projects.”

“The successful conversion of the Seaspan Yangtze together with the planned retrofit of its four sister vessels is another important step on our ambitious path towards net-zero fleet operations by 2045,” said Silke Lehmköster, Managing Director, Fleet, Hapag-Lloyd.

“Together with Seaspan, we are demonstrating that retrofitting existing vessels for low-carbon methanol can be a practical way to reduce emissions in shipping.”

Photo credit: Seaspan
Published: 4 June, 2026