Hong Kong-based marine fuel supplier Chimbusco Pan Nation (CPN) on Tuesday (16 June) announced that its bunker barge Zhong Ran 23 has become the first vessel in Hong Kong listed on the Marine Department’s official List of Quality Bunker Vessels.

The list under the Quality Bunker Operator Scheme launched on 3 June.

“The Scheme is a voluntary initiative designed to raise the standard of bunkering accuracy, transparency, and service quality in Hong Kong,” CPN said in a social media post.

“To be listed, a bunker vessel must have its Mass Flow Meter (MFM) system independently certified under ISO 22192, the international benchmark for mass flow metering in bunkering operations.”

CPN added it has operated the MFM system across our fleet of fuel oil barges since 2015. 

Manifold Times previously reported Hong Kong’s Marine Department (MD) launching the Quality Bunker Operator Scheme to encourage bunker operators to install and use mass flow meter systems (MFM systems) on their bunker vessels.

MD said the scheme aims to enhance Hong Kong’s bunkering service quality and the competitiveness of Hong Kong ports, thereby further consolidating Hong Kong’s position as an international maritime centre and a major bunkering port.

Under the Scheme, bunker operators of traditional maritime fuel and biodiesel that install and use MFM systems on their bunker vessels, with the MFM systems inspected and certified by an accredited body in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization’s ISO 22192 Standard or equivalent requirements, can apply to the MD for inclusion in the scheme’s “List of Quality Bunker Vessels”, provided they meet the relevant technical and operational requirements. 

Related: Hong Kong backs MFM adoption with voluntary scheme to boost bunkering competitiveness

Photo credit: Chimbusco Pan Nation
Published: 17 June, 2026

Classification society DNV recently highlighted how complex methanol retrofits can be carried out in practice through a project involving COSCO Shipping, CHI Shanghai, MARIC, suppliers, and DNV. 

Its latest Maritime Impact article detailed challenges in design integration, construction, commissioning, and operations, while demonstrating how close collaboration and early planning support more efficient delivery and knowledge transfer: 

The world’s first methanol conversion project for a mega container carrier was completed at CHI‑Shanghai’s yard in September 2025. At nearly 400 metres in length and with a capacity of 20,000 TEU, the seven‑year‑old vessel became the first ship of its kind to be retrofitted to run on methanol. 

Delivered through close coordination between COSCO Shipping, CHI Shanghai, designers, suppliers, and DNV, and supported by a process of continuous learning, the project demonstrated that deep, first‑of‑a‑kind retrofits can be executed safely, on time, and at industrial scale.

Designing a methanol conversion for a megaship

The vessel’s fuel system, designed only for conventional fuels, required fundamental changes to enable safe and compliant methanol operation across propulsion, auxiliaries, storage, and safety systems.

The general design was developed by MARIC, while CHI Shanghai carried out the detailed engineering and served as EPC contractor. The scope included conversion of the ship’s MAN B&W 11S90 main engine and two of its four Wärtsilä auxiliary engines to dual‑fuel operation. In parallel, new methanol fuel tanks with a total capacity exceeding 15,000 cubic metres were installed forward of the engine room, together with new fuel preparation and supply systems.

Coordinating the complexity of retrofitting

Delivering this as a retrofit rather than a newbuild added complexity that is often underestimated. Existing structural arrangements could not simply be replaced, and new systems had to be integrated into confined spaces, requiring innovative construction sequences and tight interface management between suppliers. 

“This was a very complex project involving many parties, including engine makers, fuel system suppliers, and automation and safety specialists,” says Yan Hao, Commercial Director at CHI‑Shanghai. “It was also the first time all of these suppliers had worked together on a methanol retrofit of this scale. Coordination was critical.”

Note: The full article by DNV can be read here.

Photo credit: DNV and COSCO Shipping
Published: 15 June, 2026

In this Maritime Impact article, published on Monday (8 June), Georgios Kasimatis, Director of Regulatory Affairs at classification society DNV, explained how wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) safety is already being managed through the ISM Code, class standards, and flag state engagement. 

The article explored current operational practices, emerging IMO guidance, and what shipowners can expect as safety frameworks continue to evolve alongside wider adoption of the technology:

Wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) have moved beyond pilot projects. Today, ships equipped with rotors, wings, and sails are trading globally, helping owners cut fuel consumption and emissions while responding to increasingly stringent greenhouse gas requirements. Yet this rapid operational uptake is unfolding faster than binding international regulation is being finalized. 

This creates a familiar but critical tension. The technology is already in service and increasing in scale across the global fleet, but the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is still developing harmonized safety guidance. For operators in the space, that gap can feel like uncertainty or risk. In reality, the regulatory signals around WAPS are becoming clearer, and safety processes are already in place through the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, flag state engagement, and classification standards.  

WAPS are now firmly on the IMO safety agenda 

At the IMO level, wind propulsion and wind-assisted power are now clearly on the safety agenda. The subcommittee on ship design and construction has been formally tasked with developing interim safety guidelines, supported by correspondence group work and progressing towards consideration by the maritime safety committee. While timelines at IMO can be revised, these guidelines are expected to be developed and finalized within the next three to four years.    

Importantly, these discussions are not happening in a vacuum. They sit within a wider IMO effort to ensure that new and emerging technologies and fuels are addressed within a broader, coherent safety framework. For WAPS, key developments so far have included their identification as a technology which requires dedicated safety standards, as well as recognition that existing instruments, such as SOLAS, COLREG, stability codes, and other navigational safety provisions, may not fully capture safety hazards specific to the technologies. 

The prevailing view in discussions to date is that risks appear manageable when systematically identified and controlled. Attention has centred on well-known risks that can be managed with the right design assumptions, operational controls, and human element safeguards. These include visibility and sensor performance, manoeuvrability and controllability, air draft and port interfaces, stability effects, extreme weather exposure, and crew competence.

Existing frameworks already manage WAPS risks 

Crucially, the absence of finalized IMO guidance does not mean that WAPS safety is unmanaged. Far from it. Today’s operational safety baseline rests on three pillars: flag state engagement, class approval using established technical standards, and – most fundamentally – the Safety Management System (SMS) under the ISM Code, a mandatory requirement under SOLAS Chapter IX. 

Class frameworks – including DNV’s technical standard (DNV-ST-0511) – already address core technical aspects, including structural integrity, fatigue, extreme wind loading, system integration, and operational limits. For installations designed and approved against these standards, future IMO guidance is more likely to bring harmonization than to trigger fundamental changes, and existing WAPS installations are therefore unlikely to be significantly affected.  

Where WAPS installations affect visibility in ways that touch SOLAS Chapter V/22, acceptance of equivalent arrangements remains a flag state decision, typically supported by class technical assessments. In practice, guidance such as DNV’s recommended practice for CCTV-based solutions (DNV-CG-0662) is commonly used to support these evaluations. 

Note: The full article by DNV can be read here. 

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 10 June, 2026