In recognition of mutual interests in maritime education and research, RINA, the inspection, certification and consulting engineering multinational, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Maritime University (WMU), an institution established by and for the international maritime community within the UN system. The MoU is aimed to promote academic, technical, and educational exchange between the two institutions with the aim to inspire leadership and innovation for a sustainable maritime and oceans future.
Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of the WMU, said, “We are pleased to establish a partnership with RINA, an organisation that is committed to ensure an energy transition for the maritime industry. Engagement with the industry is vital for WMU and RINA’s green approach aligns perfectly with our focus on maritime energy and the UN Sustainable Goals. We look forward to a fruitful partnership.”
The MoU, signed in Genoa, will present opportunities for field study training exchanges for WMU students, exchange of academic information, and, where appropriate, collaborative research.
“We are delighted to put this MoU in place and see it as a forward-thinking approach for the industry,” adds Paolo Moretti, CEO of RINA Services. “The exchange of information and the education of young engineers are vital for the decarbonisation pathway and innovations for the future. The MoU will help attract talent and further the development of new ideas that will support the maritime industry going forward.”
“While the MoU initially runs for a period of five years, we hope that this is the start of a long-term relationship between our two institutions which will benefit the maritime industry at all levels” concludes Moretti at RINA.
The World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmo, Sweden, is established within the framework of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) a specialized agency of the United Nations. The mission of WMU is to be the world centre of excellence in postgraduate maritime and oceans education, professional training and research, while building global capacity and promoting sustainable development. WMU’s vision is to inspire leadership and innovation for a sustainable maritime ocean’s future. WMU is an organization by and for the international maritime community and is committed to the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
RINA provides a wide range of services across the Energy, Marine, Certification, Infrastructure & Mobility, Real Estate and Industry sectors. With net revenues in 2021 of 533 million Euros, over 5,300 employees and 200 offices in 70 countries worldwide, RINA is a member of key international organisations and an important contributor to the development of new legislative standards

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ERMA FIRST, a leading sustainable marine solutions provider, has published a new whitepaper which presents alternative maritime power solutions as the key to greener ports as the regulatory landscape increasingly favours shore power capabilities.
Available to download, the new whitepaper – Alternative Maritime Power: The Key to Greener Ports – offers an in-depth review of the environmental and operational benefits of shore power. It outlines the impact of air pollution from ports on local communities and the surrounding environment and the level of pollution generated by vessels at berth, also providing a summary of the rapidly changing regulatory frameworks that require ships and ports to have shore power capabilities.
The paper goes on to discuss shore power as an alternative fuel, highlighting the need for standardisation, the basic architecture required and system variations before introducing ERMA FIRST’s revolutionary shore power solution – BLUE CONNECT.
Interest in Alternative Maritime Power (AMP) – or cold-ironing – solutions has continued to gather pace as efforts to reduce emissions remains a top priority for the shipping sector. When at berth and running diesel-fuelled auxiliary engines to power the hotel load, a vessel emits a harmful combination of pollutants. They include carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and particulate matter – all of which are known to contribute to poor air quality and to have a negative impact on health and the environment.
Dimitris Tsoulos, BLUE CONNECT Director at ERMA FIRST, said: “Shore power solutions can effectively eliminate exhaust gases, particulate matter and noise as they allow ships to completely shut-down their auxiliary engines and connect to an onshore power supply. To help achieve the industry’s decarbonisation goals and protect local communities and ecosystems, ship owners, managers and ports need to start taking the necessary steps towards ensuring shore power connections are available worldwide.
“The purpose of ERMA FIRST’s new whitepaper is to help present the case for shore power as an alternative fuel and an environmentally efficient solution as regulations continue to tighten, while providing insight into key technical specifications which must be considered.”
To download a copy of the whitepaper, visit: http://www.ermafirst.com/ef-library/

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Maran Dry Management Inc. (MDM), the dry bulk shipping arm of the Angelicoussis Group, recently took delivery of two Newcastlemax bulk carriers, Ubuntu Unity on February 28th and Ubuntu Community on April 18th - both from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Ship Building Co., Ltd. (SWS). The two DNV-classed vessels are the first LNG-fueled bulk carriers to join the MDM fleet.
The 190,000-dwt vessels, registered with the Greek flag, are the first dual-fueled bulk carriers in the Greek market, and will sail using LNG. The use of LNG will lead to significant reductions in CO2 and NOx, while almost eliminating SOx and particulate matter emissions. With a combination of dual-fuel, hull optimizations and energy efficiency measures, the vessels have a very advantageous and low EEDI rating, much lower than the baseline. 
“Maran Dry Management, as part of the Angelicoussis Group, is committed to decarbonization and embraces sustainability initiatives to optimize its fleet environmental performance”, said Captain Babis Kouvakas, Managing Director at Maran Dry Management Inc. (MDM). “We are delighted to have collaborated with DNV and SWS on the design and development of these modern and environmentally friendly ships. Both vessels incorporate the latest technology, aiming to reduce carbon emissions.”
“We are very pleased to have been involved with the charterer, owner, yard and designers from the outset of this project,” said Morten Løvstad, Vice President and Global Business Director for Bulk Carriers, DNV Maritime. “These highly efficient and innovative vessels, with dual-fuel engines, and an optimized hull design, show MDM’s commitment to meeting environmental regulations not just today but over the long term.”  
The vessels are 299.80 meters long, 47.5 meters wide and 24.70 meters deep, with a design draft of 18.25 meters and a design draft speed of 14 knots. They can use both LNG and conventional fuel and are equipped with two type-C LNG fuel tanks. The capacity of the LNG tanks means that the vessels could operate for 20,000 nautical miles powered by gas, allowing the vessels to complete two round-trip routes from China to Australia or one round-trip route from China to Brazil. 
“The delivery of these vessels is another milestone in the close cooperation being forged between the Angelicoussis Group and DNV,” said Ioannis Chiotopoulos, Senior Vice President, and Regional Manager South East Europe, Middle East and Africa, DNV Maritime. “These new vessels clearly show the Group`s commitment to driving sustainability in the bulk segment, and are great examples of how the maritime community is taking up the challenge of reducing our environmental footprint through innovation. We thank MDM for their trust and welcome Ubuntu Unity and Ubuntu Community to DNV class. May they enjoy smooth sailing for many years to come.” 
The Ubuntu vessels are on charter to global mining company Anglo American.

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At a ceremony in South Korea on March 22^nd, HHI-EMD celebrated the world’s largest methanol-powered two-stroke engine, an MAN B&W G95ME-LGIM type. Simultaneously, the engine’s manufacture pushed the company past the 200 million brake-horsepower milestone for low-speed, two-stroke engines.
Bjarne Foldager, Head of Two-Stroke Business, attended the ceremony on behalf of MAN Energy Solutions. In a speech at the event, he congratulated Hyundai, referred to the cooperation between the two companies that started in 1974, and noted that Hyundai was the first engine manufacturer to reach the 200 million bhp mark: “It took about 35 years for the first 100 million brake-horsepower, and only 13 years for the next 100 million – an unbelievable achievement!”
Regarding the engine itself, Foldager continued: “With its 95 cm cylinder bore-size, this is the world’s largest methanol engine. And maybe most importantly, when this engine is in operation it will save 130,000 tons of CO₂ annually when operating on carbon-neutral methanol. We have a great responsibility for the future to develop and produce environmentally-friendly engines and ships. We are really proud of helping Hyundai on this important journey and hope to celebrate many new milestones together in the future.”
Subsequently, the G95ME-C10.5-LGIM methanol engine could report a successful FAT (Factory Acceptance Test) during the first half of April.
About the MAN B&W ME-LGIM engine
MAN Energy Solutions developed the ME-LGIM dual-fuel engine for operation on methanol, as well as conventional fuel. The engine is based on the company’s proven ME-series, with its approximately 8,500 engines in service, and works according to the Diesel principle. When operating on green methanol, the engine offers carbon-neutral propulsion for large merchant-marine vessels. Currently more than 100 ME-LGIM engines are on order or in service, more than 50 of which are G95ME-C10.5-LGIM variants.
Methanol carriers have already operated at sea for many years using the engine, and, as such, the ME-LGIM has a proven track record offering great reliability and high fuel-efficiency.

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Costamare one of the leading Greek ship operators, managing a modern fleet of 70 container ship and 45 dry bulk carriers along with its longstanding technology partner Navarino added the Starlink connectivity service to its vessels, starting with a trial on 4 ships.
Mr Themis Sardis, Head of IT for Costamare, is looking forward to seeing what Starlink can do. ‘Starlink has a lot of potential for us’ he explains. ‘With its very high speeds and low latency, it could enable completely new ways of working in terms of the technological tools we can implement across our fleet – to benefit our business operations, our crews’ welfare, as well as the compliance needs of our fleet. We pride ourselves on routinely testing new tools and advanced solutions that may give our company an edge, and of course which can contribute positively to the well-being and safety of our seafarers onboard.
Starlink is the latest such solution, and having worked with Navarino on several advanced projects over the years, we know that they can be trusted to design, implement and support innovative projects such as these with us. This is why we are excited to be taking the next step in our fleets’ technological development together with them.’
Andreas Dimitradis, Director of Strategic Relations for Navarino added ‘We are very proud to be working with Costamare to add this powerful new connectivity solution to their vessels. Navarino has seen first-hand what Starlink can offer to ship operators, and, as technology integrators, we have the expertise to create the required hybrid connectivity setup onboard – adding new LEO satellite services like Starlink alongside existing legacy GEO satellite platforms.
What’s more, thanks to Infinity, our customers can enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing that whichever connectivity service is in use, it is being controlled, managed and utilized according to the parameters that they have set. I look forward to working closely with Themis and his team to maximise the benefits of this hybrid approach and with it, to help them really upgrade every aspect of the way that they communicate with their vessels.’

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Chevron and Angelicoussis come up with a Joint Study Agreement to explore how tankers can be used to transport ammonia, a potential lower carbon marine fuel. The initial study will evaluate the ammonia transportation market, existing infrastructure, the safety aspects of ammonia, potential next generation vessel requirements and a preliminary system to transport ammonia between the U.S. Gulf Coast and Europe. Future opportunities will focus on additional global markets.
Ammonia is a carrier of hydrogen and is believed to have potential to lower the carbon intensity of the marine industry. Through the JSA, the Angelicoussis Group and Chevron aim to advance ammonia’s technical and commercial feasibility at scale, particularly as an export for petrochemicals, power, and mobility markets.
“We are pleased to collaborate with the Angelicoussis Group on this study, help advance lower carbon energy at scale and progress marine transportation of ammonia,” said Mark Ross, President of Chevron Shipping Company. “I’m proud of the collaboration between Chevron Shipping, Chevron New Energies and the Angelicoussis Group and look forward to driving progress toward our energy transition goals.”
“Global value chain solutions are critical for growing the hydrogen market, and we believe shipping will play a crucial role. Chevron is leveraging its international functional marine expertise and collaborating with the Angelicoussis Group to pursue the delivery of lower carbon proof points to the market,” said Austin Knight, Vice President, Hydrogen, Chevron New Energies.
“Through collaborating with Chevron Shipping Company on this study, we aim to make a meaningful contribution to prepare our industries for the transition towards lower carbon operations,” said Maria Angelicoussis, CEO of the Angelicoussis Group. “Combining our many years of experience in seaborne transport of liquid and gaseous energy sources with Chevron’s vast experience in the energy business provides a solid basis for this endeavor.”
“Ammonia has potential as a hydrogen vector and is considered one of the alternative fuel options to decarbonize shipping. We believe this study will contribute towards identifying the technical, operational and commercial challenges of carrying ammonia at scale and using it as a fuel in a safe and sustainable way,” said Stelios Troulis, Green Ships and Energy Transition Director for the Angelicoussis Group.
Chevron and the Angelicoussis Group have a long-standing relationship dating back to 2000. Since then, the partnership has grown from conventional vessels to include multiple LNG carriers, as well as joint work on energy transition initiatives. The teaming of Chevron Shipping, Chevron New Energies and the Angelicoussis Group on this study supports and accelerates both organizations’ ambitions to become leading, global clean energy providers by focusing on all aspects of the hydrogen supply chain.

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The Cyprus Shipping Chamber embraces the formal approval of the new EU ETS law by the European Parliament. The law engages the calls of European Shipowners through the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), to earmark revenues generated by EU ETS allowances, to facilitate the decarbonisation of the shipping industry.
At least 20 million ETS allowances, which correspond to around 2 billion Euro under the current ETS carbon price, will be allocated to maritime projects under the Innovation Fund, for the uptake of research and innovation to facilitate the production of cleaner fuels and the effective energy transition of the maritime sector.
Moreover, the EU Parliament upheld the mandatory pass-through of ETS costs to the commercial operator of the vessel, supporting the “polluter-pays principle”, which was another ECSA proposal and the three year phase-in period for the gradual inclusion of emissions from shipping.
While this development is indeed a groundbreaking achievement for European Shipping, the Chamber strongly supports ECSA’s position, that, it is also essential that the “Net Zero Industry Act” properly recognises the strategic role of shipping in Europe’s security, competitiveness, and autonomy by including the development of dedicated production capacity of renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) in the Act’s definition.
The Chamber is firmly committed to continue contributing, through ECSA, towards the EU’s efforts to accelerate a sustainable and just green transition of the maritime sector.

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The opportunity to get onboard Mein Schiff 6 cruise ship of TUI Cruises at the Port of Piraeus in Greece, and to be informed about career opportunities in the cruise business and industry’s actions on sustainability, was given to Hospitality and Tourism Management students of BCA College, on Friday, April 7 by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in cooperation with TUI Cruises.
This educational ship visit is part of CLIA’s priority to engage with students and young people who are interested in the dynamic cruise industry and raise awareness about its significant and growing impact on the economy and employment at global, European, and local level.
Maria Deligianni, CLIA’s National Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, stated: “Seeing is believing. We want to offer to the students the opportunity to experience what cruising is about”. And added: “2023 is the European Year of Skills and we want to contribute to the development of skills in our industry. As a cruise industry we are sailing to a better future, and these young students are our future”.
As part of the same initiative, on Tuesday April 4, Maria Deligianni visited BCA College and spoke to Shipping students about the international cruise industry and how it sails sustainably.
The cruise industry offers a high-quality work environment with competitive wages and benefits, as well as training for crew members to perform jobs skillfully and advance on a rewarding career path.
The CEO of TUI Cruises Wybcke Meier stated: “The cruise business offers a wide variety of career opportunities. They range from purely maritime jobs, to hotel operations including healthcare majors, cooks and entertainment specialists, and to ground handling, shore excursion providers and travel and shipping agents as well as the people in the office. We were delighted to co-host with CLIA this cruise ship visit onboard our Mein Schiff 6 and inform the students about the career paths offered by our industry”. 
CLIA member cruise lines employ a multinational workforce. Often more than 60 nationalities may be working together onboard ship at any one time.
 “It is a source of pride for the industry to employ so many people from different nationalities, cultures, and backgrounds. Multinational crews work together with respect in safe working environments to deliver the guest experience that is unique to a cruise holiday”, said Maria Deligianni.
Cruise also provides the most advanced opportunities for women in maritime, as 94% of women seafarers across the world are working in the cruise industry. At the same time, the industry is remarkable for its job satisfaction levels, which are reflected by the strong employee retention rates at upwards of 80%.
It is worth noting that, according to the latest CLIA data, the cruise industry generates annually more than 1,1 billion euros to the Greek economy and supports 15,100 jobs (2021 figures). Looking ahead and at global level, the cruise sector is expected to move closer to 2019 levels in 2023 with passenger volume forecast to reach 27 million to 33 million cruisers globally, a global contribution to the economy of $155B and more than 1.2M jobs and $50B in wages.
About the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
CLIA is the world's largest cruise industry trade association, providing a unified voice for the industry as the leading authority of the global cruise community. On behalf of its members, affiliates and partners, the organization supports policies and practices that foster a secure, healthy, and sustainable cruise ship environment, promoting positive travel experiences for the more than 30 million passengers who have cruised annually. The CLIA community includes the world's most prestigious ocean, river, and specialty cruise lines; a highly trained and certified travel agent community; and a widespread network of stakeholders, including ports & destinations, ship development, suppliers, and business services. For further information, please visit cruising.org or europe.cruising.org

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OOCL SPAIN on its maiden voyage - one of the largest container ships (mega vessels) in the world and the first one of its size that that will be regularly calling at the Port of Piraeus Terminal’s facilities.
“OOCL SPAIN” - owned by Orient Overseas Container Line, member of COSCO SHIPPING Group - launched in March this year on a round trip that connects Asia with Europe.
On its maiden voyage of 84 days, "OOCL SPAIN" calls at 13 different ports, from China and Southeast Asia to Northwest Europe. The choice of Piraeus as an intermediate transfer station is primarily attributed to the high level of services provided by PCT S.A., in terms of the speed of service of vessels and cargos in transit, the technological superiority of the services offered, as well as the strategic location of Piraeus, which makes it a key hub in maritime freight flows to and from Asia as well as other parts of the world.
With an overall length of 399.9 meters and a molded width of 61.3 meters, the “OOCL SPAIN", built in 2023, has a nominal container capacity of 24,188 TEUs. The use of the latest intelligent technology on board combined with the acquisition of big data, upgrade the functions of OOCL SPAIN, allowing improvements in fuel efficiency, and long-term navigation safety.

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Leaders in innovation, the ship management arm of the Columbia Group, Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM), is conducting a trial of the new Starlink satellite internet service on a number of vessels.
The Starlink service, provided by a constellation of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites operated by SpaceX, is designed to deliver reliable and high-speed internet connectivity to ships and vessels across all sectors of the maritime industry. 
Columbia Group CEO, Mark O’Neil said: “We are delighted to be trialing this technology to keep our ships better connected. Starlink has the potential to revolutionise the maritime industry by providing reliable and affordable internet connectivity to ships, even in the most remote parts of the world. This can help improve crew welfare, reduce costs, and enhance safety and security, making it a game-changer for the industry.
“Columbia is committed to our excellent crew and as part of our ICARE philosophy, we focus on different aspects of crew welfare, connectivity being one of them, so we are very pleased to be adopting this new technology among our fleet.” 
Starlink is expected to also help cruise companies reduce costs associated with traditional satellite internet services, and provide better connection services for crew members, as well as add a new level of guest experience, enabling them to enjoy high-speed connectivity while at sea.
It can also enhance safety and security by offering a reliable connectivity in remote areas, enabling better communication with stakeholders, emergency services and authorities, as well as enable real time data exchange and communication. 
Real time data exchange is important so that a vessel can become a connected EDGE endpoint integrated into the owners or ship managers operations. Ships are not anymore, the remote, disconnected endpoint that may or may not be able to send and receive data.
Starlink can facilitate remote monitoring of vessel performance and maintenance needs, allowing for proactive maintenance scheduling and reducing the risk of unplanned downtime. This can help improve vessel availability and reliability, as well as reduce costs associated with maintenance and repairs.
CSM is widely exploring Starlink in conjunction with a SD WAN (Software defined wide area network) in order to combine proven satellite internet technology as well as cellular 5G near shore connectivity into a unified communication package that will enhance every aspect of maritime operations.
CSM is part of Columbia Group, a fully integrated maritime and logistics services platform including technical ship management, crew management and training, procurement, performance optimisation tools, and crew care solutions, among others.

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