SEVEN PETREL

Australian mining company Fortescue has signed an agreement with Belgian shipping and cleantech group CMB.TECH to charter up to 12 ammonia-capable bulk carriers, stepping up efforts to decarbonize maritime transport and support the development of green ammonia as a marine fuel.Under the agreement, Fortescue will charter 12 Newcastlemax dry bulk vessels, each with a carrying capacity of 210,000 deadweight tonnes, from Bocimar, the dry bulk shipping arm of CMB.TECH.Up to three of the vessels will be delivered with dual-fuel ammonia engines and are expected to enter service by the end of 2026

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and five other HD Hyundai affiliates are embarking on the development of a robot and data-based integrated hull management solution that automates the entire process—from hull diagnosis to cleaning and performance verification—for the first time in the shipbuilding industry.HD Hyundai Heavy Industries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the joint development and commercialization of the "Total Hull Care Solution" with affiliates HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, HD Hyundai Robotics, HD Hyundai Marine Solution, and Avicus, as well as with KCC, a specialist in marine paints, and TAS Global, a specialist in underwater robots.

ABS, Polaris Shipping, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and autonomous navigation solutions provider AVIKUS have signed a four-party Concept Study Agreement for the implementation of a Conditional Unmanned Bridge.Under the agreement, the parties will jointly develop an autonomous navigation concept enabling unmanned bridge operation during deep-sea voyages, when defined conditions are met, on one of Polaris Shipping's 325K Very Large Ore Carriers (VLOCs).The concept is not a fully unmanned operation across the entire voyage. Rather, it is a phased autonomous navigation concept under which the bridge is left unmanned only under specific low-risk conditions, such as open-ocean passage.

DNV has published a recommended practice (RP) providing a standardized framework for measuring and verifying the performance of onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS) systems on ships, setting the stage for further developing onboard captured carbon solutions and technologies. With around 90% of the operational fleet still dependent on fossil fuels, onboard carbon capture is emerging as a viable pathway to reduced emissions for vessels that cannot easily or economically transition to low-GHG fuels. On the regulatory side, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has initiated work on guidelines for OCCS, with development ongoing and expected to be completed by 2028.

OCIMF announced the appointment of Don Davis as its new Managing Director. Don joins the organisation at a pivotal moment, as OCIMF enters a new phase following the recent evolution of its mission and brand to support maritime safety across the wider energy sector.Don will join OCIMF on secondment from Chevron and assume the role on July 1, 2026. He succeeds Karen Davis, who will remain with the organization until the end of June to support a smooth leadership transition.The appointment comes at a milestone in OCIMF’s evolution.