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Issue 918
October 9, 2026 |
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Editor: Sandra Speares | Email:Â contactus@themaritimeadvocate.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
1. A sinister seamark
2. Language determines the direction
3. Before the fixture
4. WISTA Asia conference
5. Roll damping tanks
6. Combilift initiative
7. World debt
8. Green ship award
9. Trusting AI to act
10. Insurewave development
11. Next generation ship award
12. NexusWave
Notices & Miscellany
Readers’ responses to our articles are very welcome and, where suitable, will be reproduced:
Write to:Â contactus@themaritimeadvocate.com
1. A sinister seamark
By Michael Grey
For the last 82 years, those making a passage in and out of the River Thames have been aware of the weathered remnants of the Liberty ship Richard Montgomery. Until this month, just three rusted masts marked the resting place of this wreck; something of a conversation piece for those passing, on account of the explosive cargo rotting away in her holds. It was in 1944, with her military cargo bound for the D-Day landings, that the vessel went irretrievably aground on the banks of the estuary, subsequently breaking her back.
Since then, the Richard Montgomery has lived a long life as a source of maritime legend, regularly resurrected by feature writers and editors with blank spaces to fill, as something of a change to tales of the Titanic and the Bermuda Triangle. Although some of the military cargo was salved in the months after her grounding, some 1400 tonnes of high explosives was abandoned in the ship, where it still remains. The official accounts assure everyone that both safety and explosive stability have been regularly checked as the decades have ticked away, with an exclusion zone maintained around the wreck and that the public should not become too alarmed.
This, of course has not prevented exciting journalistic speculation about the cataclysmic events should, by some terrible circumstance, the cargo detonates. The more sensational projections in publications specialising in such outcomes suggest vast structural damage to towns on both banks of the estuary and huge tidal waves sweeping up towards London. It is a useful pot-boiler on a day when little else is happening and the regular correspondents are on vacation.
But is there perhaps more than a tall story in the remains of this short-lived ship? There is no argument about the cargo and its explosive potential, which has remained exceedingly dangerous, despite the passage of years. It is known, from the ordnance that is sometimes inadvertently recovered by aggregate dredgers and fishing craft, that these bombs and shells and other items retain every bit of their initial danger. Single bombs, detonated at sea by the explosive experts explode with a spectacular outcome. It is why explosive berths and anchorages are located miles from built up areas.
The wreck has retained its official hazard rating, while reassuring communiques suggest that if it is simply left alone, everyone will remain safe. For years after the war had ended, ships running up and down the estuary would stop their engines and coast past the location, lest the propeller excited vibrations set off something nasty. Over the years, the practice ceased.
The authorities, despite their efforts to reassure, have always been aware that such a quantity of explosives can detonate with terrifying results. There were enough people around in the early years who might have witnessed the awful results of attacks on explosive laden ships in the convoys. Also in 1944, although there were efforts to censor the true picture, the Port of Bombay was devastated, when 1417 tonnes of explosives in the lower holds of the Fort Stikine detonated, after her cargo of cotton bales caught fire. There was huge loss of life in the port and city and 12 other ships were either sunk or became CTLs. There were other disasters involving explosive-laden ships elsewhere, including one that did terrible damage to Naples. In peacetime, there is ample regulation to prevent such an incident happening in built-up areas and in all fairness, the wreck in the Thames is reasonably remote.
But the Richard Montgomery has been recently in the news because the authorities have decided, that rather than risk the corroded masts collapsing into the wreck, they would be removed. In a delicate operation now happily concluded, the appointed salvors Resolve Marine have taken away this familiar seamark. The masts will be henceforth exhibited in the excellent Medway Maritime Museum, hopefully with supporting explanations. The hazard, and the deteriorating wreck ,(along with the potential for some imaginative journalism) of course remains, as does the monitored exclusion zone. The visible evidence of this old maritime mishap, and presumably the associated conversations, will be fading memories. Nothing to see here, move on! Michael Grey is former editor of Lloyd’s List.
2. The Language Determined the Direction
In this edition of London Callling, Brian Perrott and Colin Chen of HFW consider a recent case involving calculating monthly hire.
In Briety Shipping Inc v Trafigura Maritime Logistics Pte Ltd [2026] EWHC 1714 (Comm), the main issue related to the interpretation of a complicated formula for calculating monthly hire. Under the time charterparty in question, the hire rate increased incrementally from a floor of USD 50,000 per day up to a ceiling of USD 145,000 per day once a certain defined differential (the “JKM-TTF Spread”) was USD 1.3 or more.
The parties agreed that the formula requires, amongst other things, that “the TTF quote shall be deducted from the JKM publication”. In this context, “TTF” refers to the Netherlands’ Title Transfer Facility spot price for LNG in European markets, and “JKM” refers to the Platts LNG Japan-Korea Marker spot price for LNG in Far East markets.
Pricing history at the time the time charterparty was entered into showed that TTF was usually, but not always, below JKM. Therefore, deducting TTF from JKM was generally expected to produce a positive number.
However, owners argued that if (as in this case) TTF had exceeded JKM to produce a negative number, the absolute value of that number would also be capable of increasing the hire rate if it was at or above the USD 1.3 threshold.
Preferring charterers’ arguments, Mr Justice Waksman held that the formula requires TTF to be deducted from JKM, without then requiring any “conversion” of negative values into absolute values before assessment against the USD 1.3 threshold. Broadly speaking, there was no proper basis to interpret the contract as requiring such an additional step.
The case serves as a reminder that parties broadly determine their own contractual destiny â the English courts will not readily re-write commercial bargains. Advance consideration of possible alternative scenarios is likely to mitigate the risk of unexpected outcomes.
3. Before the fixture
In this opinion piece Konstantin Kalnyi of Kiev Shipping considers how a competent shipbroker protects charterers from contractual disputes and additional costs.
Cargo owners often select a shipbroker for access to vessels and competitive freight rates. Yet the broker’s real value frequently becomes apparent only after the fixture, when the voyage begins and demands for additional payments emerge.
A professional broker’s responsibility should not end when the recap is issued. The broker must continue protecting the charterer’s interests by monitoring compliance with the charter party, examining owners’ claims and preventing operational disagreements from becoming expensive disputes.
Many disputes begin with incomplete information. Cargo quantity may be approximate, readiness dates unconfirmed, or port restrictions and terminal productivity unclear. If the facts change after nomination, the charterer may face deadfreight, demurrage, detention or cancellation.
Professional ship chartering should therefore begin with verification. The broker should confirm cargo readiness, terminal dates, berth restrictions, realistic loading and discharge rates, and the contractual allocation of expenses before approaching the market.
Almost every voyage creates an opportunity for an owner, operator or agent to request additional money. Some claims are legitimate. Others rely on questionable interpretations, inflated expenses or circumstances outside the charterer’s responsibility.
Demands may concern waiting time, towage, pilotage, shifting, cleaning, crew bonuses, fuel consumption, documentation, cargo residues or weather delays. Charterers sometimes pay modest amounts simply to avoid disruption, but an unnecessary payment can encourage further claims.
The broker must identify the contractual basis for each demand. Which clause supports it? Was the expense actually incurred and documented? Is it genuinely the charterer’s responsibility?
A broker representing charterers must understand how the fixture recap interacts with the underlying charterparty form. Practical knowledge of Notice of Readiness, laytime, demurrage, deadfreight, cancellation rights, safe-port obligations, cleaning claims and contractual time bars is essential.
Without these skills, the broker becomes only a communications channel, forwarding demands without analysing whether they are justified.
Many international charter parties are governed by English law, with disputes referred to London arbitration under LMAA procedures. A broker should not replace a maritime lawyer, but must recognise when correspondence is establishing positions for a possible dispute. An unsupported admission or premature agreement to pay may later be used against the client.
The broker should also have direct access to trusted maritime lawyers. Early, focused advice can clarify the charterer’s position and stop a weak claim from escalating, particularly when an owner threatens to exercise a lien, withhold delivery, demand security or arrest cargo.
Kiev Shipping has been asked to intervene in charters concluded through other brokers after disputes arose during voyage performance.
In one case, an owner presented additional demands accompanied by threats that cargo would not be released at the destination. The original broker effectively raised the white flag and recommended payment without properly examining the recap and charter party.
Kiev Shipping reviewed the contractual documents and correspondence, identified weaknesses in the owner’s position and helped arrange professional support for the charterer. The case demonstrated that finding a vessel is only one part of a broker’s responsibility. When valuable cargo is at risk, insufficient experience can cost the client many times the brokerage commission.
The strongest protection is a clear contract based on verified facts. The recap should state which expenses are included in freight, when laytime begins, who performs and pays for each operation, and what documents must support a claim.
Since 2000, Kiev Shipping Ltd has protected clients not only while finding and fixing vessels but throughout voyage performance. It monitors agreed terms, examines additional demands and coordinates specialist legal advice when necessary.
The lowest freight rate does not always produce the lowest final transportation cost. Cargo owners should therefore assess a broker’s practical dispute experience, familiarity with English law and LMAA procedures, and ability to protect the client after the fixture.
Konstantin Kalnyi is the CEO and Founder of Kiev Shipping Ltd and an independent shipbroker with more than 25 years of experience in international shipping. Established on 2 June 2000, Kiev Shipping Ltd provides ship chartering, maritime brokerage and commercial ship management services.
4. WISTA Asia conference
The strength, dynamism and diversity of Asia’s buoyant maritime community will be evident at the 2026 WISTA AGM and Conference gathering in Kuala Lumpur later this month, as industry leaders, experts, policy makers and professionals gather to sustain progressive change across shipping.
Co-hosted by WISTA Malaysia, WISTA Singapore and WISTA Hong Kong SAR China, the three-day event will take place from 28-30 October under the theme Bridging Borders, Driving Change: Asia Shaping the Future of Maritime and Trade.
Leveraging Asia’s position as a connector, catalyst and hub for innovation, conference proceedings have been curated to drive forward key maritime industry conversations regarding sustainability, technology and inclusive leadership.
Elpi Petraki, President of WISTA International, said: âThe WISTA International AGM and Conference provides an important opportunity for the maritime community to come together to address some of the key challenges facing our industry, while continuing to advance gender diversity and inclusion across the shipping, logistics and trading sectors. This year’s conference comes at a particularly significant time, as the industry faces a period of considerable change that will shape its direction.
âAs the world’s largest maritime market, Asia has a vital role to play in defining the next chapter, and I am delighted to welcome WISTA 2026 delegates, speakers and guests to the region on behalf of the three National WISTA Associations who have joined forces to co-host the event. Collaboration is at the heart of WISTA, and our conference will provide a valuable platform to share perspectives, exchange ideas and strengthen connections as we explore Asia’s growing influence on shipping and global trade.â
Those attending this year’s conference will hear from a distinguished line-up of experts, with highlights including a âfireside chat’ with Thomas Kazakos, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). Attractions also include a high-impact panel discussion on Leadership Shaping the Future of Maritime in Asia, and a timely discussion on Building an Inclusive and Future-Ready Maritime Workforce featuring Mariana Noceti, Programme Officer at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Helio Vicente, Director of Employment Affairs at ICS. Other panel sessions will explore Connecting Ships, Ports and Global Trade and Building a Resilient Maritime Economy Through Global Partnerships.
For the first time delegates will hear from female seafarers, in a focused session on Women at Sea that will celebrate the evolution of women’s participation in the maritime profession and provide practical insights into how to address future workforce challenges.
Alongside industry-focused discussions, the conference will also highlight the wider social and environmental aspect of the maritime sector. A guest presentation from Michelle de la Harpe, Founder of Meraki Daat, will explore ocean conservation, community empowerment, women-led initiatives and sustainability through work with coastal communities in Sabah.
In a joint statement, WISTA Hong Kong SAR China President, Isabel Tse, WISTA Malaysia President, Reshma Yusuf and WISTA Singapore President, Yukie Teo, said: âWe are honoured to be hosting the 2026 WISTA International AGM and Conference and to be delivering a thought-provoking programme that showcases the strength, diversity and dynamism of the region’s maritime community. The WISTA International Conference provides a wonderful opportunity for industry professionals to connect and build lasting relationships, and we look forward to welcoming delegates from around the world to Kuala Lumpur later this month.â
The full agenda for the 2026 WISTA AGM and Conference can be viewed on the WISTA website.
5. Roll damping tanks
Ocean Network Express (ONE) and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) have launched a joint research project to evaluate the effectiveness of roll damping tanks (RDTs) on large container ships. ONE will provide onboard measurement data from its vessels, which ClassNK will analyse alongside numerical simulations to assess roll reduction performance under actual operating conditions.
Through the analysis of onboard measurement data and numerical simulations, the research aims to provide practical insights into the performance of RDTs, and better understand their effectiveness in full-scale operations. By optimizing RDTs performance, ONE and ClassNK aim to further enhance cargo safety and transit reliability, ensuring a more resilient and stable supply chain for its customers worldwide.
RDTs are designed to reduce a ship’s rolling motion through the controlled movement of liquid within a tank. Long established on passenger ships, research vessels, and other specialized vessels, their application to container ships has increased in recent years.
Roll reduction matters for large container ships as excessive rolling can increase the forces acting on containers and their securing systems. Effective roll reduction can support safer vessel operation and cargo transportation, and can allow more efficient stowage and improved operational flexibility.
Despite the growing application of RDTs to container ships, their roll reduction performance on large container ships has primarily been evaluated through model tests and numerical simulations. Full-scale verification based on onboard measurements under actual operating and sea conditions remains limited.
To help address this gap, ONE, one of the world’s leading liner shipping companies, will provide operational data collected from vessels in its fleet, while ClassNK will apply its extensive experience in testing, numerical simulation, and technical analysis to evaluate the data. Through this collaboration, ONE and ClassNK aim to build a clearer understanding of RDT performance on large container ships under real-world operating conditions.
Kumi Miyashita, Corporate Officer, ClassNK, says, âWe are pleased to work with ONE to verify the effectiveness of RDTs based on data obtained from actual vessel operations. Through the combination of full-scale measurement data and numerical analysis, we aim to contribute to safer and more efficient vessel operations by establishing a reliable basis for evaluating RDT performance under actual operating and sea conditions.â
Masaharu Urabe, Vice President of Global Vessel Operations, Ocean Network Express, says, âWe are pleased to collaborate with ClassNK on this important research initiative. By combining ONE’s onboard operational data with ClassNK’s advanced technical analysis, we aim to establish a practical methodology for quantifying the effectiveness of RDTs under actual operating conditions. We believe that the knowledge gained through this research will further enhance the safety of our vessel operations while contributing to improved container stowage efficiency and loading capability.â
6. Combilift initiative
Global material-handling manufacturer Combilift has launched a new initiative aimed at encouraging young people to pursue careers in engineering and manufacturing, following a Manufacturing Day event attended by more than 100 fifth-year students (17-year-olds) and their Engineering and Technology teachers from across County Monaghan.
The Future Engineers Award, launched by Combilift CEO and Co-Founder Martin McVicar during the event, will recognise any Leaving Certificate student in County Monaghan sitting their examinations in 2027 who achieves a H1, the highest grade, in either Engineering or Technology.
The successful students will each receive a âŹ500 award and a special recognition trophy, with an award ceremony planned at Combilift’s Global Headquarters in August 2027, following the release of the Leaving Certificate, Ireland’s final secondary college examination results.
The Manufacturing Day initiative raises awareness of the importance of the manufacturing sector and highlights the range of career opportunities available within modern manufacturing.
Speaking at the Manufacturing Day event, Martin McVicar said: âIf we want to have great engineers in manufacturing in the future, we have to encourage young people to see engineering as an exciting career choice.â
âWhen you look at the technology being developed today, engineering is about much more than traditional mechanical engineering. There is software, coding, electrical engineering and mechatronics, and the skills students develop through Engineering and Technology can open up career opportunities across manufacturing.â
âWe are starting this in Monaghan because this is where Combilift began and where we have our Global Headquarters. As we continue to grow, we are looking for future talent, and we want to encourage more students to take up these subjects and excel in them.â
âThe skills these students are acquiring today will be important to the future of manufacturing, both here in Ireland and internationally.â
While the Combilift Award is limited to students in County Monaghan, Combilift hopes the initiative will encourage other manufacturing companies in Ireland and internationally to consider introducing similar schemes within their own communities.
Manufacturing Day gives students first-hand insight into the manufacturing sector and the diverse career opportunities it offers. The event combined a tour of Combilift’s manufacturing facilities with practical activities covering mechatronics, electrical engineering, electronics, technical engineering and lean management, while also introducing students to technologies such as automation and driverless material handling. Together, these activities demonstrated how engineering and technology skills are applied across different areas of a modern manufacturing business.
Shane Beirne, Head of Public Sector at Ibec, attended the event and highlighted the importance of opening manufacturing facilities to young people so they can see the technology and people behind the sector first hand. Manufacturing directly employs 250,000 people in Ireland and is a significant contributor to the country’s export economy.
AnnaMarie Woods, OEM Engineering Apprenticeship Programme Manager, also attended the event and outlined the opportunities available through the OEM Engineering Apprenticeship programme, a three-year Level 6 engineering apprenticeship combining college-based learning with practical experience in industry.
One of the programme’s college phases is delivered at Monaghan Institute, with students also having the opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience at Combilift’s manufacturing facility.
The Future Engineers Award builds on Combilift’s long-standing involvement in developing engineering talent. Since the company was established 28 years ago, it has supported initiatives aimed at encouraging young people to engage with engineering and manufacturing, including initiating the development of the OEM Engineering Apprenticeship programme, and participating in other initiatives such as Lego League, STEM and VEX Robotics programmes in secondary schools.
With more than 850 people employed at Combilift’s Monaghan operation, the company continues to recruit across a broad range of engineering and manufacturing disciplines.
The Irish company plans the Future Engineers Award to become an annual recognition of engineering and technology achievement in County Monaghan, while demonstrating how manufacturers can play a direct role in encouraging young people to develop the technical skills required by industry.
7. World debt
France’s borrowing costs smashing through 5% is the starkest sign yet the world’s debt order has flipped, with rich nations now paying the kind of price once reserved for serial defaulters like Argentina.
This is the warning from the CEO of deVere Group, one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations, as France’s 10-year yield tops 5% for the first time since 2002, its premium over Germany records the sharpest weekly jump in 17 years, and the US 30-year Treasury yield pushes above 5.7%.
Nigel Green says: âA founding member of the euro is now borrowing at levels last seen when the single currency was still in its infancy.
âMeanwhile Argentina, the byword for default, has spent this year collecting credit upgrades.
âThe bond market has stopped caring about history. It’s judging governments on what they’re doing right now, and the rich world is failing the test.â
The pressure on France is intensifying fast. Its government last week unveiled a 2027 budget with âŹ43 billion of new savings and revenue measures to tackle a deficit running at 5.4% of GDP. Debt interest is already the country’s largest single budget expense, and its fiscal watchdog calls the plan’s assumptions âoptimistic.â
A major rating agency reviews France later this month.
Nigel Green says: âFrance is caught in the trap every indebted government fears. Higher yields swell the interest bill, a bigger interest bill widens the deficit, and a wider deficit pushes yields higher still.
âEvery week of political paralysis makes the escape more expensive.
âArgentina has travelled the other way. The country, which has defaulted on its sovereign debt nine times, secured three major credit upgrades in under three months this year, driving its risk premium over US Treasuries to around 420 basis points in July, the lowest in eight years.
âIts economy minister was in Paris last week telling investors the bigger risk was missing out.â
Argentine spreads have since widened again as US yields surged, a reminder the recovery remains fragile.
âArgentina’s turnaround isn’t finished, and its bonds feel every tremor in US yields,â notes the deVere CEO.
âBut it slashed spending, turned deficits into surpluses, and crushed triple-digit inflation. Markets rewarded the pain. France has avoided the pain, and markets are punishing it.â
Britain and the US are feeling the same pressure. Britain’s 30-year gilt yield has hit 6%, a 28-year high.
In the US, the Federal Reserve raised rates on 16 September for the first time since 2023, lifting its target range to between 3.75% and 4% as inflation refused to fade.
The US lost its last top-tier credit rating last year, and deficits still run into the trillions.
The deVere CEO says: âAmerica has assumed the world will always fund it at a discount, whatever it spends. Investors are now charging full price, and the Fed’s hike shows inflation is far from beaten.â
Emerging market debt, by contrast, has clearly outperformed developed market government bonds since late August, helped by average inflation in developing economies of around 3.8%.
Nigel Green concludes: âPlenty of emerging economies took their medicine after the last inflation shock. They raised rates early, tightened budgets and absorbed the political backlash.
âMuch of the developed world borrowed its way through, and the bill is landing now.â
8. Green ship award
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (âKâ LINE) Group owns, through joint venture companies, and operates the LNG carriers Puteri Johor and Puteri Kedah. The two vessels, together with their registered owner, Bank of Communications Financial Leasing Co, have received the Green Ship Award under the Green Ship Programme administered by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). The award was presented at the Singapore Registry of Ships Forum 2026 held on October 2, 2026.
The Green Ship Award is presented to vessels and shipowners that have contributed to reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainable maritime transportation in the shipping industry. The two vessels are equipped with highly environmentally efficient X-DF main engines and embody the âKâ LINE Group’s initiatives to reduce environmental impact.
Under its long-term environmental guidelines, âKâ LINE Environmental Vision 2050 – Blue Seas for the Future -* âKâ LINE Group has set the goal of achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The âKâ LINE Group will continue to promote the development of an environmentally responsible fleet and initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while contributing to the resolution of social issues through the provision of sustainable maritime transportation services.
* âKâ LINE Environmental Vision 2050 – Blue Seas for the Future – (Released on November 4, 2021):
https://www.kline.co.jp/en/sustainability/environment/management.html
9. Trusting AI to act
Maritime is using AI every day. Now comes the harder part: trusting it to act. New Thetius and Marcura research finds AI is already embedded in maritime workflows, but organisations are still working out how to assess the full human-AI process, from verification and accountability to governance, and where human judgement adds most value.
Almost two-thirds (63%) of maritime professionals now use AI every day, according to new research from Thetius and Marcura. Yet only 8% describe their organisation as mature and governed in how it uses AI.
More than half (55%) spend at least an hour each week checking or correcting what AI produces, with almost one in five spending five hours or more. Even so, 85% say AI saves them time overall once that checking is taken into account.
The report calls the time and attention spent checking AI-generated work the âverification taxâ. The question now is how much of that verification is necessary.
Trust remains qualified. When asked how much they trust AI-generated outputs, 57% placed themselves at the midpoint of a five-point scale. AI may have become part of everyday work, but confidence in its outputs is still catching up.
Some checking is unlikely to disappear, nor should it. Seven in ten say they would always check an AI recommendation before acting on an important business decision, while 80% believe a named person should always remain accountable for a commercial decision, however capable AI becomes.
But other checking is driven by uncertainty. Most respondents encounter errors at least sometimes when checking AI output, and fewer than one in ten say their organisation’s data is fully ready for AI to rely on. If experience had shown an AI output to be reliable, 47% said they would spend much less time checking it. The opportunity, the report argues, is not to eliminate human oversight, but to make it proportionate: keep it where the consequences of getting something wrong demand it, and reduce unnecessary checking as confidence grows.
Janani Yagnamurthy, Senior Vice President, Product, Strategic Growth at Marcura, said:âMaritime doesn’t have a shortage of data. The problem is that the context needed to make a good decision is often scattered across contracts, emails, documents, systems and the experience of the people doing the work. Putting AI on top of that fragmentation doesn’t make the problem disappear.
âThe opportunity is to bring that context together at the point where a decision is being made, and then learn from what actually happens. When the system can show what it is basing an answer on, be tested against real outcomes and improve from human corrections, there is less reason to check everything from scratch. That is how AI starts to earn trust rather than simply asking for it.â
The stakes rise as AI moves from producing answers to taking action.Almost three quarters (72%) say their organisations are already using, piloting or planning agentic AI systems capable of taking action rather than simply making recommendations. Yet only 15% say their governance is ready for agentic AI.
The gap raises a practical question: what can AI do independently, what still requires human review, and who remains accountable for the outcome?
The report notes that AI is also changing how experience is shared. Three quarters (75%) say it is helping less-experienced colleagues become effective faster.
One example is CP Optimiser, an AI-driven charter party review tool co-developed by Marcura and Tomini Chartering. It analyses charter parties against the company’s accumulated knowledge, surfacing clauses and risks that might otherwise depend on an experienced colleague recognising them.
Thomas Stjernholm, Managing Director, Commercial, at Tomini Chartering, who describes the system as a âcollective brainâ for the organisation, said:Â âIt’s a human-to-AI-to-human process: the human puts in the knowledge, the AI curates and connects it to the clause in front of you, and the human makes the final decision.â
Earning Trust: AI in Maritime concludes that companies should measure the complete human-AI process, differentiate necessary verification from checking driven by uncertainty, use human corrections to improve future performance, and establish clear ownership and governance.
10. Insurewave relaunch
Insurewave recently announced a update and relaunch of its dynamic risk platform, bringing insurers, brokers and fleet owners onto one platform designed to make dynamic risk measurable as it moves, alongside a new brand identity.
The relaunch introduces four modules covering Aviation and Marine today. Track & Cover gives fleet owners a single, live view of every asset and its cover, with additional premiums quoted directly through the platform. Risk Intelligence turns a submission into a defensible risk score, drawing on real-time data analysis and historical data from specialist providers. Both modules are available today.
Portfolio Impact Analysis and Continuous Intelligence will follow later this year, enabling users to model how an individual risk affects aggregate exposure and continuously re-score bound business as events and risk conditions evolve.
By combining AI, live risk data and specialist third-party intelligence, Insurwave gives users an unparalleled view of risk that is as current as the risk itself. It turns a submission into a clear, defensible score, then continuously monitors exposure 24/7 as risks change.
Users will soon be able to ask questions in natural language to understand what has changed, why risk has moved and what it means for their business. Responses are generated within each customer’s isolated, ISO 27001-certified cloud environment, using only their data and licensed data feeds. Customer data remains under their control: it never leaves their environment, is never pooled with other customers’ data and is never used to train third-party AI models.
tAdrian Morgan, CEO of Insurwave, said: âRisk does not stand still. Assets move, airspace closes, conflict zones shift, and sanctions change, yet much of the insurance market still relies on point-in-time models, reports and spreadsheets. Dynamic risk needs a dynamic layered view, and the information used to price, place and manage it has to keep pace.â
11. Next generation ship award
Nor-Shipping has launched its 2027 Next Generation Ship Award, turning the spotlight on projects with the potential to steer shipping towards more sustainable, profitable and efficient horizons.
Open to newbuild, retrofit and conversion projects across all vessel types, the award provides a high-profile opportunity to demonstrate how innovative ship design and operation can address complex industry challenges and deliver lasting value. The winner will be announced at the Nor-Shipping 2027 Ocean Leadership Conference on 8 June.
âEvery investment in a vessel is an investment in the industry’s future,â says Sidsel Norvik, Director, Nor-Shipping. âThe decisions being made today will influence how ships perform, compete and serve their markets for many years to come. That puts a huge responsibility on the shoulders of owners and their partners, but also creates real opportunities for those willing to think ahead.
âThe Next Generation Ship Award celebrates the projects seizing that opportunity. We want to highlight how ambition translates into better ships, recognising the people and partnerships finding practical solutions to some of shipping’s most demanding challenges.â
The initiative reflects Nor-Shipping’s overall theme for 2027, NEXT, with its focus on navigating uncertainty, evolving technologies and business models, executing on ambition, and transforming the industry.
For shipowners, that transformation encompasses both fleet renewal and improvements to existing vessels. By considering newbuilds alongside retrofits and conversions, the award recognises that progress needs to be broad-based, with all ship types given equal consideration, regardless of size or segment.
An international expert jury, led by chairman Malcolm Latarche, will assess entries across key criteria spanning energy efficiency, innovation, suitability and flexibility, technology utilisation, safety and security, and environmental sustainability.
Together, the criteria place emphasis on how a project responds to the demands of its intended operations, while helping prepare for those ahead. Environmental ambition and commercial relevance go hand in hand, giving entrants the opportunity to demonstrate how their approach supports both.
âThese projects give the wider industry something valuable to learn from,â Norvik comments. âThey show what can be achieved when expertise comes together around a clear ambition, helping others assess possibilities for their own fleets.
âIf your project is pushing ship design or operation forward, we want to hear from you. This is a chance to put your achievements in front of the global decision-makers gathering at Nor-Shipping, while inspiring the next wave of industry progress.â
Nor-Shipping 2027 takes place at venues across Oslo and Lillestrøm from 7-11 June. Alongside the awards and main exhibition, a diverse programme of knowledge sharing, networking and socialising activity is now taking shape.
For entry information and full details of Nor-Shipping 2027, please visit www.nor-shipping.com
To access the main awards page, please seehttps://nor-shipping.com/nor-shipping-awards. To learn more about the Next Generation Ship Award, please see –Â Â https://nor-shipping.com/next-generation-ship-award.
12. NexusWave
Buenos Aires-based shipowner Empresa Naviera Petrolera AtlĂĄntica SA (ENPASA) has deployed NexusWave – the fully managed, bonded multi-network connectivity service from Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company – across its large tankers Recoleta and Caleta Rosario.
ENPASA selected NexusWave as part of its strategy to support the growing digital demands of modern maritime operations. As vessels become increasingly reliant on real-time data, cloud-based applications, and digital workflows, the company sought a connectivity solution to deliver resilient, high-performance communications across entire voyages while providing a consumer-like internet experience for crews at sea.
Following its implementation of NexusWave -with carried out by Inmarsat’s local partner Ingenieros ElectrĂłnicos Asociados SRL (IEA) – ENPASA has reported permanent and stable connectivity with enhanced ship-to-shore communication throughout its vessels’ voyages. More specifically, the company has observed an increase in the speed of electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) updates as well as email delivery and receipt.
The upgrade has also significantly enhanced the onboard experience for seafarers. With unlimited data access and improved network performance, crew members can stay connected with family and friends through high-quality voice and video communications, supporting wellbeing and helping operators meet rising expectations for onboard connectivity.
Sergio Iglesias, Technical Manager, Empresa Naviera Petrolera AtlĂĄntica SA, said: âReliable connectivity has become a critical enabler of safe, efficient, and modern vessel operations. Inmarsat NexusWave has strengthened our ability to maintain seamless communications between ship and shore while providing our crews with the connectivity they need to stay connected with loved ones throughout their time at sea.
âWe were equally pleased with the speed of implementation, which benefited from the local availability of equipment and IEA’s installation and deployment expertise.â
Cristian Troncoso, Operations Manager, Ingenieros ElectrĂłnicos Asociados SRL, said: âENPASA’s positive experience with NexusWave demonstrates the value of reliable, high-capacity maritime connectivity for both vessel operations and crew welfare. The customer’s feedback emphasises the importance of permanent and stable connectivity, seamless operational communications, and the ability for crew to maintain consistent contact with family members while at sea.â
Jose Arias, Global Account Manager, Inmarsat Maritime, commented: âAs maritime operations become more data-driven, vessel owners need connectivity that can support evolving operational requirements while also meeting the home-like experience demanded by today’s seafarers. ENPASA’s deployment of NexusWave provides a practical example of how the solution can support the evolving connectivity needs of a modern maritime operator. We would like to thank IEA for its contribution to the project as Inmarsat Maritime’s trusted local NexusWave partner.â
Notices and Miscellany
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Cyprus Forum
Mariner Communications’ Neville Smith will be chairing the Cyprus Shipping News London Maritime Forum at the Marriott Hotel Regent’s Park on Tuesday 13th October.
He is also moderating the first panel with input from Shell/UK Chamber of Shipping, the International Chamber and the IMO, discussing whether the international rule of law is a thing of the past.
Other sessions look at ship finance, marine insurance and risk management.
All the information and registration details are here:https://cyprusshippingevents.com/csn-london-maritime-forum/
RINA lecture
The 2026 Royal Institution of Naval Architects’ President’s Invitation Lecture will explore the role nuclear propulsion could play in future commercial maritime systems, alongside the technical and regulatory considerations associated with its development and adoption.
Rob Chaplin, Senior Principal Marine Engineer at CORE POWER, will join participants at this year’s President’s Invitation Lecture to present âNuclear propulsion and regulation of future commercial maritime systemsâ.For details see the RINA website.
IDF appointment
The Insurance Development Forum (IDF) has announced that its Steering Committee has appointed Hope Murera as its deputy chair. As managing director & Group CEO of ZEP-RE (PTA Reinsurance Company) and an existing steering committee member, Murera brings more than 30 years of insurance and reinsurance experience in Africa, and a strong record of advancing climate resilience and financial inclusion. She will serve in this role alongside her position at ZEP-RE.
American Club conference
The American Club’s Claims & Loss Prevention Seminar & Reception are being held at the Piraeus Marine Club on Thursday, 15 October 2026. There will be presentations on navigating a nuclear maritime future, environmental regulatory developments and industry impact, Philippines disability claim mitigation, and the American P&I Club’s wellness initiatives.
And finally âŚ
With thanks to Paul Dixon
Political Quotes
1. Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.
— Mark Twain
2. We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
— Winston Churchill
3. A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
— George Bernard Shaw
4. A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money.
— G. Gordon Liddy
5. Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.
— James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)
6. Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.
— Douglas Casey, Classmate of W.J.Clinton at Georgetown Uni. (1992)
7. Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
— P.J. O’Rourke, Civil Libertarian
8. Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.
— Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850)
9. Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
— Ronald Reagan (1986)
10. I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.
–Will Rogers
11. If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it’s free.
— P.J. O’Rourke
12. If you want government to intervene domestically, you’re a liberal.
If you want government to intervene overseas, you’re a conservative.
If you want government to intervene everywhere, you’re a moderate.
If you don’t want government to intervene anywhere, you’re an extremist.
— Joseph Sobran, Editor of the National Review at one time (1995)
13. In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.
— Voltaire (1764)
14. Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you.
— Pericles (430 B.C.)
15. No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.
— Mark Twain (1866)
16. Talk is cheap-except when Congress does it.
— (Meandyou)
17. The government is like a baby’s alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other.
— Ronald Reagan
18. The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.
— Winston Churchill
19. The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin.
— Mark Twain
20. The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.
— Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)
21. There is no distinctly native American criminal class save Congress.
— Mark Twain
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