Asia Shipbuilding Lays Keel for Innovative Sailing Cargo Ship for Marshall Islands
South Korea-based Asia Shipbuilding recently held the keel laying ceremony for hull number ASB – 1245 of the Pacific Island Supply Vessel, an innovative sailing cargo ship for the needs of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
The consortium of Asia Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., and the naval design company Kostec Co., Ltd., last year signed a contract with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to deliver an innovative sailing cargo ship for the needs of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
GIZ has been implementing the IKI (International Climate Initiative) financed program that is commissioned by the Federal German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) jointly with the Marshall Islands’ Ministry for Transportation, Communication, and Information Technologies (MoTCIT) since 2017.
The overarching aim of the project is until today to support Marshall Islands' target to cut down carbon dioxide emission in the domestic sea transport sector according to its National Determined Contribution (NDC) target of achieving a transport-wide reduction of total domestic transport GHG emissions 27% below 2010 levels by 2030 and transitioning to a low carbon transport future and is committed to reducing GHG emissions from domestic shipping 40% below 2010 levels by 2030 and full decarbonization of the sector by 2050.
Earlier this year, the Marshall Islands Cabinet endorsed the Domestic Maritime Transport Roadmap, that lays out the path for net-zero sea transportation in the Marshall Islands until 2050.
The keel laying ceremony was attended by the Management of Kostec Co., Ltd., Asia Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Korea Register, International Registries Incorporated (IRI), Korea Marine Equipment Research Institute (KOMERI), Representatives of the Geoje City Hall next to high level Government officials from the Marshal Islands' Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Minister Kitlang Kabua and Ambassador Albon T. Ishoda jointly with Madame Ambassador.
Minister Kabua said the keel laying marked the start of the paradigm shift from conventionally driven, solely engine-propelled ships to a new generation of vessels" for our islands in the larger Pacific Region.”,
She said: "We need to move away from fossil fuels, the vessel whose keel is laid today in this festive ceremony symbolizes the larger change we are fighting for, a transition from technologies that are outdated and not adequate anymore in times where we face daily challenges with rising sea levels, the acidification of our oceans leading to coral bleaching, taking away our resources that we all need to survive.”
The 48-meter sailing cargo vessels has been developed jointly with the Research Institute University of Applied Sciences Emden-Leer. In a joint effort, a new prototype-like vessel has been elaborated, including a modern and efficient sailing rig, PV units for the generation of electricity onboard, and training areas.