NYK held its second Dry Bulk Safety Conference in Athens, Greece, on January 22. The conference was attended by 87 participants from 46 Greek shipowners and other companies involved in the dry bulk business. Since 2010, this conference has been held annually in Japan, mainly for Japanese shipowners and ship-management companies. This was the second year the gathering was held abroad, and it was on an even larger scale than last year.

The purpose of this meeting was to share information with Greek shipowners and others on past accidents and troubles and the subsequent responses. The NYK Group's new brand "HULL NUMBER ZERO"* for the group's technology solutions integration, a new fuel additive developed by our group company Nippon Yuka, and the electronic money platform “MarCoPay”** for seafarers were also presented. NYK has introduced a new study on "Future-Oriented Green Ship Recycling"*** in Japan as well. Moreover, the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) the global international organization that represents the owners, operators and managers of dry bulk carriers in all international fora (IMO, EU etc.) introduced details of safety and quality initiatives including DryBMS, a quality standard for the dry bulk sector regulated by the Dry Bulk Centre of Excellence (DBCE). The Norwegian classification society Det Norske Veritas (DNV as well as) presented the effectiveness of maritime training to build a safety culture through competence and behavioral change, and RightShip, a digital maritime platform, that delivers data, insights, and innovative tools to advance risk management, safety, and sustainability presented on RightShip Inspection (RISQ) Insights.

During the panel discussion that included participating shipowners, opinions were exchanged on safe operations in the dry bulk industry and crew training, among other topics. Comments were made from various perspectives, such as, "To move forward, we need to change our way of thinking. Information sharing like this conference leads to that progress," and "Safe operations require support not only from the crew but also from the company." The high level of interest in safe operations was evident from the numerous comments received.

NYK will continue to provide information on safe vessel operations and environmentally friendly initiatives to gain the understanding of and working in partnership with maritime professionals, thereby contributing to the sustainable, safe operation of the entire shipping industry.

* "HULL NUMBER ZERO"
NYK has launched its new "HULL NUMBER ZERO" brand to integrate the technical solutions of the NYK Group. NYK will provide customers with solutions that make full use of the technical capabilities cultivated by the NYK Group for all stages of ship-related issues, including design, construction, operation, and maintenance, with the newly established Ship Business Group taking the lead in April 2023.
(See NYK Launches a Brand "HULL NUMBER ZERO" for the Group's Technology Solutions Integration | NYK Line )

** MarCoPay
MarCoPay is an electronic money platform designed mainly for Filipino seafarers to reduce cash on the vessels, and seafarers can make remittances and withdraw cash through smartphone app and the card. Further, seafarers can enjoy various financial services such as loan and insurance services.
(See NYK Establishes “MarCoPay,” an Electronic Money Platform Business to Expand Globally | NYK Line )

*** URL
NYK and Oono Development Sign MoU to Commercialize Ship Recycling Business | NYK Line