The Pacific Island Supply Vessel built at Asia Shipbuilding Co, Ltd., will provide a unique trading, research and training platform for the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) in early 2024.
On 26 May 2023 the keel-laying ceremony for hull number ASB – 1245 of the Pacific Island Supply Vessel was held at the premises of the Asia Shipbuilding Co,. Ltd., close to the city of Geoje on Geoje Island, South Korea.
The consortium of Asia Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., and the naval design company Kostec Co., Ltd., signed contract with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH last July to deliver an innovative sailing cargo ship for the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
GIZ has been implementing the IKI (International Climate Initiative) financed programme that was 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 aim of the project is until today to support RMI’s ambitious target to cut down carbon dioxide emission in the domestic sea transport sector according to its National Determined Contribution (NDC) target of achieving 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 RMI 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 hosted by Asia Shipbuilding on Geoje. Various representatives from the maritime sector of the Republic of Korea were present, including Management of Kostec Co Ltd, Asia Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Korea Register, International Registries Incorporated (IRI), Honorable Minister KitlangKabua and H.E. Ambassador Albon T. Ishodajointly with Madame Ambassador.
Minister Kabua highlighted in her keynote remarks that “the keeling would be the start of the paradigm shift from conventional driven, solely engine propelled ships to a new generation of vessels for our islands in the larger Pacific Region.
“We need to move away from fossil fuels, the vessel which´ 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 48m cargo vessels have been developed jointly with the Research Institute University of Applied Sciences Emden-Leer.
After the keel laying ceremony, the shipyard and all relevant project partners will continue with the production of the vessel until the next milestone, the launching in early October 2023.
