The world’s most powerful sailing cargo ship has gone into service under the Isle of Man flag.

Berge Olympus, a pionering bulker was officially unveiled in October after its retrofit by Berge Bulk, one of the world’s leading dry bulk ship-owners.

Four WindWings have been installed on the Newcastlemax bulker as part of Berge Bulk’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2025. The cutting-edge technology uses wind power to reduce fuel and emissions.

In addition, Berge Olympus has been retrofitted with a shaft generator system. The shaft generator is driven by the main engine to supply electric power to the vessel, also saving fuel and reducing emissions.

The Isle of Man Ship Registry (IOMSR) participation in the projects is a testament of shared vision with Berge Bulk as one to lead the industry to a zero-carbon future through safe, efficient, and sustainable shipping.

And the IOMSR’s Singapore representative Captain Raja Ray was one of the first on board to see the new technology first-hand following the retrofit.

He said: “I inspected the vessel last year before its retrofit and returning on board, the transformation and the technology behind it that I saw was truly amazing.

“Berge Olympus holds a bold vision for the future, serving a testament to both innovation and sustainability.

“We are very proud that the Berge Olympus is part of the IOMSR fleet and that we are able to support Berge Bulk in its future ambitions as we both work together in leading the industry on its journey to net zero.”

The IOMSR flagged Berge Olympus will sail between Brazil and China - a trade route known for having favourable wind conditions.

Its WindWings are large, rigid sails that can be adjusted to optimise the aerodynamic performance of the ship. Each of the four WindWings is 20m wide and 37.5m tall, which is taller than a 10-story building.

The WindWings can save up to 20 per cent fuel consumption, and corresponding CO2 emissions on an average worldwide route.

Starting out with 12 vessels in 2007, the company now owns, operates and manages a fleet of 85 safe and fuel-efficient vessels, equating to 14 million DWT.

Cameron Mitchell, IOMSR director, said: “Berge Bulk’s WindWings project stands as testament to its commitment to lead the way towards a zero-carbon future while enhancing vessel efficiency.

“The initiative aligns with the new IMO goals, to reach net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by or around 2050, goals which IOMSR is also fully committed to, through our industry leading work.

“We look forward to continuing our partnership with Berge Bulk as it works towards its sustainability aims.

“The project also highlights that there are clear opportunities for vessel owners to swiftly retrofit new technologies to make a rapid and profound difference to the climate impact of their fleet.”

IOMSR believes the maritime industry has a collective responsibility to respond to the climate emergency.

To that end it became the first flag state to join the Getting to Zero Coalition, an industry-led alliance working towards decarbonising the international maritime shipping sector.

It is a partnership between the Global Maritime Forum, the Friends of Ocean Action and the World Economic Forum. Members include more than 120 organisations from the maritime, energy, infrastructure and finance sectors

In another industry leading development, in April 2022 IOMSR become the first flag state in the world to reduce registration fees for ships deploying green technology.

The measure gives ship owners a 15 per cent reduction on their annual registration fee. The reduced fee is available to operators of cargo ships, commercial yachts or passenger ships which are investing in biofuel, alternative fuels, wind, or shore-side energy technology.

IOMSR is one of the world’s leading flag states and is ranked 18 in the world by Clarkson’s with around 300 ships and 12.5m GT under its flag. The registry has held top spot on the Paris MoU Port State Control whitelist and is on the whitelist in the Tokyo MoU rankings.

The registry is headquartered in Douglas, Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency and is a Category One member of the Red Ensign group.

The Douglas based Isle of Man Ship Registry (IOMSR) has become an associate member of The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO).

The organisation represents the interest of quality dry cargo shipowners and provides the forum where dry bulk shipowners, managers and operators are informed about, discuss and share concerns on key topics and regulatory challenges.

IOMSR deputy director Toby Brooks said the dry bulk sector is hugely important to the ship registry, both in terms of the significant tonnage that dry bulk ships bring to the Isle of Man flag and the quality of those vessels in terms of Port State Control inspections and flag state reputation.

He said the IOMSR and INTERCARGO are also closely aligned on the key sector issues of seafarer welfare, safety and decarbonisation.

“Becoming a member of INTERCARGO is an important move for us and we look forward to our organisations coming together and sharing their expertise for the benefit of the wider industry,” he said. “INTERCARGO’s influential voice on the prime issues affecting dry bulk shipowners is respected internationally and our aim in membership is to add to that voice.”

He added: “The demographic of ship types registered in the Isle of Man has changed considerably since we were established as an international register in 1984 and today around half the fleet is made up of dry cargo ships. This has ultimately improved the knowledge and expertise of our survey and technical team in the design and construction of bulk carriers. INTERCARGO membership will also help us further increase that expertise.”

The IOMSR was the first flag state to launch a seafarer welfare app to support mental health and, in another industry-leading development, in April 2022 it become the first flag state in the world to reduce registration fees for ships deploying green technology.

INTERCARGO works with its members, the regulators and other associations to ensure shipping operates safely, efficiently and in an environmentally sound way.

It also actively participates in the development of global legislation through the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other international bodies.

IOMSR’s industry leading green measure gives ship owners a 15 per cent reduction on their annual registration fee. The reduced fee is available to operators of cargo ships, commercial yachts or passenger ships which are investing in biofuel, alternative fuels, wind, or shore-side energy technology.

The move to offer immediate financial incentives for green technology ships follows on from the IOMSR becoming the first flag state to join the ‘Getting to Zero Coalition’ in 2020. The coalition’s core aim is to hit the IMO’s 2050 target to develop commercially viable, deep-sea zero-emission vessels by 2030.

IOMSR is also dedicated to seafarer welfare and has played a prominent role in highlighting the industry’s mental health challenges – and championing ways to tackle them.

With 11,000 seafarers sailing on more than 300 vessels under the Isle of Man flag, IOMSR understands the impact many feel in being isolated from family in the wilderness of the sea.

IOMSR worked to create the first ever seafarer welfare app designed by a flag state, which was launched in 2021. Called ‘Crew Matters’, the free app provides structured support for seafarers.

The fleet of the Isle of Man Ship Registry (IOMSR) is growing and also extending its relationship with the Singapore-based ship owner Peninsula International Shipping PTE Ltd.

The latest ship to join the register is the 12,113-tonne chemical tanker Peninsula XI.

The vessel was formally delivered and registered to the IOMSR at a ceremony held at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co Ltd in South Korea (Afloat adds this is the same Asian shipyard that built the Isle of Man Steam Packet’s newbuild Manxman, see separate story).

Peninsula XI joins two sister tankers operated by the Singapore company under the IOMSR flag, the Peninsula IX and Peninsula X.

The new deal sees the IOMSR expand its offering further into Asia – a key market with two thirds of its fleet now managed in the region. Just in December the IOMSR announced it is joining the Singapore headquartered Asian Shipowners Association (ASA) to support its ASEAN operations.

Cameron Mitchell, IOMSR director, welcomed the Peninsula XI to the Manx flag which represents almost a third of tonnage under the Red Ensign.

He said: “We’re delighted that we can now build on our relationship with Peninsula International Shipping PTE Ltd and offer enhanced support and service through our representative in Singapore Captain Raja Ray.”

“Vessel owners demand first-class levels of technical support and that’s something we pride ourselves on – responding immediately whenever there are defects or issues with state control.

“Furthermore, we offer clients an easy, efficient, and competitive service - including low fees, with one annual payment and no stealth charges. In comparison, some open registries charge for almost all additional services.
“We continue to develop and lead. We were one of the first flag states to offer digital certificates. We were also the first flag state to offer a discount on registration fees for vessels using green technology and we were the first registry to launch a seafarer welfare app to support seafarers’ mental health.”

Captain Raja Ray is the Isle of Man Ship Registry’s representative in Singapore.

He said: “On behalf of the IOMSR it was a pleasure to be asked and attend the delivery of the Peninsula XI the third Peninsula International Shipping PTE Ltd ship to be delivered from Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co Ltd.”

A Peninsula International Shipping PTE Ltd spokesperson said: “This agreement for IOMSR to add another of our vessels to its fleet is clear proof of the excellent partnership between our two organisations. We look forward to continuing this close working relationship for many years into the future.”

IOMSR background 

The IOMSR is one of the world’s leading flag states and is currently ranked 18 in the world by Clarkson’s with around 300 merchant ships and 12.5m GT under its flag.

The registry has previously held top spot on the Paris MoU Port State Control whitelist and is firmly on the whitelist in the Tokyo MoU rankings. It is also recognised for fleet performance on the US Coast Guard’s Qualship 21 scheme.

The registry is headquartered in Douglas on the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency and is a Category One member of the Red Ensign group.

An expansion of the Isle of Man Ship Registry (IOMSR) through its Greek fleet, follows an agreement to flag four bulk carriers with Enterprises Shipping & Trading (EST).

EST is IOMSR’s oldest and largest Greek client, and the latest additions bring the total number of its vessels registered on the Isle of Man to 28 – 13 bulk carriers and 15 oil tankers.

The newly flagged bulk carriers are Magic Striker, Dynamic Stricker and Virtous Striker, all 33,044 tonnes, and the 51,195-tonne Helvetia One.

A growing number of Greek shipowners are choosing the Isle of Man flag, supported by the IOMSR Athens based Greece representative Konstantinos Machairas.

The IOMSR’s director Cameron Mitchell said: “We are delighted to expand our fleet and continue a valued relationship with Enterprises, which is our longest serving and biggest client in Greece.

“We hugely value the Greek market and continue to look to build strong new partnerships and business developments. We’re looking forward to Posidonia and the conversations that will bring.

“There is a lot of respect among tanker and bulk carrier owners for the quality and history associated with the Red Ensign in Greece, allied with the Royal Navy protecting its ships anywhere in the world.

“Owners want a flag that they can rely on particularly for the speed of technical support. That is something the Isle of Man is well known for; whenever and wherever there is a defect or issue with port state control the IOMSR team reacts immediately.”

He added: “The registry can offer Greek clients British standards and an easy, efficient and competitive service.

“This includes low fees, with one annual payment and no stealth charges, whereas some open registries charge for almost all additional services.

“There is no annual tonnage tax based on size of ship, no inspection fee, no consular fee, no casualty investigation fees and we offer a discount for multi ship fleets as well as fee incentives for environmentally friendly ships.

“We continue to develop and lead. We were one of the first flag states to offer digital certificates. We were also the first flag state to launch a seafarer welfare app to support seafarers’ mental health, which we know is a huge concern to ship owners.”

In another industry leading development, in April 2022 IOMSR become one of the first flag states in the world to reduce registration fees for ships deploying green technology.

Announcing the move, Mr Mitchell, said: “If you are a shipping line making steps towards hitting IMO Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions targets, the Isle of Man flag will reward you. We want to welcome more new, greener ships to our fleet.”

The new measure gives ship owners a 15 per cent reduction on their annual registration fee. The reduced fee is available to operators of cargo ships, commercial yachts or passenger ships which are investing in biofuel, alternative fuels, wind, or shore-side energy technology.

The move to offer immediate financial incentives for green technology ships follows on from the IOMSR becoming the first flag state to join the ‘Getting to Zero Coalition’ in 2020. The Coalition’s core aim is to hit the IMO’s 2050 target to develop commercially viable, deep-sea zero-emission vessels by 2030.

The IOMSR is one of the world’s leading flag states and is ranked 17 in the world by Clarkson’s with more than 320 ships and 14m GT under its flag.

The registry has held top spot on the Paris MoU Port State Control whitelist and is firmly on the whitelist in the Tokyo MoU rankings. It is also one of the high-performing flags on the US Coast Guard’s Qualship 21 scheme.

The registry is headquartered in Douglas on the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency and is a Category One member of the Red Ensign group.

The Isle of Man Ship Registry has formally launched the first ever seafarer welfare app designed by a flag state as Afloat previously reported.

Director of the Isle of Man Ship Registry Cameron Mitchell said the app, named ‘Crew Matters’, has been developed in partnership with Liverpool-based training company Tapiit Live and is the most advanced of its kind ever produced for seafarers. He said the app has just gone live and is available to around 10,000 seafarers sailing on more than 400 vessels under the Isle of Man flag.

The launch is particularly timely as hundreds of thousands of seafarers began the new year separated from their families, with 400,000 currently working beyond their contracts, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Cameron, who served as a marine engineer at sea for 17 years with shipping lines including Maersk and Farstad, said the app has been created primarily to tackle the immense challenges facing seafarers brought into sharp focus by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Safety is a fundamental pillar of our ethos as a high-quality flag state,” he said. “Even before Covid we recognised that something had to be done that delivered tangible results to help seafarers in the wilderness of the sea. The catalyst was an apparent suicide on a vessel sailing under our flag and we recognised that while there is support for seafarers in port, through the many brilliant chaplaincies and seafarer charities, the ‘weak link’ is support while at sea. I raised it at the Red Ensign Group and with the seafarer charity ISWAN and it was clear to us that the problem of seafarer mental health was becoming more acute, with seafarers spending more time alone in their cabin than ever before. The app has many functions but a key one is to provide social activities such as live gym work-outs to get seafarers interacting more on-board to combat that isolation.”

Cameron said as well as making the app, Tapiit Live will live stream its award-winning training classes via the app.

“The app provides structured welfare support for the seafarer, ranging from a health and wellbeing self-help library that includes nutritional advice, through to Tapiit Live’s interactive support sessions,” he said. “Users will have access to a full month’s agenda of physical and mental wellbeing classes and educational trainings, including fitness and yoga sessions. Seafarers can also log their work and rest hours, and if they feel stressed or unwell there is a live SOS function which provides immediate access to the Seafarers Help Live Chat, which is free, confidential and available 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. In addition, the app connects with global seafarer charity Stella Maris and enables seafarers to find contact details for the organisation’s chaplains in 54 countries around the world."

On a practical level Cameron said the app also tackles the problem of storing seafarer documentation in one place, as well as providing a link to trade union Nautilus with details of membership, news, careers, and jobs and training opportunities. He said the app contains a wealth of information from the ship registry including the master’s handbook, shipping notices, IOMSR news feeds, marine traffic and local port services.

“The feedback we are receiving from ship owners both clients and non-clients is really positive,” he said. “Ship owners want to find new better ways to help and protect seafarers, and want to embrace digital innovation. We hope this app will be a step forward for the industry and make a positive difference to many thousands of seafarers sailing under the Isle of Man flag.”

Richard Turner, Tapiit Live CEO, said: “It is brilliant for Tapiit to work with the IOMSR and produce what is arguably the most advanced app ever produced for seafarers. The important thing is that it is giving seafarers more practical and emotional support at a time of real need. We really look forward to building more functionality into the app and hearing seafarers’ feedback.”

Ian Stokes, Head of Corporate Engagement and Partnerships for Stella Maris, the largest ship visiting network in the world with chaplains in more than 300 ports in 54 countries, said: “Stella Maris provides a trusted friend in a foreign land for tens of thousands of seafarers each year. The simple act of talking confidentially to our chaplains about personal issues - loneliness, family separation, illness, finance, faith - can make the most enormous difference to a seafarer's mental wellbeing. More serious concerns also emerge - health, bullying, assault, denial of shore leave, payment problems - which are dealt with, in confidence, with the support of other maritime bodies. We are therefore delighted to be a part of this hugely positive innovation to give seafarers as much help as possible to cope with one of the most difficult jobs in the world.”

Roger Harris, Executive Director of the International Seafarers’ Welfare & Assistance Network (ISWAN), said: “We warmly welcome the development of the app that will give seafarers access to our 24-hour helpline, SeafarerHelp. We congratulate the IOMSR for this initiative that will benefit the wellbeing of seafarers.”

Mark Dickinson, General Secretary of Nautilus International, said: “Seafarers can be away from friends and family for many months at a time, undertaking vital yet often physically and mentally difficult work. This new app will mean that seafarers and Nautilus members will have access to news, support and vital contacts to make sure that they have everything they need while they are at sea.

“We are pleased to see the Isle of Man Ship Registry continuing to find ways to maintain high standards for the flag and we are pleased that their seafarer welfare app will help us to fulfil our commitments to being wherever our members are. We look forward to seeing the app develop further to support seafarers on Isle of Man-flagged ships."

A Link to the 'Crew Matters' app is available from the Google Play store here