On November 9 and 10, NYK held its annual Dry Bulk Safety Conference at the company’s headquarters in Tokyo. This conference has been held every year since 2010 to share safety awareness and review trouble responses for dry bulk vessels. This year, 118 participants from 38 Japanese shipowners and ship-management companies attended, together with representatives from RightShip* and the Japanese classification society ClassNK.

The conference included a review of past accidents and troubles and their responses, practical dry bulk fleet activities aimed at improving the living environment and motivation on board, and health management and disease countermeasures recommended by our industrial physician for seafarers in the NYK Group.

In addition, the 2023 NYK Dry Bulk Award was presented to eight vessels that had not been detained or given any deficiencies by Port State Control** and had not accumulated downtime over the past two years.

Representatives from RightShip explained its revised GHG Rating, a GHG-emissions assessment scheduled to begin in December 2023. ClassNK reviewed the new requirements for towing and mooring equipment included in the amendment of SOLAS Convention, which will become effective in January 2024. And participants engaged in a lively exchange of opinions and commented on the conference’s usefulness.

We will share our key dry bulk safety activities with our partners and strive for safer operation.