Launching Ceremony for The Pacific Island Supply Vessel on Geoje Island

With the objective of unveiling an innovative sailing cargo ship developed through the collaborative efforts of Asia Shipbuilding and Kostec, the launch ceremony took place on November 2023 on Geoje Island, South Korea. The ceremony symbolised a paradigm shift from conventional to eco-friendly vessels, underscoring the Republic of the Marshall Islands’ (RMI) commitment to sustainable sea transportation.

In July 2022, the consortium signed a contract with Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, aligning with RMI’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions in sea transport by 2050. This project targets a 27% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions below 2010 levels by 2030, reflecting a transformative step towards a low-carbon future.

The launching of the new type vessel for the Marshall Islands 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.

– Ambassador Albon Ishoda

In the early part of 2023, the RMI Cabinet has endorsed the Domestic Maritime Transport Roadmap, laying out the path for net-zero sea transportation in the Marshall Islands until 2050. The overarching aim of the project is to support RMI’s ambitious target to cut down carbon dioxide emissions in the domestic sea transport sector. According to its National Determined Contribution (NDC) target, the goal is to achieve a transport-wide reduction of total domestic transport GHG emissions by 27% below 2010 levels by 2030, transitioning to a low-carbon transport future. The commitment extends to reducing GHG emissions from domestic shipping by 40% below 2010 levels by 2030, with full decarbonisation of the sector by 2050.

We need to move away from fossil fuels. The vessel which launched today symbolises the larger change we are fighting for: a transition from technologies that are outdated in times where we face daily challenges with rising sea levels, the acidification of our oceans leading to coral bleaching, taking away our resources that we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.

– Ambassador Albon Ishoda

Ambassador Albon Ishoda also stressed, that after the launching ceremony, the shipyard and all relevant project partners will continue with the production of the vessel until the next milestone, the handing over of the vessel from the GIZ to the Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation (MISC). MISC will operate the ship from March 2024 onwards mostly in the domestic waters of the Marshall Islands.

The Low Carbon Sea Transport Project is based in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. It is funded through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).