On September 2 and 3, NYK held its annual Dry Bulk Safety Conference at the Imabari Kokusai Hotel in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture. This conference has been held every year since 2010 to ensure the safe operation of dry bulk vessels operated by NYK. This year, 98 participants from 29 shipowners, ship-management companies, and related organizations attended.

The conference included a review of past accidents and troubles, with a particular focus on machinery-related incidents. Participants also shared information on topics directly related to safe vessel operation and ship management, including the use of AI in the maritime industry, trends and best practices in vessel inspections, and standard specifications for newly built bulk carriers.

On the first day, lectures were delivered by Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. and RightShip, a ship evaluation and rating company. Nihon Shipyard introduced its standardization strategy and latest initiatives for newly built bulk carriers. RightShip presented its analysis of inspection data, the application of AI to enhance safety assessments, and the future direction of safety scoring.

On the second day, participants engaged in active group discussions on topics including AI utilization, vessel inspection responses, and standard specifications for newbuildings, exchanging views and operational experiences.

In addition, NYK held the presentation ceremony for the 2026 NYK Dry Bulk Award*, which recognizes vessels that have maintained outstanding safety performance. This year, one vessel received the Platinum Award and two vessels earned the Gold Award. Commemorative plaques were presented to the owners and ship-management companies of the award-winning vessels in recognition of their continued commitment to safe operations.

The NYK Group remains committed to strengthening collaboration with shipowners and ship-management companies, promoting safety awareness, and pursuing continuous improvement initiatives to provide safe and high-quality maritime transportation services.


* NYK Dry Bulk Award
An award program established by NYK’s Dry Bulk Business Group to enhance the safety and quality of operated vessels. Vessels are evaluated comprehensively based on Port State Control inspection results, performance under NAV9000 (NYK’s proprietary safety standard), and accident and trouble records. Beginning in 2026, the selection criteria were revised, resulting in a significantly more selective award process.