Maritime Industry Briefing: BIMCO Retrofit Framework and Seabed-to-Space Communications Partnership

## BIMCO Moves to Unlock Energy-Saving Retrofit Investment The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) is taking steps to remove a longstanding commercial barrier to shipboard energy efficiency upgrades, according to Seatrade Maritime. The industry body is developing a contractual addendum designed to allow shipowners and charterers to equitably split both the costs and the financial benefits of energy-saving device (ESD) retrofits. The initiative addresses a well-documented 'split incentive' problem in shipping: owners bear the capital expenditure of installing fuel-saving technologies, while charterers — who pay for bunkers under voyage or time charter arrangements — capture the majority of the operational savings. This misalignment has historically suppressed investment in retrofit solutions despite their potential to meaningfully reduce emissions and operating costs. By providing a standardised contractual framework, BIMCO aims to give both parties a commercially viable basis for negotiation, potentially accelerating the uptake of technologies such as wind-assisted propulsion, hull air lubrication systems, and advanced propeller upgrades. The move comes as the industry faces mounting regulatory pressure under IMO's Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) regime and the EU Emissions Trading System, making fleet efficiency improvements increasingly urgent for owners and operators alike. --- ## AnySignal and Andrenam Partner on Seabed-to-Space Communications In the maritime technology space, AnySignal and Andrenam have announced a strategic partnership to develop and commercialise a new family of integrated communications solutions spanning underwater, surface, and satellite domains, according to a joint statement released via PR Newswire. The partnership combines AnySignal's next-generation underwater acoustic modem technology with Andrenam's distributed maritime infrastructure, edge processing capabilities, and resilient satellite communications architecture. The companies describe the offering as a 'seabed-to-space' communications suite, targeting applications in subsea asset monitoring, offshore energy, autonomous maritime systems, and defence-adjacent markets. The integration of underwater acoustic communications with satellite connectivity addresses a persistent gap in maritime domain awareness — the ability to relay data from submerged assets through surface nodes to shore-based operations centres without interruption. As offshore wind, subsea cable monitoring, and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) deployments expand globally, demand for robust, low-latency cross-domain communications is expected to grow significantly. Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed. --- *Sources: Seatrade Maritime, PR Newswire*