HILARY HOSIA
The unveiling of the Juren Ae prototype sailing ship model took place in front of a crowd at Robert Reimers Enterprises Tuesday following the official handover ceremony of the cargo sailing vessel.
Germany Charge’d Affaires Mathias Kruse joined Minister in Assistance Bremity Lakjohn in the unveiling event. The model is a gift to the RMI government.
The concept of designing a prototype vessel was conceived in 2017 after the RMI and project partners assessed the fleet’s efficiency and emissions that year. It was decided then there was a need to design a pilot sailing cargo vessel equipped with selected propulsion technologies, according to the statement made by Minister of Transportation, Communication and Information Technology Hilton Kendall.
“That ship has now arrived and is ready to serve with its low emission propulsion systems between the atolls,” Hilton said. “The SV Juren Ae stands here as a result of years of great cooperation and shared vision of a new era of maritime transport.”
Hilton said the initiative complemented RMI’s ongoing commitment to achieve a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from domestic shipping by 2030, with complete decarbonation targeted by 2050. Prior to the arrival of Juren Ae, RMI has been utilizing SV Tarmelu, formerly known as Kwai, in similar services while conducing hands-on training for crews from the Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation. Enhanced training has been offered to MISC crew under the German IKI-funded Low Carbon Sea Transport Project, which is implemented by Germany’s international aid cooperation agency known as GIZ.
Speaking on behalf of the German Embassy and Federal Government of Germany, Charge Kruse said the Juren Ae is a beacon of hope and cornerstone on our joint path towards decarbonization of our societies. “Diplomatic relations between Germany and RMI was established in 1991,” Kruse said. “But our ties are much older, Kruse said, citing the colonial relations between RMI and Germany from 1885 to 1914.
“As we hand over this standalone vessel, we look forward to strengthen the ties between our nations and hopefully other areas of partnership and cooperation in the future,” Kruse said in his closing remarks. “Let Juren Ae symbolize our common commitment to this cause and our dedication to the initiative between the people of RMI and Germany.”
Country Director for GIZ Immanuel Gebhardt, who has visited RMI several times in the past, offered the closing remarks for the event.