A naming ceremony for the Marshall Islands cargo sailing ship, SV Juren Ae, was held last week at the ASIA Shipbuilding Company on Geoje Island in South Korea.
The Marshallese phrase Juren Ae refers to one of the main paddles of a traditional outrigger canoe.
According to a release from GIZ, the German international development aid agency, the May 9 ceremony represents “the handing over of the first (new) wind-propulsion, Pacific Islands sailing supply vessel for domestic sea transportation in the Marshall Islands and in the Pacific region.
“This significant achievement was made possible through the collaborative effort of the partners of the Low Carbon Sea Transport Project Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and various partners, including University of Applied Sciences Emden-Leer (HEL), Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation (MISC), Asia Shipbuilding, Kostec, and other national partners working towards fostering sustainable shipping solutions in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.”
A number of Marshallese politicians attended the event, including Minister of Transportation, Communication and IT Hilton Kendall, Minister of Education, Sports, and Training Joe Bejang and his wife Mary, who gave her blessing as godmother of the vessel.
Also in attendance was Ambassador Albon Ishoda, who is also the Special Envoy for Maritime Decarbonization.
“The Juren Ae, with its sturdy hull and big sails, carries more than cargo and passengers,” the release stated. “It reflects stories of resilience that brings up to 80 percent saving potential of CO2 emissions in comparison to the rest of the MISC fleet.”