April 2026

Table of Contents

1. John McDonald, Chairman & CEO, ABS

   There are maritime executives who find the industry by accident, then there are those that are destined to be in it from birth; John McDonald is the latter. He takes the helm of ABS at arguably one of the most exciting yet tumultuous times in maritime history, as it is an industry facing multiple inflection points in terms of decarbonization and fuel transition, automation and autonomy, digitalization, robotics and seafarer training, to name but a few. By Greg Trauthwein

   p. 38

2. Engineering: X-BOW Turns 20

   Chair of the Board Tore Ulstein discusses the ULSTEIN X-BOW, which two decades ago upended naval architecture and sparked a global success story for Ulstein Group. By Josefine Spiro

   p. 26

3. Gotland’s Hydrogen Power Play

   Jonas Moberg, Head of Newbuildings at Gotlandsbolaget, gives the rationale behind, and the challenges ahead, in building and operating a hydrogen-ready 130-m, 18,300-gt, 1,500-passenger, 400-car, 30-knot catamaran. By Greg Trauthwein

   p. 34

4. Changing Shipyard Dynamics in Japan

   Design refinement, productivity gains and attention to product quality have seen shipbuilders maintain a high profile in certain commercial sectors. By David Tinsley

   p. 46

5. European Shipyards Build Cruise Backlog

   A flourishing cruise market and European shipbuilders’ unerring contractual success in the sector has taken orderbooks into the middle of 2030. By David Tinsley

   p. 50