DNV has strengthened its Miami Cruise Centre with the appointment of Océane King as its new head, reinforcing DNV’s commitment to the cruise industry in the Americas and beyond, as it addresses evolving technical, regulatory and sustainability challenges.
As DNV’s dedicated hub for the North American cruise market, the Miami Cruise Centre provides cruise operators with direct access to expertise including classification, advisory, digitalisation, and safety. The centre serves as a focal point for collaboration between cruise operators, shipyards, designers and technology providers with DNV’s global network of cruise experts.
In her new role, King will lead the Miami Cruise Centre and work closely with cruise customers and industry partners across technical, environmental and operational topics. She returns to DNV after seven years at Royal Caribbean Group, where she played a key role in advancing maritime technology and decarbonisation initiatives that supported innovation and fleet development.
Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, DNV CEO Maritime, said: “We are pleased to welcome Océane King back to DNV. As the cruise sector continues to advance fleet innovation and environmental performance, her expertise and industry perspective will be valuable as we continue to work closely with customers and industry stakeholders.”
King added: “I am excited to return to DNV and to lead the Miami Cruise Centre at a time of rapid transformation for the cruise industry. Having worked both within DNV and as part of one of the world’s largest cruise companies, I understand the opportunities and challenges our customers face. I look forward to working closely with our customers, partners and colleagues to help deliver practical solutions, accelerate innovation and support the industry’s continued growth.”
King brings over 15 years of experience across cruise operations, newbuilding, maritime technology, risk management and decarbonisation. While at DNV, she held several roles within Maritime Advisory, ultimately serving as Head of Maritime Advisory Americas. She led newbuilding programs, refurbishment initiatives, environmental technology implementation, port and terminal developments and technology qualification activities. At Royal Caribbean, she was responsible for technology development, fleet innovation and decarbonisation initiatives. She actively contributed to cross-industry collaboration through her secondment with working at the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Centre for Zero Carbon Shipping. King holds a PhD in Marine Technology from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), specialising in reducing emissions from ships.
Image: Océane King (source: DNV)
