DNV announced it has strengthened its Miami Cruise Center by appointing Oceane King as its new head.

The appointment reinforces DNV’s commitment to the cruise industry in the Americas and beyond, addressing evolving technical, regulatory and sustainability challenges.

Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, CEO Maritime at DNV, said: “We are pleased to welcome 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 said: “I am excited to return to DNV and to lead the Miami Cruise Center 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 added.

DNV said in a press release that as its dedicated hub for the North American cruise market, the Miami Cruise Center provides cruise operators with direct access to expertise including classification, advisory, digitalization and safety.

The center 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 center and work with cruise customers and industry partners across technical, environmental and operational topics.

King returns to DNV after seven years at Royal Caribbean Group, where she helped advance maritime technology and decarbonization initiatives that supported innovation and fleet development.

King brings over 15 years of experience across cruise operations, newbuilding, maritime technology, risk management and decarbonization.

The press release said that 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 led technology development, fleet innovation and decarbonization initiatives.

She contributed to cross-industry collaboration through her secondment working at the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.

King holds a PhD in Marine Technology from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), specializing in reducing ship emissions.