• First universal autonomous navigation support system to receive TA, accelerating commercialization
• Validation from DNV over three years, expected to contribute to IMO autonomous navigation standards
• “HD Hyundai will advance the commercialization of autonomous navigation technology while leading the development of international standards”

SEOUL, South Korea, April 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Avikus, the autonomous navigation subsidiary of HD Hyundai led by CEOs Kang Jae-ho and Lim Do-hyeong, is stepping up efforts to commercialize its vessel autonomy technologies.

HD Hyundai said Tuesday that Avikus recently obtained Type Approval (TA) from DNV, the Norwegian classification society, for its Autonomous Navigation Support System, HiNAS Control.

HiNAS Control, which received the TA, is an integrated autonomous navigation support system that combines perception, decision-making and control functions, enabling it to detect nearby vessels and obstacles, assess navigation conditions and maneuver to avoid collisions.

The approval marks the first time a mass-produced autonomous navigation support system designed for use across multiple vessel types, rather than a specific ship or project, has received international certification. With the TA, HiNAS Control can be installed without additional verification, improving deployment efficiency and is expected to enhance confidence among global shipowners.

Avikus worked with DNV for more than three years to define safety requirements for its autonomous navigation support system and establish a verification framework. Under its guidelines, DNV systematically evaluated the system’s collision avoidance capabilities, which are rooted in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS), by comprehensively verifying the system alarms, navigational information display, and ship control performance.

At a time when international standards for autonomous navigation have not yet been fully established, this case of third-party verification by DNV is expected to be highly beneficial for the establishment of future regulations. With discussions underway at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on the non-mandatory Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) Code, the approval and its framework could also inform the development of more detailed technical standards. The approval is expected to enable Avikus to respond more effectively to evolving global regulations, while positioning HiNAS Control as a standard technology in the autonomous navigation market.

“HiNAS Control’s Type Approval is a major milestone, marking it as one of the first systems to bring autonomous navigation technology beyond the conceptual stage and into commercialization,” Vidar Dolonen, Korea and Japan Region Manager of DNV, said.

“This Type Approval demonstrates that Avikus’ autonomous navigation technology has achieved global standards of safety and reliability,” Lim Do-hyeong, CEO of Avikus, said. “Building on synergies with HD Hyundai Group, we will continue to advance commercialization and lead the development of international standards.”

HiNAS Control has been applied as a standard specification on vessels built by HD Hyundai since 2023 and has surpassed 500 cumulative orders to date.

Continued sponsorship showcases the organization’s commitment to advancing excellence across Asia’s financial services profession.

SINGAPORE, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table), The Premier Association of Financial Professionals^®, is proud to announce its continued sponsorship of Asia Insurance Review’s 30th Asia Insurance Industry Awards’ (AIIA) “Life Insurance Company of the Year” category, open to all distribution channels.

For more than a decade, MDRT has worked with the Asia Insurance Review to support and advance the financial services profession. The AIIA sponsorship reinforces MDRT’s commitment to the growth of companies and advisors across the region and celebrating their outstanding client support and success.

“MDRT champions excellence by supporting companies that continually raise the bar and empowering their advisers with the resources needed for sustained success,” says MDRT CEO Stephen P. Stahr, CAE. “Our sponsorship of the 2026 AIIA ‘Life Insurance Company of the Year’ Award honors organizations that exemplify leadership in life insurance distribution by upholding professionalism and creating meaningful impact for clients, advisors and the broader financial services industry.”

For almost a century, MDRT has been driven by a network of leading insurance and financial services organizations promoting the importance of serving their clients with the highest standards of ethics, knowledge and competence. Today, MDRT has members from more than 80 nations and territories and nearly 700 companies, and seven Asia-Pacific markets are among the top 10 in total MDRT membership.

MDRT opened the Asia-Pacific office in Singapore in 2023 to better serve its members and companies in the region. It liaises with MDRT’s headquarters in the United States and satellite offices in China and India to improve member resources and benefits and support local and regional leaders with events across Asia.

Among upcoming events is the MDRT Global Conference to be held August 23–26, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. With programming designed for MDRT’s fast-growing Asia-Pacific markets, the conference brings members and nonmembers together to celebrate achievement, recognize excellence and engage in cross-cultural exchange.

About MDRT

Founded in 1927, MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table), The Premier Association of Financial Professionals^®, is a global, independent association of the world’s leading life insurance and financial services professionals from more than 80 nations and territories and nearly 700 companies. MDRT members demonstrate exceptional professional knowledge, strict ethical conduct and outstanding client service. MDRT membership is recognized internationally as the standard of excellence in the life insurance and financial services business. For more information, please visit mdrt.org. 

JINAN, China, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Niutech Environment Technology Corporation (Niutech), a globally recognized leader in continuous pyrolysis, announced on March 24 that its majority-owned subsidiary, Shandong Hesheng Environment Technology Co., Ltd.(Hesheng), has officially broke ground on a 100,000 tons per year (TPY) tire pyrolysis expansion project, which scales up Hesheng’s total annual processing capacity from 60,000 TPY to 160,000 TPY, becoming a global leading enterprise as the world’s largest collection, processing and comprehensive utilization for tire resource recovery through pyrolysis.

This project expansion will deploy Niutech’s next-generation and large-capacity industrial continuous intelligent pyrolysis equipment — engineered to outperform traditional systems across single-unit throughput, uptime, and automation. These upgrades will cut unit operating costs and boost project economics, providing a stronger support for large-scale, sustainable commercial operation of tire pyrolysis projects. For a long time, how to achieve large-scale, continuous and stable commercial operation of pyrolysis projects has been a key focus of the global industry. This project not only reflects Niutech’s technical advances in high-end pyrolysis R&D and manufacturing, but also demonstrates its ability to bring continuous pyrolysis to wider industrial adoption.

On the product aspect, leveraging Niutech’s technical R&D capabilities, Hesheng continues to enhance stability and quality of its pyrolysis products. Currently, Hesheng’s tire pyrolysis oil has obtained international certifications, enabling it to high-end global markets. Meanwhile, through technological innovation, pyrolysis carbon black is continuously being upgraded toward standardization and high-value-added applications to better meet customer demands for product consistency, stability, and application performance.

As the global circular economy accelerates, demand for high-quality pyrolysis oil and pyrolysis carbon black from international tire manufacturers, chemical companies, and related material customers is steadily growing. Upon completion of the capacity expansion, Hesheng will possess stronger capabilities for large-scale and stable supply, better meeting the downstream market’s demand for reliable, high-quality recycled materials in significant volumes.

Niutech also stated that in the future, the company will continue to leverage its technological innovation and capital strengths as a listed company to drive the iterative upgrading and large-scale application of pyrolysis technology and equipment, contributing to the resource recovery and recycling of global waste tires as well as green and low-carbon development.

Website: www.niutechpyrolysis.com
Email: contact@niutech.com
Youtube: @niutechpyrolysis

BANGKOK, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TaoKaeNoi Food & Marketing PLC, Thailand’s leading seaweed snack brand, is elevating the fan experience through the “TaoKaeNoi x Chen Zheyuan: A Global Journey of Flavor” event, marking the official introduction of Chen Zheyuan as Global Brand Ambassador. This collaboration celebrates the vibrant role of snacking in modern lifestyles, brought to life through Chen Zheyuan—an artist and a true face of the “New Asian Wave”. With his magnetic presence and Positive Energy, he continues to resonate with fans across Asia and beyond, making him a natural extension of the TaoKaeNoi brand.

As a Thai brand that has evolved into a global name across more than 50 countries, TaoKaeNoi continues to strengthen its position in the healthy snack category through two core strategies: Hyper-Localization, which adapts products to local tastes and behaviors, and Cultural Synergy, which builds meaningful connections through globally relevant ambassadors and voices. Together, these strategies reflect the brand’s commitment to delivering the “Goodness of Seaweed” through a balance of health, taste, and global accessibility.

The partnership with Chen Zheyuan represents more than a collaboration—it reflects a shared vision. His dedication, passion, and Positive Energy closely mirror TaoKaeNoi’s brand DNA. Just as he continuously strives for excellence in his craft, TaoKaeNoi is driven by a strong commitment to deliver high-quality products to consumers around the world. This alignment marks a step forward in evolving TaoKaeNoi from a beloved snack brand into a Global Lifestyle Brand.

The collaboration connects with a new generation of global consumers who value both great taste and a meaningful brand experience. By integrating TaoKaeNoi into everyday lifestyles, it goes beyond short-term trends to build lasting engagement and emotional connection. It invites consumers to be part of the brand’s journey, fostering a sense of belonging and strengthening a global community around TaoKaeNoi.

Today’s consumers are seeking more than just a healthy snack—they are looking for moments of “Guilt-Free Indulgence” that align with their lifestyle. TaoKaeNoi continues to evolve to meet this need, delivering “Seaweed Goodness” that combines enjoyment, confidence, and balance in everyday moments. Guided by this vision, the brand brings together quality, lifestyle, and Positive Energy to connect with modern consumers, reflecting a health-conscious and forward-looking identity that resonates across markets.

#TaokaenoiXChenZheYuanAGlobalJourneyofFlavor #TaoKaeNoi

LONDON, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — “We think of those nights spent with one or more friends, nights when we merged with the shadows and could see the world with eyes that were not our own” – Whipplesnaith

Inspired by 1930s secret society the elusive Night Climbers of Cambridge, KENT&CURWEN looks to the style of Whipplesnaith – the ‘Butterfly Collector’, author and ringleader of this cult nocturnal sport, and the pen name adopted by Noel H. Symington – and celebrates seeing things from another perspective.

The courageous Night Climbers set their own rules; changemakers, rebels, defiant in the face of a revered establishment which they adopted as their hallowed playground in the shadows. With it emerged a sense of belonging to something, a playful attitude that riffs on the set codes – an approach embodied by KENT&CURWEN since the brand’s inception in 1926 and still today as it marks its centenary.

For Autumn/Winter 2026, KENT&CURWEN explores this viewpoint in codes of British dressing, with a color palette that emerges from midnight blue and black through muted taupes and autumnal browns, uniform greys and soft pastels, punctuated with an array of bolder shades of collegiate reds, bright lilacs and burnt oranges.

Unexpected takes on traditional British outerwear and slim silhouetted suiting sit alongside whimsical volumes and deconstructed knits. The classic trench is reimagined in patent finishes, soft shaping and high-collared capes. Playful accessories and delicate corsage detailing intermix with identifiable house embroidered insignias.

Together with the Night Climbers of past and *whisper it* present, KENT&CURWEN invites you to seek inspiration, not restriction, in the shadows, to a richness and imagination beyond society’s confines. To endeavor to find beauty in the unexpected and of joy in belonging. For those in pursuit of adventure and of themselves.

‘Multum in parvo’ – ‘Much in little’
The Night Climbers of Cambridge – Oleander Press, @booksofcambridge.