DNV and China Merchant Industry (CMI) have agreed to establish a Joint Technical Innovation Centre to explore new technologies that promote the decarbonisation and digitalisation of shipping.

The Centre's official launch came amid a high-profile signing ceremony between DNV and CMI executives at the 2nd World Maritime Merchants Forum 2022 (Shipbuilding Subforum), hosted by CMI in Shenzhen, China.

Maritime decarbonisation and smart digital technologies

Located at CMI's Shenzhen office, the Centre will act as a platform for CMI and its subsidiaries to carry out innovation collaboration with DNV to explore and promote the application of maritime decarbonisation and smart digital technologies.

"The Centre will ensure CMI and DNV can grow together by jointly driving innovation in the areas of decarbonisation and digitalisation. We look forward to working with DNV to create carbon-reducing and smart solutions that will bring positive change to both business and the maritime industry," said Hu Xianfu, General Manager of CMI.

Shipping transformation 

DNV can provide critical support and solutions for the R&D, design, and manufacturing of vessels" 

"This initiative significantly enhances DNV's strategic and business cooperation with CMI as a group and its shipyards. With our vast global experience and broad network, DNV can provide critical support and solutions for the R&D, design, and manufacturing of vessels and offshore assets, and the future transformation of the shipping industry," said Norbert Kray, DNV’s Regional Manager for Greater China.

The Centre will see joint task groups formed according to cooperation fields and specific projects. They will combine both project-based on-site co-working and remote collaboration regularly.

Energy transition

The first project will be a “Ship Key Technologies Study and Implementation for Decarbonisation and Energy Transition” for the CMI Group.

“Decarbonisation goes beyond our companies and our industry. It is a task that not one player, nor even one industry, can resolve in isolation. Only through working together we can make the transition and ensure the safe decarbonisation of the maritime industry. Collaboration is the true fuel of the future,” DNV Maritime CEO Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen said in a video speech during the Forum.

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