Ship design unit of Finnish engineering company Wärtsilä has entered into a cooperation agreement with Shangai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI), China-based ship design house that is a part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation group (CSSC).
The agreement is to cover the designs for various vessel types for the offshore oil and gas industry, with a possibility to extend the cooperation to other vessel types.
Signed in December 2015, the deal provides a means for the duo to offer a joint ship design portfolio. The cooperation is also to enable the same supplier to manage the interface risk between the basic and detail design, previously handled by two separate companies.
The companies believe that the relationship with ship owners and Chinese shipyards will be strengthened through shorter design development times, a knowledge of applicable global rules and regulations, and production design capabilities.
“This agreement represents another important milestone in the long and successful relationship between the CSSC group and Wärtsilä, and it provides strong support for Wärtsilä’s growth strategy for the Chinese market,” Roger Holm, President Marine Solutions & Executive Vice President, Wärtsilä Corporation , points out.