Shanghai: DNV has decided to establish a new software production centre in Shanghai, China. The centre will be opened on 1 January 2008 and will allow DNV to meet China’s ambitious plans for technology development and innovation and rising demand for integrated software solutions in the shipping and energy industries.

The intention is to be even closer to the Chinese market by providing tailor-made software solutions to the shipping, offshore and process industries.

Tor Svensen, the COO of DNV Maritime and chairman of DNV Software, says: “DNV is and has been at the forefront when it comes to new software solutions. DNV Nauticus, the production system which ensures knowledge sharing throughout a ship’s lifetime, has been a trend setter for software systems within this industry. By establishing the Shanghai production centre, we will strengthen our opportunities to further develop this tool. We will also ensure closer cooperation with the Chinese maritime cluster and together strive to achieve more innovations.”

At present, DNV has two software production centres – one at the head office in Oslo, Norway, and one in London, UK. Shanghai was the obvious choice for the third centre.

Elling Rishoff, the managing director of DNV Software, says: “China is currently number four globally as regards software development. By combining the maritime know-how of DNV’s maritime service centre in Shanghai with the software and IT competence of the new software production centre we will be able to address key challenges facing the Chinese maritime industry in its way towards technology leadership.”

This new software production centre’s main focus in relation to the shipping and offshore industries will be on ship and offshore design institutes, shipyards, ship owners and offshore operators. In addition to Nauticus, other solutions and products will be developed and expanded.

“As the global attention paid to environmental problems has increased over the past year, I expect that our Environmental Reporting System for triple bottom line reporting on environmental issues – like emissions to air – is one of the products this new production centre will be able to develop in parallel with the industries’ expectations,” adds Tor Svensen.