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GL celebrates 140th anniversary in Dalian

GL celebrates 140th anniversary in Dalian

Dalian: "Asia's remarkable economic development offers a great platform for the maritime industry", said Dr Hermann J. Klein (pictured), member of Germanischer Lloyd's Executive Board, at the society's 140th anniversary dinner in Dalian, where GL's presence has grown to a team of 20 surveyors and supporting staff. Twelve shipyards in the area are working on newbuildings classed with GL. In addition, activities in the certification of materials and components are steadily increasing.

"We are looking forward to approach the upcoming challenges in shipping with our clients," Dr Klein said in his speech, singling out Asia as playing "an increasingly important role in the worldwide shipping sector."

In May, the largest containership ever built in China, Xin Ya Zhou, was launched. The 8,530teu vessel constructed by Hudong-Zhonghua is  China Classification Society. Four additional ships of the same series will be classed with GL only. In addition, a GL-classed VLCC vessel built by Nantong Cosco Ship Steel Structure Co. in Jiangsu was launched for Gulf Sheba Shipping Ltd.

To meet the increasing demand for classificatory services, GL opened its 10th Chinese station in Qingdao in February 2007. The classification society is also present in Shanghai, Dalian, Jiangyin, Nanjing, Ningbo, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Kaohsiung. Shanghai is the location for the Country Office and the Area Office China, Plan Approval and Engineering Services East Asia and the Division Office East Asia. Further representations are in preparation.  [25/06/07]