Shanghai Marine Diesel Engine Research Institute (SMDERI) and Iceland’s Marorka have signed a cooperation agreement to promote maritime energy management and enhance the competitiveness of China’s shipbuilding and shipping enterprises.

Under the agreement, SMDERI and Marorka will establish a product taining and demonstration centre in Shanghai.

The two organisations will work jointly to promote the application of energy management and operational performance solutions in the Chinese market, to further enhance ship efficiency and to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions. These objectives are essential for improving the core competitiveness of China’s shipbuilding and shipping enterprises, they believed.

“The introduction of new international shipbuilding standards along with new regulations mean that shipping operators must adapt to green energy saving and environmental protection requirements through the application of cutting-edge scientific and technological advances,” Marorka said in a statement.

“Maritime energy management and operational performance solutions can help owners save 3-15% of fuel per year without altering existing onboard hardware,” it said.