On 25 November 2021, China Classification Society (CCS), W？rtsil？ Voyage Limited and Tianjin Port Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on technical cooperation both virtually and physically at CCS Headquarters to initiate joint endeavor to promote research and application of intelligent ship technologies. CCS-W？rtsil？ Technical Seminar on Intelligent Vessel and Smart Port was held in conjunction with the event.

Ms. Leena-Kaisa MIKKOLA, Finnish Ambassador to China, Mr. Jusa Susia, Commercial Counsellor, Senior Director of East Asia Region and India of Business Finland, Mr. Lin Qiang, Deputy Director General of Science & Technology Dept. under Chinese Ministry of Transport (MOT), Mr. Sean Fernback, President of W？rtsil？ Voyage Limited, Mr Yang Jiemin, Vice President of Tianjin Port Group and Mr. Mo Jianhui, CCS Chairman and President were present on the occasion and delivered speeches. Mr. Sun Feng, CCS Vice President, Mr. Sean Fernback, and Mr Yang Jiemin signed the MoU on China–Finland Intelligent Vessel and Smart Port Technical Cooperation respectively in Beijing, Singapore and Tianjin on behalf of the three parties. Director Ms. Zhang Hongbing from International Cooperation Dept. of MOT, Mr James Han, Managing Director of W？rtsil？ China witnessed the signing on line together with other 40 attendees.

It is reviewed and agreed by all that the close cooperative activities between China and Finland on innovative technologies have been growing over the years. It is fully recognized that the trilateral technical cooperation will play an important role in promoting the development of intelligent ships and smart ports in China. The three parties are dedicated to exerting their strength in digitalization, intelligent tug practice and rule development, making greater contribution to new partnerships between China and Finland with solid achievements towards a higher level of innovative technological cooperation between the two countries. 

The technical cooperation, based on the successful practice of intelligent ships, aims to utilize ship intelligence and advanced situational awareness technologies as well as advanced digital simulators, to enhance safety and efficiency through technology research and development, testing and verification, and to develop industry standards to scale up deployment. It also aims to build on a key pilot project for intelligent vessels and ports, explore a new model of international collaboration and knowledge exchange on safety standards and best practices. This cooperation project is an active exploration under the inter-governmental cooperation framework. It is a positive response from Chinese and Finish maritime industries to the two countries’ new technological cooperation initiative “China-Finland Science & Technology Innovation Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding”.

In recent years, CCS, in the spirit of innovation and oriented by market and future needs, has been focusing on intelligent ships and the whole life of equipment, deepening researches in intelligent ship lab, intelligent systems and equipment, as well as relevant rules and guidelines for intelligent ships, with a view to promoting intelligent transport development. In the trilateral cooperation, CCS will give play to its experience and advantages in intelligent ship technology and standards development. Based on the successful practice of smart tug in Tianjin Port and W？rtsil？’s strength in providing technical solutions to ship and port digitalization, CCS will promote deeper and wider researches in and scaled-up deployment of intelligent technologies, advance new-generation tug technology, enhance safety and efficacy of ships and ports, and ameliorate the industry standards and guidelines for intelligent ships.