Oslo/Shanghai: DNV GL is pleased to welcome the Norwegian Prime Minister to its regional head office in Shanghai, China. The visit confirms that the bilateral political relations between Norway and China are back on track.
“Normalizing the political relations between Norway and China is very positive for a company like DNV GL,” says Mr Remi Eriksen, President and CEO of DNV GL. “China is one of our key markets, and the most important in Asia. The normalization places DNV GL and Norwegian companies on equal terms with international competitors in China. The Prime Minister’s visit is an important step towards rebuilding the historically good relations between our two nations and strengthening financial, academic, and cultural ties.”DNV GL has had a presence in China for almost 130 years. Its first ship surveyor was hired back in 1888 in Xiamen. Today, the company has 850 employees with offices in 20 cities in China representing all its different business areas.
The company’s Regional Manager China, Mr Torgeir Sterri, says: “DNV GL serves a broad spectrum of industries and provides a wide range of services to the Chinese market. We work with the maritime and oil and gas industries, and increasingly within the energy sector, notably on renewable energy, battery storage and power distribution. We certify around 5,000 Chinese companies against international standards and we provide advanced software solutions to a wide range of sectors.”
During the Norwegian Prime Minister’s visit to China, a strategic business agreement will be signed between DNV GL and one of the world’s biggest shipyard groups CSIC (China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation) relating to shipbuilding, wind energy and strategic R&D. The strategic cooperation agreement will be signed in Beijing on 7 April. Additional agreements will be signed in Shanghai on 8 April.
Opening of one of China’s most energy-efficient buildings
During her visit to Shanghai on 8 April, the Prime Minister Erna Solberg will inaugurate the new DNV GL Green Office Centre. Once completed, the centre will feature one of the most energy-efficient buildings in China.
“This is an outstanding environmentally friendly building in this area, and the first near-zero-emission building in Shanghai,” says Mr Yuan Xiangqing, the head of the Shanghai Changning District Low Carbon Project Management and Solution Centre. “China is taking all kinds of positive action to meet the 2030 carbon emission peak target. This building sets a new standard and will be reproducible.”
Remi Eriksen says “We are honoured that the Prime Minister has agreed to officiate at this historic occasion: the opening of our new Chinese headquarters office building. When the new hi-tech building is completed we will be proud to be moving into a nearly energy-neutral building, contributing to our goal of becoming climate neutral with regard to travel activities and the buildings we use by 2020. Our Shanghai headquarters signifies our purpose to safeguard life, property and the environment and is a measure of the importance of the China hub in our global enterprise.”
Mr Sterri, who has been at the helm as regional manager for the past four years, concludes: “Although we have been able to offer our services and develop our customer relations during the past few years, we are now looking forward to more normal political relations and to create new business opportunities in this exciting and innovative region.”
About DNV GL
Driven by its purpose of safeguarding life, property and the environment, DNV GL enables organizations to advance the safety and sustainability of their business. The company provides classification, technical assurance, software and independent expert advisory services to the maritime, oil & gas and energy industries. It also provides certification services to customers across a wide range of industries.
Combining leading technical and operational expertise, risk methodology and in-depth industry knowledge, DNV GL empowers its customers’ decisions and actions with trust and confidence. DNV GL continuously invests in research and collaborative innovation to provide customers and society with operational and technological foresight. With origins stretching back to 1864, DNV GL's reach today is global. Operating in more than 100 countries, its experts are dedicated to helping customers make the world safer, smarter and greener.