Partner Article

Funding boost for ship design centre

The marine industry in the North East received a boost this week as Newcastle’s International Marine Design Centre was awarded a further round of funding.

£900,000 has been secured to meet future centre running costs and at the Design Centre. The centre aims to provides a focal point for the North East marine industry, marketing its strengths to the world in a bid to land major new design contracts in the defence, commercial shipping and offshore energy markets.

It also provides facilities for local firms to carry out project work they may not have the ability to do themselves.

The International Marine Design Centre already has a membership of 24 companies who collectively offer over 600 designers in the marine sector access to training and business advice. This new funding will aid further recruitment of member companies resulting in a greater number of contracts awarded to the region, boosting North East GVA.

David Hewitt, Director at the Marine Design Centre, said: “We have come a very long way in a short space of time. We have built up a dynamic regional membership base and put strategies in place to help the sector move forward. These are based on business development, attracting fresh blood into the sector and putting in place workshops, seminars and training programmes to address skills and technology issues.

“This extra funding will enable us to build on our successes so far, enhance the competitiveness of regional marine design companies, promote their capability to the international market and create new opportunities for North East companies to grow.”

Work at the centre ranges from hull design to detailed work on internal components such as accommodation modules, machinery and cargo handling systems.

The centre assists in the training of hundreds of designers and provides opportunities for graduates, as well as offering student placements from Newcastle University’s School of Marine Science and Technology.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .