ClassNK Continues Global Expansion

Opens Three New Offices

Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) officially announced the opening of three new exclusive surveyor offices today in Tartous, Syria; Callao, Peru; and Sibu, Malaysia. The new offices become the 110th, 111th, and 112th offices in the Society’s global service network. The opening of the new offices continues ClassNK’s aggressive network expansion, which saw the class society open seven new exclusive surveyor offices around the globe in 2009. This expansion also coincides with the dramatic growth of the ClassNK register, which has grown by more than 20 million gross tons (gt) since the beginning of 2008.

The new offices in Tartous and Callao are the first exclusive surveyor offices ClassNK has opened in Syria and Peru, respectively, and Chairman Ueda marked the achievement by saying “These new offices reflect the growing number of NK clients in the Middle East and South America and the continuing globalization of the ClassNK fleet.”

With regards to the new office in Sibu, Malaysia, Mr. Ueda emphasized the important role that Malaysia’s shipbuilding industry has played in NK’s successful expansion in the workboat market noting that “Last year, the number of NK classed newbuildings in Malaysia grew to more than 100 vessels, and this new office will allow us to better serve Malaysia’s dynamic shipbuilding industry.” The new Sibu Office is the 5th exclusive surveyor office ClassNK has established in Malaysia.