CTI-Maritec, the maritime industry’s leading fuel and environmental technical advisory company, says it has cut ribbon on a new fuel testing centre in Shanghai, China.
The official opening today of the new state-of-the-art testing lab, located in the city’s Minhang District, coincides with the first anniversary of Centre Testing International (CTI) Group’s acquisition of Singapore’s fuel testing company Maritec.
The new facility forms part of CTI Group’s strategy to expand its fuel, ballast water, hazardous material and environmental testing services across the major maritime hubs around the world.
Sangem Hsu, President, Maritec, said: “Maritec (Shanghai) Co. Ltd is now open for business to provide timely and efficient fuel testing and technical services for ships bunkering at all Chinese ports. The establishment of a dedicated marine fuel testing centre at one of the world’s busiest ports will contribute greatly to the industry’s commitment to carbon neutrality and sustainable development.”
To ensure fuel sampling equipment is readily available for ships operating in and out of Shanghai, a new logistics hub has also been set up within the facility.
Covering an area of more than 2000m2, the Shanghai lab provides the same level of testing the company’s Singapore facility is noted for. This includes routine testing under ISO 8217, fuel system checks, enhanced analysis and more advanced testing and forensics.
Ship operators and managers using Maritec (Shanghai) services will also benefit from the company’s technical advisory services based on the new “Maritec Fuel Expert System”.
“Our Fuel Expert System provides customised advisory on a ship’s individual fuel test data, highlighting fuel quality characteristics and any potential problems that could be present. This offers greater assurance to ship operators and managers that their ships’ fuel systems are operating optimally, safely and efficiently,” said Jay Chan, General Manager of Maritec (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
While the technology is continuously being developed, Chan said it “provides added value to our customers. It sets CTI-Maritec apart from other testing companies in terms of technical capability and service quality”.
In addition to providing quality assurance testing during bunkering, the accumulated historical data and solutions at the heart of the Maritec Fuel Expert System allows CTI Maritec to provide more detailed and precise recommendations relating to fuel storage, mixing/blending and pre-combustion trends throughout a vessel’s operational voyage.
Maritec Laboratories Pte Ltd was incorporated in 1999 as a marine fuel laboratory providing analysis results and technical advice to a portfolio of international shipping companies. In May 2005, the company was acquired by a group of marine fuel specialists who resigned from DNV Petroleum Services and the company was renamed Maritec Pte Ltd (Maritec). With the enhanced domain knowledge and expertise from the new management team, Maritec was able to provide technically superior fuel quality services at very competitive rates and became one of the leading marine fuel testing and advisory organisations since then.
In June 2020, Maritec was acquired by Centre Testing International Group (CTI Group). Within a few months, the Marine Services Division of CTI Group was fully integrated with Maritec. As the result of the acquisition and integration, CTI-Maritec is the only organisation capable of providing comprehensive inspection, testing, certification and consultancy services for marine fuel quality, water quality and prevention of hazardous material in ships.