How our North Asia Zone team raised the bar in 2023

A year of stand-out success

In 2023, the NAZ team had an exceptional year. Not only have we exceeded our objectives, with our best results in over a decade, but we have accelerated the groundwork we are laying to support our clients into our industry’s future.

We have enhanced our technical and innovation capabilities to align our focus with our clients needs in sustainable fuels, digital, smart systems and cyber risks. Our growing team is not only providing insights to clients here in Asia, but contributing to the company-wide knowledge base to generate solutions that will better serve our clients through the energy transition. 

Despite ongoing economic and environmental uncertainties, both the shipping and shipbuilding sectors are proving their resilience, and all the signs for the year ahead remain positive. We look forward to carrying this momentum into 2024.

Carrying lessons from 2023 into the future

At COP28, global leaders emphasized the urgent need for all industries, including maritime, to accelerate their transition to cleaner and more sustainable practices. This means we must do all we can to continue to contribute meaningfully to the positive transformations taking place within the shipping industry.

We have made strong progress, but there is still much work to do, especially on the overall efficiency of shipping logistics and green fuel supply chains. I believe we will best achieve this by continuing to listen to and collaborate with all stakeholders – not only ship owners, but also charterers, port operators, NGO’s, universities and training institutions. We have signed important agreements in the NAZ to further these actions, including a strategic partnership with Shanghai Maritime University to help educate the next generation of maritime experts.

The NAZ team enjoys close relationships with leading shipyards. As ship designs become increasingly sophisticated, we’re ready to stand by their side to develop and realize challenging and innovative designs. In 2023, we signed a record number of Joint Development Projects (JDPs) and Approvals in Principle (AiPs). At Marintec China last December, our teams met with industry leaders from around the world in Shanghai. Over the course of the three-day event, we awarded several AiPs, recognizing innovative projects in China and across the wider region, including several for ammonia- and methanol-fueled vessels.

Our ability to achieve our ambitions can only be realized by the positive contributions and unwavering commitment of our people. To them, and to our clients and partners: thank you – onward to 2024.   

Alex Gregg-Smith, 
Senior Vice President, Bureau Veritas Group & Chief Executive NAZ & China