Marine design centre sailing on its success

Sep 18 2007 by David Hewitt, The Journal

THE Marine Design Centre may only have been launched two months ago but we have already been the ‘centre’ of considerable interest.

Firstly, we were delighted to welcome Lord Drayson, minister for defence, to our official opening, together with a vast range of stakeholders and members of the marine design sector.

Lord Drayson said: “This new enterprise is a re-affirmation of the boldness and vision that has, over the centuries, helped characterise and define the North-East as a powerhouse of innovation.

“The Marine Design Centre deserves to succeed; I am confident that it will do so, and I am certain that it will make a significant contribution to the economic well-being of the North-East.”

Secondly, we learned of the orders for two new Royal Navy aircraft carriers.

The £3.8bn contract will lead to the construction of the largest vessels ever sailed by the Royal Navy.

The Marine Design Centre is well aware of the opportunity that this announcement brings to the region and has been in discussion with the principal players in the aircraft carrier project for some time.

The region’s designers have much to offer in developing the design of the aircraft carriers and the Marine Design Centre provides a unique facility that enables a regional design team to work in a fully-equipped design office in Newcastle and be linked electronically to the principal aircraft carrier project offices around the UK or, indeed, any where in the world.

The Marine Design Centre is the access portal to world-class marine capability with the ability to be the single point of contact to deliver that capability to the client. It will facilitate ‘best practice’ and encourage use of the latest design tools and technology by the region’s marine design businesses. It will promote the growth of knowledge-based marine skills and develop collaborative links with Newcastle University and other educational establishments to ensure the skill base meets the needs of the marine design community.

The Marine Design Centre also has an IT-rich design facility that gives the sector unparalleled competitive advantage.

It delivers a range of services including a state-of-the-art common-user facility that offers

Secure design office available for ‘hire by the hour’;

40 fully networked high specification work stations;

State-of-the-art 3-D modelling software;

High speed data communications;

Comprehensive supporting infrastructure.

Regional development agency One NorthEast must take great credit for the creation of the Marine Design Centre and has provided £1.5m in initial funding for the project.

There is no doubt that the markets we are targeting – defence, commercial, oil and gas and renewables – are all experiencing growth, and therefore the need for the skills and expertise of the North -East’s marine design sector will be called on for many years to come.

We therefore want to make this outstanding facility available to everyone who operates in the marine design sector in the region.

As the saying goes, no one individual is perfect, but a team can be.

Working on this principle, we want the Marine Design Centre to be a dynamic, inspiring location that is the catalyst for interaction and collaboration between large and small companies and individuals on major projects.

By bringing this talent together, we will not only ensure the future of our sector, but guarantee that it flourishes by winning contracts that would not have been possible.

If you are in the marine design sector, we want to hear from you to ensure that you have the opportunity to share these world-class facilities. Contact davidhewitt@marinedesigncentre.com.