China plans to establish a national center for technological innovation on the safety and reliability of waterborne transportation equipment in a key port city in east China's Zhejiang province.

The initiative aims to promote the high-quality development of the waterborne transportation equipment industry, which in turn will contribute to the development of the country's transportation sector, China's Keji zhibao /Science and Technology Daily/ reported on Monday.

The Ningbo city government and the Ningbo High-Tech Industrial Zone Management Committee signed a cooperation agreement with the China Ship Classification Society (CCS) to jointly establish the center, which will become an innovation platform combining science, technology and practical application.

According to a CCS spokesperson, the cooperation aims to promote the formation of a high-tech equipment industry cluster, enhance the sustainability and security of China's waterborne equipment supply chain, and provide technical support for the development of Ningbo as a center for developing the maritime industry and ensuring the high-quality growth of its manufacturing sector.

Under the agreement, the three parties will jointly promote basic technological research, application of scientific achievements and training of highly qualified professionals in the water transportation equipment industry.

The cooperation will address innovative needs in areas such as deep-sea and polar exploration, smart shipping, environmentally friendly shipping, high-tech ships, marine engineering equipment and new materials for shipbuilding and ship repair.

The agreement will also establish a comprehensive platform for testing and validation of water transportation equipment.

Administered by the PRC Ministry of Transportation, CCS provides international-level technical specifications and standards for ships, offshore facilities, containers and related industrial products, acting as an independent third party for relevant inspections.