HELSINKI, July 22 (Xinhua) -- China's shipbuilding industry offers advanced technology, competitive pricing, and a strong focus on energy efficiency and emissions reduction. These strengths, combined with Europe's maritime expertise, can support win-win cooperation, said Thomas Doepel, CEO of Finnish shipping company Finnlines.
Doepel, in an interview with Finnish business daily Kauppalehti published on Tuesday, praised Finnlines' latest vessels built in China, describing them as a major step forward for both the company and the broader maritime sector.
"The introduction of these ships could halve emissions per transported unit," he said, noting that the improvements reflect not only the technological progress of Chinese shipyards but also position Finnlines ahead of tightening international regulations.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is expected to decide this October on a potential emissions trading system for the global shipping industry, which would reward vessels with lower emissions, said Doepel, indicating that Chinese shipbuilding industry's focus on energy-saving and emission-reduction technologies can play an important role in supporting the shipping sector's green transition.
Headquartered in Helsinki, Finnlines is Finland's largest shipping company and operates mainly in the Baltic Sea. It carries over a million passengers each year, with freight transport accounting for 85 percent of its revenue.
Over the past 20 years, the company has invested two billion euros (2.35 billion U.S. dollars) in new vessels. All of its most recent ships have been built in China, including three more ordered earlier this year.
Doepel attributed the choice to China's large-scale production capacity and cost advantages. "European shipyards simply lacked the capacity to deliver such a large order on schedule, while Chinese yards offered excellent conditions," he said.
He stressed that the decision was pragmatic rather than political. "China has developed strong capabilities in shipbuilding, and cooperation with them brings clear benefits," he said. "That doesn't mean we should neglect Europe's own shipbuilding sector -- we need both openness and strategic foresight."
On calls to decouple from China, Doepel was firm: "We cannot isolate others without isolating ourselves. The Chinese are hardworking and capable -- there is much we can learn from each other."
He added that Finnish and European maritime expertise remains globally relevant, even when shipbuilding is carried out abroad. "Europe should understand that trade and interdependence can be tools for managing risk and driving shared growth."
Doepel concluded that Europe's maritime cluster still holds world-class know-how, and that cooperation between China's advanced shipbuilding and Europe's technical expertise can jointly support the development of the global maritime industry, Kauppalehti reported. (1 euro = 1.17 U.S. dollar)
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