Lord Drayson officially opens the Marine Design Centre
The Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support, Lord Drayson, ushered in a new era for North East ship design on July 26 when he officially unveiled the new £2.3 million Marine Design Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Prior to his opening address, delivered to an invited audience of more than 100 senior representatives from the marine industry, Lord Drayson said: “Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, ships designed and built on Tyneside, Wearside and Teesside exercised a profound influence on world history, both in peacetime and in times of major conflict.

“It is fitting, therefore, that as we venture into a new century, those design skills are being given a new focus – and fresh impetus – through the establishment of the Marine Design Centre here in Newcastle upon Tyne.

“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.

Visit our new Marine Design Centre website - www.marinedesigncentre.com
We are delighted to inform you that the Marine Design Centre website is now up and running. It provides a full update on all developments taking place at the Marine Design Centre including details on how to become a member.

Become a Partner in the Marine Design Centre
There are four categories of membership within the Marine Design Centre, through a combination of them all we will met the needs and requirements of all those individuals, companies and bodies who service the sector.

The categories are

• Associate
• Partner 
• Strategic Partner 
• Global Partner

To discover which category your company belongs to, please visit www.marinedesigncentre.com

Partners come on board
The Marine Design Centre is very pleased to announce that three high profile organisations operating within the marine design sector have come on board as Partners.

They are engineering consultants and design/draughting contractors Contract Design Group, leading software solutions supplier to the process, power and marine industries AVEVA, and Babcock Design & Technology whose principal business is the design and through life support of naval defence and commercial marine assets.

We are sure that they will all have a leading role to play in the development of the Marine Design Centre in the years ahead.

Joy at carriers contracts
Orders for two new Royal Navy aircraft carriers have been confirmed by Defence Secretary Des Browne. He said the £3.8bn contract would lead to the construction of the largest vessels ever sailed by the Royal Navy.

The new 65,000-tonne carriers - HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales - will enter service in 2014 and 2016. David Hewitt, Director of the new Marine Design Centre, said: "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. 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".

See you at DSEI Exhibition on Stand 1195.  September 11-14 2007
If you are going to the DSEI exhibition we look forward to greeting you.  We will be on stand 1195, which we are sharing with Northern Defence Industries.

For more information on our News and Events please visit our website at www.marinedesigncentre.com