ABB establishes production plant

SHANGHAI - ABB Group, the leading power and automation technology group, inaugurated a global manufacturing base in Shanghai on Thursday.

The facility will produce the company's advanced "green" marine-propulsion system, in response to surging demand in the world's biggest shipbuilding country.

The new base is one of four facilities dedicated to manufacturing and servicing marine-propulsion systems. The plants manufacture the company's "Azipod" azimuth thrusters - electrical propellers which deliver thrust in any chosen direction - which can help reduce fuel consumption of vessels by 25 percent while improving their ability to maneuver.