ClassNK opened its first exclusive surveyor office in St. Petersburg on September 14 with a lively reception hosted by ClassNK Chairman and President and Current IACS Vice-Chairman Noboru Ueda. The event was attended by more than 80 guests including executives and representatives from throughout the Russian maritime industry. Among the many prominent dignitaries at the event were His Excellency Ichiro Kawabata, Consul General of Japan in St. Petersburg, IACS Council Chairman Pavel Shikhov, Vladimir Alexandrov, President of the St. Petersburg Shipbuilders Association, and numerous top representatives from academic institutions such as CNIIMF.