The Zhoushan Institute of Calibration and Testing for Quality and Technology Supervision as well as Switzerland-based SGS agree to establish a petrochemical laboratory in Zhoushan on March 16. [Photo/WeChat account: china-zjftz]

The Zhoushan Institute of Calibration and Testing for Quality and Technology Supervision as well as Switzerland-based SGS signed a cooperation agreement to establish a petrochemical laboratory in Zhoushan on March 16, local media reported.

This marks another close cooperation between the two sides in the inspection and testing of oils and chemical products after they established a joint lab for flow measurement last year.

These labs are expected to reduce petrochemical trade disputes in the China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone, as well as improve the service of the FTZ in the oil and gas industry.

The cooperation agreement states that works relating to equipment selection, purchase, installation, and debugging should be completed this year. It also states that the lab will be approved by the China Metrology Accreditation and the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment next year.

By this time, the lab will have the capability to detect crude oil, fuel oil, as well as diesel oil, which can satisfy the testing requirements of both national standards and international standards.

"The petrochemical industry in Zhoushan is developing rapidly and therefore, the city is in large demand of third-party inspection service in oils," explained Du Jiabin, president of SGS in China.

Du noted that SGS will invest heavily in new materials testing and environment testing in China in the future.

SGS, a Swiss multinational company headquartered in Geneva, provides inspection, verification, testing, and certification services. It has more than 89,000 employees, as well as operates over 2,600 offices and laboratories worldwide.