Helideck for offshore engineering vessels manufactured by Ningbo Tay Aluminium Technology Co. [Photo/Yongpai app]

Ningbo-based Ningbo Tay Aluminium Technology Co is building large offshore helicopter landing platforms for global shipbuilders, with strong international demand filling orders through 2029.

Inside its workshop in Ningbo's Zhenhai district, workers are assembling a 50-metric-ton aluminum helideck measuring over 22 meters in length and width and 5 meters in height. Once completed, the structure will be disassembled into hundreds of components, packed into 10 12-meter containers, and shipped via Ningbo-Zhoushan Port to Singapore, where it will be installed on a Dutch-customized offshore engineering vessel. 

The platform is built using ultra-thin aluminum panels averaging just 3 to 4 millimeters in thickness, yet it is engineered to withstand loads of up to 26 tons without deformation. Designed for offshore engineering ships, the helideck supports crew transfer, emergency rescue, and cargo delivery in demanding sea conditions.

Tay Aluminium is the only company in the city that provides a complete range of services for offshore aluminum helidecks, including design, R&D, manufacturing, and after-sales service. It holds more than 20 core patents and has obtained certifications from leading international classification and inspection bodies, including DNV (Det Norske Veritas, a Norway-based maritime classification society) and TUV Rheinland Group (a Germany-based independent testing and certification organization).

Shipyards from Singapore as well as China's Wuhan and Guangzhou have been placing orders. The company expects to produce at least eight helidecks this year. It is also working with Ningbo University to develop a modular, movable helideck for emergency response applications, expanding the technology's applications in safety and rescue work.