A technician repairs marine motor equipment at the workshop. [Photo/Yongpai app]

When a shipowner facing a tight delivery schedule called for help, a Ningbo-based marine power company cut a motor replacement timeline from 70 days to just 35.

At the center of the story is Svend Hoyer Power Transmission (Ningbo) Co, a marine motor supplier and repair company located in Beilun — Ningbo's major port district.

Inside its 3,800-square-meter warehouse, more than 13,000 marine motors are kept in stock, ranging from compact precision units to large industrial systems used in offshore engineering and shipbuilding.

The company relocated to Beilun in 2013, drawn by the area's port access and growing marine equipment industry. Over the years, it has built a dense local supply and service network that allows repairs and component replacement to move far faster than in traditional ship maintenance.

A company executive compared the traditional repair process to a relay race, with motors being transported between factories and waiting for inspection slots, logistics and certification approvals before they can return to service.

In Beilun, however, many of those steps can now be handled locally. Painting facilities, machining workshops, and parts suppliers are all located within a short drive, allowing different stages of production and repair to happen simultaneously instead of sequentially.

That network recently proved critical when a customer faced the risk of missing a ship delivery deadline. The company immediately reserved inventory, coordinated procurement, technical support, and quality inspection in parallel, and worked with nearby partners to complete specialized processing on short notice.

The full motor system was delivered in just 35 days — half the usual timeframe.

The company has also obtained remote certification approval from multiple international classification societies, allowing inspections and documentation to be completed directly from its workshop.

Now, the local marine services cluster is continuing to expand. Five companies spanning motor repair, engine maintenance, painting, and packaging materials have already established operations in the area, while a new mobile repair station is being planned to bring maintenance services directly to port terminals.