THE OCEAN is launching a new meeting arena for sharing of knowledge, cooperation and development of technology across the blue industries. The first event will be in Bergen the 17th of September 2019. THE OCEAN will be a yearly event, and the planning of further major investment in 2020 already started.
The ocean industries have been responsible for some of the technology waves that has laid much of the foundation for the modern and high-tech Norway. THE OCEAN will ensure a sustainable utilization of natural resources and at the same time develop new possibilities and new global markets for the west and the rest of Norway.
The ocean industries have been responsible for some of the technology waves that has laid much of the foundation for the modern and high-tech Norway. THE OCEAN will ensure a sustainable utilization of natural resources and at the same time develop new possibilities and new global markets for the west and the rest of Norway.
- To reach the vision of a sustainable utilization of sea resources we must stimulate increased knowledge, increased innovation and technology development across the ocean industries, says Solveig Holm, leader of THE OCEANs steering group and Senior Advisor in NCE Seafood Innovation Cluster.
- With THE OCEAN, we will facilitate the transfer of expertise and interaction that provides new discoveries, connections and forms of cooperation. We will facilitate the development of innovative solutions and technologies across the ocean industries as well as highlighting existing solutions, products and services that contribute to increased value creation in the marine economy, Holm continues.
THE OCEANs connections between entrepreneurs, investors and industries will contribute to development of cooperation between national and international research and industry. Here, the blue industries will show innovation power and knowledge.
– We do not need more excuses to meet. We do not need an arena where we see who can scream the loudest or brag the most about what we have done. We need an arena where the participants present their ideas and gather for powerful measures – where we show that we collectively take responsibility and commit to actions today and tomorrow. The future belongs to the ocean. If it is to become our and our descendant’s future – then our time to contribute has come. Join and make a difference! We at VIS have no intention to be left at shore, prompts Anders Haugland, managing director at VIS who is responsible for coordinating the initiative.
Ocean competence and technology to the world market
THE OCEAN is going to have a relevant program with a combination of international speakers, connections between academic disciplines across sectors and parallel sessions within energy, food and mobility. THE OCEAN should be an arena for knowledge sharing, new collaborations and presentations of new technology and industry.
- Norway is one of the worlds leading maritime nations, and exports ocean competency and technology to all the worlds continents. Now we are leading in a course where competence and technology develops and exerts across traditional sectors in the ocean. This opens for big new opportunities and new global markets for the Western region of Norway and in the rest of Norway, says Owe Hagesæther, director at GCE Ocean Technology and leader for the program committee at THE OCEAN.
Wise minds and young talents
The planning of a big event in 2020 has started, parallel with the startup of this year’s event. Next year’s event exerts over several days for the industry and international actors and includes activities for the city’s population. THE OCEAN is going to be working for more activity, visibility and reputation for the ocean industry and how we together can attract more wise minds and young talents. Then the connection between academia and the trade and industry is the most important.
- 2019 is the year of the youth’s strong climate engagement. We will show that the ocean industry shares this engagement. We need the youth for a transition to a sustainable environment. In the long term, when THE OCEAN has been up and running for a few years, we will focus more outside of Norway. It will still concern sustainability and the ocean industry, and the horizon is the whole planet, says Jarl Giske, professor and Marin dean at the University of Bergen.
Future oriented and visionary
THE OCEAN is going to be an arena for future oriented collaboration within the ocean industry. Geir Lasse Taranger, Vice Director and Research Director at Institute of Marine Research (IMR), utters the importance of collaboration and the vision for THE OCEAN:
- We need to focus on how the marine industry can contribute to a sustainable development, and especially contribute so that Norway can fulfill it`s climate goals within 2030 related to seafood, transport and energy production. More concretely – how the seafood industry and the offshore energy production can become carbon neutral within 2030, and how future oriented seafood transport and technology can contribute to accomplishing these goals.
Engaged collaborators for powerful measures
The initiative takers behind THE OCEAN consists of GCE Ocean Technology, NCE Seafood Innovation Cluster, NCE Maritime Cleantech, The University of Bergen, Institute of Marine Research, NORCE, VIS, City of Bergen, Connect Norway, Invest in Bergen, Bergen Chamber, Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) and Hordaland County Council. VIS will, in cooperation with technical organizer, Bergen Live, stand for project management and technical implementation.
