Coming soon - a new arena for the ocean industries

The first event will be held in Bergen on 17 September 2019. THE OCEAN will be a yearly event, and the planning of further major investment in 2020 has already started.

The ocean industries have been responsible for some of the waves of technology that have laid the foundation for modern and high-tech Norway. THE OCEAN will ensure the sustainable use of natural resources, and at the same time develop new opportunities and new global markets for the west coast 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,” Holm continues.

“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.”

THE OCEAN will make connections between entrepreneurs, investors and industries, helping to develop partnerships between national and international research and industry. Here, the blue industries have a chance to show off their power, knowledge and innovation.

“We do not need more excuses to meet,” adds Anders Haugland, managing director at VIS who is responsible for coordinating the initiative. “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.”

Bringing ocean competence and technology to the world

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 event will be an arena for knowledge sharing, new collaborations and presentations of new technologies and industries.

“Norway is one of the world’s leading maritime nations, and exports ocean competency and technology to all the worlds continents, states Owe Hagesæther, director at GCE Ocean Technology and leader for the program committee at THE OCEAN.

“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,” he continues.

Wise minds and young talents

The planning of a big event in 2020 has started, parallel with the launch of this year’s event. Next year’s occasion will run over several days for both, industry and international actors and also includes activities for the city’s population.

THE OCEAN is going to be working for more activity, visibility and reputation for the ocean industry, as well as focusing on how we can together attract more wise minds and young talents. The connection between academia and industry is also important.

“2019 is the year of strong climate engagement for young people. We will show that the ocean industry shares this engagement. We need the youth for a transition to a sustainable environment,” says Jarl Giske, professor and Marin dean at the University of Bergen.

“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 will be the whole planet.”

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), underlines the importance of collaboration and the vision for THE OCEAN.

“We need to focus on how the marine industry can contribute to sustainable development, and especially contribute so that Norway can fulfill its climate goals within 2030 related to seafood, transport and energy production,” Taranger states.

“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 consist of GCE Ocean Technology, NCE Seafood Innovation Cluster, NCE Maritime Cleantech, Maritime Bergen, The University of Bergen, Institute of Marine Research, NORCE, VIS, Bergen Kommune, Connect Norway, Invest in Bergen and Bergen Chamber of Commerce. VIS will, in cooperation with technical organizer, Bergen Live, stand for project management and technical implementation.