Activity

A prime example of the work in OMN is the vision for Norway as a global knowledge hub, spawned in OMN and developed in cooperation with the Norwegian Shipowners’ As¬sociation. With this recently launched initiative to make Norway a global knowledge hub in the maritime industry, the Oslo maritime cluster is working to secure a knowledge base for growth that will strengthen the entire Norwegian maritime  cluster. Organisations like Kongsberg Maritime, DNV, IM Skaugen, MARINTEK, Tschudi Shipping, Wilh. Wilhelmsen and Leif Höegh have committed to sponsoring professorships over a five-year period at various universities around Norway, in fields of the donors’ choice. Central to the concept is intensified R&D and knowledge transfer generated in research and educational environments, and then transmitted to the industry in the form of leading-edge innovation and highly qualified employees. With 14 pro¬fessorships as of April 2009, the Knowledge Hub program is the largest private investment in knowledge development in Norway’s history.

On the innovation side, OMN arranges annual workshops that gather experts from both maritime and onshore industries, in order to encourage the exchange of technology and innovation between these otherwise segregated environments. A recent workshop was titled “Maritime fuels: cleaner energy, reduced consumption – plotting the course.” As follow-up to the workshops, the most promising companies are selected for participation in maritime springboard events, in cooperation with Connect Norway. Springboards assemble expert panels to advise companies on robust business plans and fast tracks to markets.

OMN also contributes to regional participation in global maritime events such as Nor-Shipping, as well as keeping the public and politicians informed about activities and developments in the regional cluster.