The Switch Norway in Disruptive Sustainability hall

March 2017 – Seven of the key players in the Norwegian Centres of Expertise (NCE) Maritime CleanTech cluster have signed up for Nor-Shipping 2017’s ground-breaking Disruptive Sustainability exhibition hall. The Switch is among them, too. 

Bostek, Corvus Energy, NorthSea Container Line, Servogear, The Switch Norway, Wärtsilä and Westcon Power & Automation will all showcase their abilities in a unique space that aims to embrace innovation, priming the industry to tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Nor-Shipping, the leading maritime event week, taking place across a series of venues in Oslo and Lillestrøm from 30 May to 2 June, has dedicated the whole of its Hall A to the concept. In doing so, it hopes to open the industry door to new ways of thinking, working together and innovative technologies – taking ideas and influence from outside arenas, such as the tech and business sectors, and building a platform for fresh collaborations.

According to Sofia Fürstenberg, Nor-Shipping’s Project Manager for Disruptive Sustainability, NCE Maritime CleanTech is the perfect partner for this new philosophy. “This cluster, situated on the west coast of Norway, is a global leader in developing energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies that have the potential to transform sea transportation,” Fürstenberg notes. “Through a unique collaborative approach, where there is a cross-fertilization of ideas and opportunity, they arrive at solutions that impact upon every link in the maritime value chain, from subsea, to marine and throughout the energy sector.

“They will deliver a range of memorable takeaways for the 35,000 people that visit Nor-Shipping, showcasing green hybrid and electric solutions, alongside technology that enables increased digitalization and the shift towards autonomy. For us, this cluster, which won the prize as Norway’s leading innovation environment in 2016, encapsulates the concept, opportunity and huge benefits of disruptive sustainability.”

NCE Maritime CleanTech will join a range of high-profile exhibitors that have already booked their place in the 1,245 sq. m hall, including DNV GL, DNB and Siemens. Billed as a dark, immersive and uniquely engaging space, it’s an experience that Hege Økland, CEO of NCE Maritime CleanTech, is looking forward to. “This concept is perfect for our cluster,” she comments. “We intend to showcase sustainable solutions that disrupt industry norms, pointing the way towards new possibilities for the future maritime sector.

“Cluster collaboration is decisive for green innovation. We represent companies that have developed the first zero-emission car ferry in the world, the first hybrid-OSV, and, later this year, a new solution for inductive charging. And that’s just mentioning a few of our collective achievements. ‘Seeing is believing’ and at Nor-Shipping we aim to present our ground-breaking solutions in a way that will inspire, engage and connect with today’s, and tomorrow’s, key maritime players.”

Alongside Hall A, Nor-Shipping offers a further five themed halls, covering the full spectrum of maritime products, services and solutions. In total, almost 1,000 companies will be showcasing themselves to the industry, future talent and shipping value chain stakeholders.

Nor-Shipping is also presenting a diverse and powerful speaker and event line-up, with a packed program of business and social gatherings across city center Oslo and its facilities in Lillestrøm.

Nor-Shipping 2017 takes place in Oslo and Lillestrøm, Norway, from 30 May to 2 June 2017.

The main exhibition features five themed halls:

  • Disruptive Sustainability, Hall A
  • IT & Navigation, Hall B
  • Safety & Rescue, Hall C
  • Shipbuilding & Repair, Hall D
  • Maritime Services & Logistics, Hall E
  • Propulsion & Machinery, Hall E

A full program of events, initiatives and keynote speakers will be soon released on the Nor-Shipping website.