Green maritime

The world’s first electric ferry, Ampere, was launched in Norway in 2014. Since then, development of battery technology, charging systems and new zero-emission fuels has accelerated. Now, more than 70 per cent of Norwegian ferries are electric.

Norwegian companies have also designed and built the first liquid hydrogen-powered ferry as well as the first battery-electric fast ferry.

Five Norwegian companies are currently involved in building the world’s largest electric fast ferry, which will operate between Argentina and Uruguay and has room for more than 2 200 passengers and 200 cars.

Norway is therefore an ideal location for developing novel solutions for large and small vessels.

In 2023, the maritime industry in Norway employed nearly 90 000 people and generated revenue of NOK 211 billion (roughly USD 20 billion). This makes Norway the world’s fourth largest shipping nation in terms of value creation, the seventh largest shipping nation in terms of number of ships and the eight largest shipping nation in terms of tonnage.

Norway is home to a complete maritime ecosystem, which includes the Norwegian Navy. Norwegian ship designers lead the field in designing specialised, electric and hybrid vessels, while Norwegian suppliers offer state-of-the-art ship’s equipment and digital solutions for every phase of a vessel’s life cycle. There is strong focus on reducing emissions and costs through research and development in newbuilds, retrofits and upgrades.

The green maritime transition began in Norway and there is still a lot of momentum. Zero-emission shipping remains in focus here, novel business models are being developed, and companies engaged in transforming the maritime industry are located in Norway. There are gaps in this value chain today, and therefore tremendous possibilities for new companies to fill those gaps.

There are also significant market opportunities in the value chain for companies that are developing, producing and delivering new marine fuels, shore power or hydrogen infrastructure. With increasing availability of electricity and hydrogen-based fuels along the Norwegian coastline, maritime operators are preparing to meet stricter emission requirements.

The Norwegian Navy could also become an important customer in the near future. The Navy is going to build 28 new small vessels equipped with innovative solutions. There will be local content requirements, which means that you will need a Norwegian registered company to be able to deliver to the Navy.

The shipping industry is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. If it were a country, the industry would rank among the top 10 largest emitters globally.

International shipping has set a new course, with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopting a historic ambition of achieving zero emissions from international shipping by 2050. Along the way, there are significant emission reduction targets that must be met in 2030 and 2040.

By 2030, the international shipping industry must reduce its total emissions by 20 to 30 per cent, compared with 2008 levels. By 2040, it must reduce emissions by 70 to 80 per cent. Achieving these reduction targets will require cutting emissions along the entire value chain – from cradle to grave.

Norway is home to strong green maritime clusters. Maritime CleanTech, for example, has more than 150 partners covering every segment of the maritime value chain. Partners include green energy providers and the organisations and agencies that regulate and approve new solutions entering the market.

Sustainable Energy – a Norwegian Catapult Centre offers testing facilities, equipment and expertise to get new technology and solutions from idea to market faster. At Sustainable Energy, companies can develop and test sustainable solutions for producing, storing, distributing and managing energy – from prototype development and lab testing to testing finished products in operational facilities on land, on ships or in marine environments.

We have a very good overview of the green maritime industry in Norway, and we can assist you with information, network, site selection and more.