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A PROGRAM IN

The future is blue

The Blue Maritime cluster is a world leader in design, construction and operation of advanced vessels for the global ocean industries.

Global Centre of Expertise

In 2014, due its unique global market position and its important contribution to Norwegian value creation, the cluster was granted the status of a Global Centre of Expertise.

Global Centre of Expertise are a new top level in the Norwegian cluster program and it has been referred to by Norway’s former Minister for Trade and Industry, Monica Mæland, as the industry’s Champions League. Three business clusters in Norway are currently carry this status: the Blue Maritime cluster (for shipbuilding and shipping operations), the NODE cluster (for oil equipment/drilling cluster) and the Ocean Technology cluster (for oil and gas subsea). It is a national status awarded by the government to the most global and rapidly growing business clusters in the country. It will assist in increased value creation and strengthened attractiveness and position within global value chains, through strategic collaborative projects between the cluster’s partners and with external partners.


The Blue Maritime Team

The GCE Blue Maritime Cluster project is run by the innovation company ÅKP AS and can therefore draw on the extensive expertise and excellent network in this knowledge environment. The project is managed by a distinguished and balanced steering committee, consisting of key people from the maritime business in the region, county and NTNU Ålesund. This means that the team working with GCE Blue Maritime Cluster is highly flexible and is able to react quickly, whether to challenges from the Norwegian or international business community, or to input from the knowledge environments. It means we are well positioned to create new opportunities for the Møre maritime cluster.

Pierre Yann Major will start as Head of the Cluster on March 1st; up until that date, the constituted head of the cluster is Kirsti Slotsvik. 


The Steering Committee

  • Njål Sævik – Chairman, CEO, Havila Shipping
  • Johnny Aarseth  EVP Integration & Energy, Kongsberg Maritime
  • Stig Remøy – CEO, Olympic
  • Geir Larsen – EVP Sales, Brunvoll Group
  • Håvard Sætre - CEO, Sirius Design & Integration
  • Håvard Vollset Lien - VP Research & Innovation, Vard Group,
  • Cathrine Kristiseter Marti – CEO, Ulstein Group
  • Unni Grebstad  CVO/CEO, Ocean Visioneering
  • Kristian Voksøy Steinsvik – CEO, SINTEF Ålesund
  • Anne Seth  NTNU Ålesund
  • Gunnar Hareide – Chairman of the Board, ÅKP 


A cluster is a geographical proximate group of interconnected companies and associated institutions in a particular field, linked by commonalities and externalities.

– M. Porter (1998)



Our Participants

The Norwegian coast is home to a unique concentration of maritime companies, and specialized research and educational institutions. Together they represent the Norwegian maritime cluster.

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Norwegian Innovation Clusters

Norwegian Innovation Clusters is a state-funded cluster program that will contribute to value creation through sustainable innovation.

This will be done by triggering and reinforcing collaborative development activities in the clusters, with the aim of increasing the clusters' dynamism and attractiveness, and increasing the individual company's innovation capacity.

The Blue Maritime cluster is part of the national cluster programme, funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, owned by the Norwegian Research Council, SIVA and Innovation Norway, whereas the latter also hosts the administration of the programme.

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Gold Label for GCE Blue Maritime

The European Cluster Excellence Initiative has awarded the "Gold Label" certification to GCE Blue Maritime, as one of only 78 business clusters in Europe.

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