The cluster community has a very strong commitment to the shipyards and their profitability. Four focus areas have been identified that should be looked at further, and this preliminary project aims to find ways to better define these focus areas. The shipyards' actual ability to compete seems to be weakened and the question is whether there are elements other than the framework conditions that cause one to lose competition against other European shipyards to a greater extent. From this, one also wonders whether other business models may be relevant for the shipyards, particularly linked to the mechanisms surrounding the green shift.
Is it possible to better document the quality arguments used by the shipyards in their marketing and how we can make sure that public contracts with climate targets actually benefit Norwegian shipyards in the competition with foreign ones.
This pre-study will identify the scope and methodology for working further with the following issues:
The yards' actual competitiveness:
The pre-study must clarify which countries it is natural to compare against, which parameters can be used in mapping and comparing competitiveness, as well as map the possibility of collecting relevant data from both national and international shipyards.
Alternative business models:
The pre-study will propose other possible business models for Norwegian shipyards with origins in the green shift.
Documentation of quality advantages:
The pre-study will propose how best to document the quality advantages of Norwegian shipyards and how such an analysis or investigation can be carried out.
Air emissions during the construction phase:
The pre-study will look at which elements need to be highlighted if we are to make sure that public contracts with climate targets benefit Norwegian shipyards in the competition with foreign ones.
The methodology and the knowledge base developed in this preliminary project must be able to be used directly in one or more of the main projects. This is a main project for which it is natural to apply for support through one or more other national support schemes.
The goal is to make Norwegian shipyards more competitive. Considering that a shipyard worker in Norway generates 5.4 jobs in the local community (Møreforskning 2011), the value creation potential is seen as very high and any won shipbuilding contract for Norwegian shipyards has great social value.
