Maritime Defence and Preparedness 2025
The full-day seminar on Maritime Defence and Preparedness, hosted by GCE Blue Maritime Cluster at NMK in Ålesund, brought together 125 participants — making it our largest event after the annual cluster conference.
The strong turnout demonstrates the high interest in the defence market, as Norway prepares for a significant military build-up that includes new naval vessels and heightened maritime preparedness.
Participants from across the entire maritime value chain, together with representatives from defence, government, academia, and politics, contributed to a day of dialogue, learning, and strategic collaboration. The event highlighted the crucial role of the maritime industry in delivering the capabilities Norway and NATO will depend on in the years ahead.
Building on last year's initiative, this year’s programme focused on concrete strategies — helping companies understand what it takes to qualify, compete, and succeed in defence-related projects.
Key speakers included:
- Robin Tomren, Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) – procurement and the new standardised naval vessels
- Maren Aabrekk, National Security Authority (NSM) – Security and risk: supplier clearance requirements under the Security Act
Companies such as Vard, Ulstein Group, and Kongsberg Maritime, Jets and ABB were present, and shared their insights
“There is tremendous interest,” said Juuni Elisabeth Vatne, Defence Coordinator at GCE Blue Maritime.
“Our aim is to equip maritime companies with the insight and understanding needed to operate in the defence sector — and to prepare them for the opportunities ahead.”
The seminar was part of a series of events focused on defence- and security-focused events in the maritime cluster, reinforcing the strategic importance of maritime competence on the Norwegian northwest coast.