How can ocean industries share location and create more value – without using more space? With increasing activity in the marine environment and growing competition for the most attractive areas, the Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic established the Marine Business Parks project in 2021 together with selected partners. The aim was to examine the feasibility of establishing a marine business park (multi-use at sea): what is required, and how challenges related to economics, technology and regulation can be addressed. 

The concept originates from the report series Coexistence and Sustainability in the Blue (2020) (link), where marine business parks were highlighted as one of four concrete solution proposals for improved coexistence and sustainability at sea. 

A marine business park involves two or more ocean-based industries being co-located within a defined area and sharing infrastructure, services and, in some cases, platforms. In this way, conflict levels can be reduced, space can be freed up for nature and fisheries, costs can be lowered, and conditions can be created for innovation and circular solutions. 

Norway has an ambition to increase value creation in the ocean. Marine business parks demonstrate how this can be done in a way that strengthens sustainability, coexistence and robustness along the coast. 

During the project period 2021–2025, we produced a range of knowledge- and dialogue-based activities: a preliminary study (2022), a policy brief (2023), three roundtable discussions, a hackathon and several op-eds. All of this material is available on this page. Although the project with a steering group has now been concluded, the Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic will continue to follow the topic closely through its work on coexistence and multi-use at sea. 

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