NOW aims to support better-informed decision-making, stronger coexistence between ocean industries and nature, and a more sustainable future for Norway’s oceans.

Norwegian Offshore Wind has been invited to join Norwegian Ocean Data Forum, strengthening collaboration between Norway’s ocean-based industries, research communities, and public authorities on the sharing and use of marine data.

In addition to an increasingly international membership base, Norwegian Offshore Wind continues to bring together the Norwegian offshore wind sector and, through that, some of the most important actors within Norway’s ocean-based industries. We want to contribute to ensure that the knowledge we and our member base possess benefits society – and the ocean itself. Manager for Strategy and Partnerhip Eli Wærum Rognerud in Norwegian Offshore Wind A national arena for sharing ocean data

Norwegian Ocean Data Forum 

Norwegian Ocean Data Forum was established as part of Norway’s follow-up to the UN Decade of Ocean Science, where one of the key ambitions is to make collaboration on the collection, storage, analysis, and sharing of ocean data the norm by 2030.

Build a shared understanding of why ocean data 

The forum brings together central Norwegian stakeholders to build a shared understanding of why ocean data should be shared, identify barriers to data sharing, and propose concrete measures to remove them. The overall goal is to facilitate research, innovation, sound management, and sustainable growth through better access to shared marine data, in line with FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable).

METCentre is, in many ways, a research station.

A particularly relevant contribution from Norwegian Offshore Wind is its Marin Energi Testsenter (METCentre), a dedicated offshore wind test and research facility.

Arvid Nesse, CEO in Norwegian Offshore Wind «In addition to testing and developing new technology and sustainable solutions for offshore wind, it generates large volumes of unique data on weather and wind conditions, as well as birds, fish, and other marine life. We know this type of data has value and potential applications far beyond offshore wind alone, and we want to explore how we can help make it useful to more actors», says Nesse.

Access to long-term, high-quality data from both public and private sources is increasingly critical, as ocean-based industries face growing requirements related to biodiversity protection, sustainable management, and reporting under frameworks such as the EU taxonomy and CSRD. In this context, data sharing is becoming a key “licence to operate” for marine industries.

Broad partnership across sectors

Coordinated by SINTEF Ocean

Norwegian Ocean Data Forum is a partnership-based initiative, relying on contributions from its members and coordinated by SINTEF Ocean. Its partners include actors from industry, research, public administration, and civil society, among them Ava Ocean, BLB, Digitaliseringsdirektoratet, Digital Norway, DNV, Equinor, Havforskningsinstituttet, HUB Ocean, Kartverket, Meteorologisk institutt, NTNU, SINTEF, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, and the University of Oslo. The Research Council of Norway participates as an observer.

 Norwegian Offshore Wind joining the forum,

With Norwegian Offshore Wind now joining the forum, the offshore wind sector becomes more directly connected to national and international efforts to improve access to, and value creation from, shared ocean data.

By contributing industry knowledge, operational experience, and unique datasets, Norwegian Offshore Wind aims to support better-informed decision-making, stronger coexistence between ocean industries and nature, and a more sustainable future for Norway’s oceans.

Read more about Norwegian Ocean Data Forum

#Norwegian Offshore Wind  (NOW )#Norwegian Ocean Data Forum #Eli Wærum #Arvid Nesse# (METCentre)