At the 2025 Arendal week NTNU will highlight how Norway can use the technological shift to strengthen its position as a leading coast and ocean nation. We are on the verge of a technological breakthrough that could change everything.  An explosion in data collection, new observation platforms and artificial intelligence are giving us the opportunity to understand the ocean in completely new ways.

NTNU Ocean and Coast is a strategic research area for 2024–2031 for the university. Key words for the project is to preserve, develop, and restore oceans, coasts, and waters

- What do you want to focus on in the debate, project manager Eirik Sivertsen?

- Norwegian marine technology now provides opportunities to collect more data from the ocean, with higher quality, while both the costs and the environmental footprint are lower. Since data is the basis for information that can provide better decisions, we want to show some of the opportunities that exist, says Eirik Sivertsen. 

At Bærekraftscenen on Wednesday 12:30 am he has invited a group of experts to discuss the topic headed by Even Tronstad Sagebakken, State Secretary at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, CEO Nils Gunnar Kvamstø at the Institute of Marine Research, NTNU prorector Toril Hernes and others from SINTEF, Kongsberg, Ocean Innovation, Meteorological Institute and also including NorwAI center head Jon Atle Gulla. 

- A large group of participants?

- Norway's large amounts of data about the ocean come in a variety of formats from many actors. We believe that by connecting this data and players, we can gain new insight and knowledge. Since this knowledge is also important for managing Norwegian resources, we want to show which Norwegian actors can contribute to this, says Eirik Sivertsen. 
 
At Arendal, NTNU will present new high-tech solutions for how Norway can utilize the ocean even better, and the Department of Marine Technology will present how they are tackling the assignment they have been given to digitize their operations. The organizers also want to hear the government's thoughts and strategies for how we best utilize "an ocean of data».

-Finally, we must also extract the economic values from the insight and knowledge we create. Therefore, it is crucial that we not only manage resources better, but also can create new businesses and jobs in a data-driven economy. And if there is one place where Norway can do that, it is with knowledge about the ocean, says project manager Eirik Sivertsen at NTNU Ocean and Coast. 

By Rolf D. Svendsen

2025-08-05