Implementing the WA Maritime Blue Strategy: Washington State’s maritime and tech sectors converge with the support of DNV GL

The process to implement Washington State’s Strategy for the Blue Economy is underway. WA Maritime Blue cluster, the State’s strategic alliance for maritime innovation and sustainability, hosts first Blue Forum.

Anders Mikkelsen, Director of Business Development, DNV GL moderates a panel discussing the current state of ocean/maritime digitalization and how to scale the available solutions and those under development.
Panelists Eleanor Kirtley Ph.D., West Coast Program, Manager, Green Marine; Jan Hagen Andersen, P.E., Business Development Director, at DNV GL Maritime; and Lauren Offenbecher, Director of Strategy, SSA Marine discuss the barriers of decarbonization, and the role digitalization can play.
Joshua Berger, Governor’s Maritime Sector Lead Founder & Board Chair, Washington Maritime Blue, leads a “mash-up” session with panelists evaluating the discussions and key takeaways from the day.

Pursuing Washington State’s vision of being a world-class, thriving and sustainable maritime industry by 2050, WA Maritime Blue, in partnership with DNV GL and Impact Washington, hosted the inaugural Blue Forum: Uptown Tech Meets the Working Waterfront.

Bolstering the Maritime Sector 

The Blue Forum: Uptown Tech Meets the Working Waterfront is the first in a series of information sharing and networking events designed to strengthen Washington State’s maritime sector by fostering its connection with other key sectors within the state. This initial forum targeted the state’s robust information and communications technology sector and convened maritime and tech industry leaders and stakeholders in Seattle to examine and discuss the role and opportunity for data, digitalization and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, and the challenges for optimization and decarbonization of the state’s maritime industry.

The Forum provided a unique opportunity for knowledge transfer on challenges and technology readiness for solutions. It also served to connect stakeholders to explore the potential for collaboration through developing Joint Industry Projects (JIPs) that will break down silos and support the transformation of the state’s maritime industry.

Collaboration key to shaping the future

Cross-sector collaboration and JIPs will play a critical role in implementing the project ideas identified in the WA Maritime Blue Strategy. The Strategy, which was launched in January 2019 following a yearlong development process, is a tremendous investment in the state’s economy as a whole; targeting the development of maritime business, technology, and practices that promote a sustainable future contributing to economic growth, ecological health, and thriving communities.

As a member of the WA Maritime Blue Cluster organization and a strategic partner for the strategy implementation, DNV GL is leading the effort to convene Blue Forum events, as well as convening JIPs targeting the development of new innovation solutions to solve challenges and break down barriers to implementation. The first WA Maritime Blue JIP workshop was held at DNV GL’s office in Seattle, with more than 40 industry, government, and non-profit members in attendance. The plan is to move Maritime Blue Forward by working together on projects that demonstrate new technologies that can make WA more competitive and sustainable.

“We have been immensely pleased with DNV GL’s support of WA Maritime Blue since the initial phases of the strategy development and now with moving forward with implementation” said Joshua Berger, the Maritime Sector Lead for Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee. “Collaboration and the creation of partnerships is critical for the successful implementation of the strategy. By working together we can maximize our impact.“

WA Maritime Blue is the latest in the growing number of large-scale collaboration project for sustainable development that DNV GL has been involved in. “The Washington Maritime Blue Strategy demonstrates that the State foresees the economic and social opportunities that exist over and above what an already competitive industry provides and is positioning itself to spur technological progress for growth and sustainability,” said Antony DSouza. “It is our strong belief that a safe and sustainable future can be achieved through strong collaboration with government, communities and other partners. DNV GL is proud to be a partner in this effort and look forward to continuing to support the State in realizing its vision.”