VARD Forms Research and Innovation Partnership with NORCE

VARD has recently signed an agreement (MoU) with the major Norwegian research institute NORCE, establishing a strategic partnership to cooperate on research and innovation.

The agreement encompasses topics such as design, construction, on board and underwater maintenance and drone technology for ships and subsea technology, with particular focus on the planned standardized vessels of the Norwegian Navy.

Furthermore, remote control solutions for lean-manned vessels, zero-emission energy technologies, and application of AI and cybersecurity solutions for the maritime sector will be major topics to pursue for VARD and NORCE.

This partnership will also benefit from VARD’s access to the many innovation initiatives developed inside the Fincantieri group. VARD is a key member of the large global shipbuilding group, which is heavily investing in the most advanced fields of research and technology development

“We have experienced fruitful cooperation with NORCE over several years, and we are now very pleased to lift this cooperation to a strategic level. There are many challenges ahead in the maritime sector and NORCE will be an important partner for VARD in the years ahead,” said Håvard Vollset Lien, VP Research and Innovation.

In the ongoing Ocean Charger project, led by VARD, NORCE has analyzed how different