World-Leading Ecosystem for Marine Technology Innovation

Blue Science Park, which includes the Marine Technology Center of Sweden (MTC) and Tech Concept Lab, works to promote research and the development of the ecosystem in collaboration with Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH). “Our task is to ensure that the actors get to know each other and understand each other’s needs and capabilities,” says Lennart Johansson, Acting CEO of Blue Science Park.

REGION BLEKINGE IS making a long-term investment of SEK 50 million over five years in a Research and Development fund at BTH. Blue Science Park has actively identified the needs of the business sector and the Swedish Armed Forces, leading to eight projects starting in the fall of 2024. The plan is to scale up the fund’s resources and expand marine technology research at BTH.

FURTHERMORE, MTC has been recommended as a test center within Nato’s DIANA initiative, for technology development and innovation in the surface and underwater domains. The test center has two main focus areas: defense and offshore energy. “We are now outlining a concept for a national structure on how to best integrate civilian innovations into defense. We aim to become the national hub that solves challenges for the Swedish Navy and marine environment challenges,” says Lennart.

THE CHOICE OF BLEKINGE as the national hub is obvious, he adds: “Karlskrona was founded as Sweden’s naval base and remains Sweden’s naval base. Here we have BTH, companies like NKT, Roxtec, and Saab Kockums, testing environments such as one of the world’s best diving laboratories (FM DNC) at the naval base, and impressive experience solving marine challenges. From a marine perspective, Blekinge has the best conditions to lead this development.”

Source: Di Blekinge special supplement, September 2024