The Kristiansand region is a world leader in expertise in offshore technology for oil and gas, with ambitions to take the same position in offshore wind.

- The expertise we have in maritime engineering, technology development and digitalization is highly recognized, says Morten Lauknes, Business Advisor at Business Region Kristiansand.

- We also have facilities and areas specially adapted for operating bases, with proximity to important offshore wind developments, such as Southern North Sea II. In addition, the region has a well-developed culture of collaboration between industries, the public and private sectors, and municipalities in the region. We also collaborate across regions, for example with Haugalandet, and with strong international development engines such as Denmark and the Netherlands.

- If we get an operating base for offshore wind in Kongsgård harbor, with Kristiansand as a hub in the region, it will have positive ripple effects far beyond the municipality.

- We will become a powerhouse in the renewable energy field, with a national competence center for offshore wind, a national hydrogen hub, and the establishment of Morrow Batteries in Arendal, which is in full swing. There is an exemplary collaboration between Å Energi and the University of Agder on the establishment of study places in offshore wind, and the vocational college is developing vocational training for offshore wind technicians. "We also have the ambition to bring in more people who are outside working life," says Lauknes.

Southwind, an association of the companies NorDrill, Seafront, On & Offshore Services, Techano Group, Skeie Eiendom and Broomstick, is behind the investment in the Port of Kongsgård, working together to link existing expertise, including from established offshore activities, to future activities in the port. They have received support from the Business Fund in Kristiansand municipality and the Skills Fund in Agder in their efforts to promote the Port of Kongsgård and Kristiansand to developers.

- There will be a great need for offshore expertise in the offshore wind field. "Both NordDrill and Techano have already been supplying the offshore wind industry for several years, and Norway actually accounts for about ten percent of deliveries in the international offshore wind supply chain," says Southwind's CEO Jonas Kvåle.

- We must reuse the world-leading expertise that already exists here. A large proportion of the products in the offshore world are actually designed in Kristiansand, knowledge that is transferable to offshore wind. When it comes to sustainability, it is of course an advantage that Kongsgård harbor is already fully developed and operational. In other words, there is no need to build down nature here, because everything is in place. For us, sustainability is an important point.

- "We currently have three ships here, and new ones are constantly arriving. The port is also fully zoned for further development, and is among the first in the country with shore power facilities, adapted to container ships, SOVs and cruise ships. "This is a step that the Port of Kristiansand has taken, which puts us at the forefront.

Kvåle goes on to say that Southwind has established a partner base of 25-30 companies with varied expertise.

- We should be able to handle any need. For offshore wind operations, we're talking about vessels, welding, engineering services, catering, crew change or maintenance, certification of personnel and equipment, and remote control of wind fields. Much of this is already in place, and just needs to be tilted in a different direction than oil and gas. Most of the partners are service providers, also for the consortia developing offshore wind, as well as internally within the partnership.

- The main point is that we should be able to meet any needs that ships calling at the port might have. That's why we also have some of Kristiansand's shipping companies with us, who have helped us to identify them. The Municipality of Kristiansand, Business Region Kristiansand and the Port of Kristiansand have also been invaluable here.

Text: Jarle Petterson