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his will be achieved in unique, stimulating surroundings, tailor-made for innovation, entrepreneurship and the sharing of knowledge across professional specialisations. At Marineholmen, the marine cluster is well underway to being united. 

“There are currently almost 1,000 full-time equivalents working in the marine research cluster, and an exciting symbiosis between educational establishments, research institutions, major industry players and small entrepreneurial companies is producing success stories that show we are on the right track,” says Tor Instanes, CEO of Marineholmen Research Park. 

A driver for innovation
The area between Puddefjorden and Nygårdsparken already has a vibrant, urbane environment, which helps to create synergies between heavy-weight majors and fleet-footed innovators. The co-location of marine research establishments and business enterprises is a driver for innovation, as well as being cost-effective.
A shared infrastructure for wet and dry laboratories, water supply for fish experiments and water recirculation facilities provide substantial financial benefits. And, not least, it enables start-up companies without their own research facilities to carry out prototyping and testing. 

The new farmland
Although the sea covers 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface and has the potential to produce as much food as the planet’s landmass, it currently accounts for no more than 2 per cent of global food production. 

A large number of marine-related organisations are already clustered on the city centre side of Damsgårdssundet.

“If Norway is going to help ensure the achievement of the UN’s sustainability goals, we must take our role as a seafood nation seriously. The sea is ‘the new farmland’, and has a huge potential for the sustainable production of nutritious meals for the world’s population,” says Instanes.
Tomorrow’s Marineholmen continues to build on the synergies between the various players, in line with its vision of ‘bridging great people’. 
“The district will facilitate, unite and fuel further development. In a few short years, we will have doubled our floor area, in the form of new, energy-efficient buildings that are tailor-made for world-class marine research and innovation,” Instanes continues.

Could by completed by 2021
According to Instanes, the concept choice assessment that was handed to the Ministry of Fisheries on 3 January 2017 coincides with the wishes of the University of Bergen, the Institute of Marine Research, the Directorate of Fisheries and the other marine research establishments in Bergen – namely, co-location and a shared infrastructure. 
“In our experience, it is important to make it possible for the change to happen quickly because the benefits to society will come only when the new buildings start to be used. I envisage that we could realise the co-location of these activities at Marineholmen by around 2021 if the decision is taken in 2017,” he says.