Strengthening Maritime Ties: Trade Mission to Germany
Apr 1, 2026
As part of the national export initiative, Innovation Norway and GCE Blue Maritime Cluster in March jointly organized a targeted trade mission to Germany, focusing on the cruise and ferry segments.
Germany and Norway share strong maritime traditions and globally competitive industries. At the same time, the two countries are highly complementary. Germany brings large-scale shipbuilding capacity, major shipowner environments, and proximity to key European markets, while Norway contributes advanced technology, systems integration, and specialized equipment developed through demanding segments such as offshore energy.
The mission was designed to strengthen this collaboration by bringing Norwegian suppliers closer to key stakeholders in the German market. A delegation of eight companies participated: Brunvoll, Jets, Survitec Norway, AAPW (Ålesund Protective Wear), Ekornes Interior Solutions, Eltorque, Bergen Engines, and Sperre Air Power.
The Large Shipyards of Northern Germany
Visits to Meyer Werft in Papenburg and Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven provided valuable insight into the capabilities and future direction of German shipbuilding.
These yards are central players in the global cruise market, on the newbuilding and retrofit side respectively, with highly industrialized production and increasing focus on efficiency and sustainability. Norwegian suppliers are already well represented in parts of the value chain, reflecting long-standing cooperation between the two countries.
At the same time, there is clear potential to expand this presence. One of the main objectives of the mission was therefore to introduce a broader range of Norwegian suppliers and technologies, positioning them earlier in project development processes and strengthening visibility towards key decision-makers.
Cruise operators looking for smart and sustainable solutions.
Meetings with Carnival Cruise Line in Hamburg highlighted the scale and importance of the German cruise hub. From Hamburg, Carnival operates both the AIDA and Costa fleets, making it a key location for strategic and operational decisions.
Discussions confirmed that technologies developed within advanced maritime segments, particularly offshore energy, are highly relevant for the cruise industry. Solutions related to energy efficiency, emissions reduction, safety, and digital operations are increasingly in demand as cruise operators continue to modernize their fleets.
Through the initiative, we also collaborate with Maritime CleanTech to carry out targeted technology scouting for larger industry stakeholders. This approach helps identify concrete needs and match them with relevant Norwegian solutions, creating a more structured pathway from competence to contracts.
Ferry Market – A Segment with High Potential
The visit to TT-Line in Travemünde highlighted the strong potential within the ferry and RoPax segment.
TT-Line is currently building two new vessels in China and is actively seeking green and efficient technologies to meet stricter environmental requirements and improve operational performance. This reflects a broader trend across the European ferry market, where decarbonization and cost efficiency are driving both newbuild and retrofit investments.
For Norwegian suppliers, this represents a significant opportunity across a wide range of equipment and systems, from propulsion and energy solutions to onboard systems and interior concepts.
Possibilities and areas of future collaboration.
The trade mission confirmed that there are substantial opportunities for Norwegian suppliers in the German cruise and ferry markets. Across both segments, demand is growing for efficient, sustainable, and high-quality solutions—areas where Norwegian companies are well positioned. At the same time we see the potential for an increased collaboration with the German market also in other segments, as elaborated by Klaus Maak, Head of the Maritime Cluster in Northern Germany during our visit.
By working in a coordinated manner through Innovation Norway, GCE Blue Maritime Cluster and partners, and by strengthening collaboration with key stakeholders in Germany, we are taking important steps towards increasing Norwegian participation in these markets.
The potential is clear: a broad range of Norwegian equipment and technologies can play a significant role in the next generation of cruise and ferry vessels, as well as in the older ships being required to be updated with new green technologies and mart solutions.
