With support from the Danish Maritime Fund, ShippingLab is now launching a new EU initiative aimed at making it easier for Danish maritime players to engage in transnational research and development projects. The initiative addresses a key need highlighted in the recommendations from the Growth Team for Blue Denmark, published earlier this year: the need to improve Denmark’s uptake of EU funding and to strengthen its role in international partnerships.
The initiative is being carried out in close collaboration with Danish Maritime, Danish Shipping, and the Danish Maritime Authority. The goal is clear: a more coordinated and unifying effort that strengthens Blue Denmark – and ensures that individual companies or organisations do not have to navigate the complexity of EU programmes on their own.
“We have a strong community in Blue Denmark, and with ShippingLab as a shared platform, we have the opportunity to stand even stronger together. This initiative is about making Danish maritime players more visible as relevant partners in the European innovation landscape – and about opening the door to EU collaboration for more Danish maritime companies,” says Morten Vejlgaard-Laursen, Chair of ShippingLab.
EU projects can be challenging and resource-intensive to engage in, and this presents a barrier – particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. The initiative aims to support Danish players in navigating these challenges and to make it easier for more of them to get involved.
“We cannot change the conditions in Brussels with this initiative, but we can make the opportunities more accessible,” says Jenny N. Braat, CEO of Danish Maritime. “Denmark should not be on the sidelines when the maritime solutions of the future are developed in European partnerships. With this initiative, I hope we can help open the door to even more EU innovation projects with Danish participation.”
Rikke Wetter Olufsen, Deputy Director General at the Danish Maritime Authority, states: "This is an important initiative that follows up on the Growth Team for Blue Denmark’s recommendation to initiate an effort to increase the uptake of maritime EU funding through close collaboration between authorities and industry."
The three-year project includes strategic matchmaking, the creation of a joint channel for international project development, scouting of relevant EU calls, and support for consortium building and application processes. ShippingLab will also help build bridges between Danish players and the European forums and networks where the future maritime innovation agenda is being shaped.