The Royal Norwegian Embassy will host a business conference about the potential of the blue economy in Sri Lanka on Friday, June 22.
This conference, geared towards the private sector of Sri Lanka and Norway, is being organised in collaboration with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Sri Lanka Nordic Business Council and Innovation Norway, India under the theme of ‘Sustainable use of the oceans’.
The Embassy will provide a platform for Norwegian innovation, capabilities and competence in the maritime, marine and aquaculture sectors. Norwegian Ambassador Thorbjørn Gaustadsæther said, “I look forward to a successful conference on the blue economy and hope that this conference could contribute to an increase in Norwegian and Sri Lankan business collaborations in these sectors”.
The State Minister of Finance, Eran Wickremaratne and the visiting Norwegian State Minister to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jens Frølich Holte, will inaugurate the conference.
Commercial Counsellor and the Head of Innovation Norway at the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi, India, Helge Tryti will make the keynote speech.
There will be two sessions discussing the Norwegian and Sri Lankan experiences, expertise and challenges in the maritime sector and the marine, aquaculture sector.
Norwegian multinational companies such as Kongsberg Maritime, DNV GL as well as the Norwegian Maritime Authority will give presentations along with Tropic Fishery Sri Lanka and the Shippers’ Academy Colombo, bringing in the Sri Lankan perspective. SLASSCOM and ICT Norway will discuss the new technology and innovation on the ocean space. There has been significant interest shown by foreign participants from the region and from Norway, with around 30 foreign delegates participating in this conference.