All posts by Janice Gundersen

Norway – US Business Summit

Business News, Government, Shipping & Offshore, Technology, Trade

Norway – US Business Summit on the occasion of the Royal Visit by H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway to California and the state of Washington   

Norwegian and American businesses are invited to take part in exclusive business events during the Royal Visit.

For the Business Program, H.R.H. will be accompanied by Norway’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Jan Christian Vestre; Minister of Digitalisation and Public Governance, Karianne Oldernes Tung; and State Secritary of Energy Astrid Bergmål.

Join us for an exciting program uniting leaders and decision-makers from Norway and the US. Together, we’ll delve into how technology, AI, and innovation can propel us towards a sustainable future, threading through all conference topics.  We’ll foster an atmosphere conducive to idea exchange, collaboration exploration, and relationship building, ensuring a fulfilling experience for all attendees through structured and informal interactions.

The business events hosted by Innovation Norway with partners provide a unique opportunity to meet key players, explore new business and investement projects, and strengthen existing partnerships. 

Norway and the US – stronger together for a sustainable future!  

More information here. 

Norway and USA agree on additional agreed facilities and areas under the SDCA

Business News, Government

Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram and U.S. ambassador to Norway, Marc Nathanson, signed an amendment agreement under the Supplementary Defense Cooperation Agreement (SDCA). The agreement declares intent to establish eight additional agreed facilities and areas in Norway. Pending the consent of the Norwegian Parliament, these sites can be used by Norway, the United States and other allied forces for a number of military purposes. The signing contributes to a further development of the SDCA, which the Norwegian parliament agreed to in June 2022.

– In today’s security environment, we must continue to strengthen the relationship with our allies. It is important for our security and for the entire Nordic region. The United States is our closest ally, and the bilateral cooperation between our two countries has developed over more than 75 years. The security challenges and the operational requirements are greater and more serious now, compared to when the SDCA was negotiated in 2021. More agreed facilities and areas in Norway will also have a positive effect in a Nordic context, says Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram.

Read full article here.

How We Grew In 2023: StormGeo Shipping Product Updates – StormGeo

Business News, Shipping & Offshore

Taking a look back at 2023, it has been a year filled with growth for the StormGeo community. As we rush into leading innovation in maritime technology for 2024, let’s reflect on our 2023 milestones and sneak a peek at what is coming in the new year.

Where StormGeo focused on innovation in 2023:
We enabled our customers to escalate their decarbonization strategy, with both compliance and profitability in mind.
We made data validation and sharing even more streamlined to enhance decision-making across multiple stakeholders.
We invested in empowering our customers to shape the future of our growth by embedding their feedback in our development roadmap.

More data-driven decarbonization strategies
While the shipping industry in 2023 was navigating decarbonization through new regulations and a sense of uncertainty, we focused on making shipping professionals feel more confident in a volatile landscape. For that reason, we prioritized combining our people’s expertise with technology to deliver solutions that go beyond AI and put the human factor at the core of our product. The result of it? A complete suite built by Regulations, Technology, and Shipping experts to help shipping companies develop, implement, and optimize their environmental strategy based on accurate data and actionable insights.

Read full article here.

Hun blir ny direktør i MSD Norge

Business News, Health

Andreea Mocofan tar over ledelsen av MSD Norge den 1. mars – med forbehold om saksbehandlingstiden for arbeidstillatelse ettersom hun kommer fra et EU-land, skriver MSD Norge i en pressemelding. 

Mocofan, som skal lede 100 ansatte i Norge, overtar etter Muhammed «Mo» Ali, som fratrådte i fjor. Hun har ifølge selskapet bred erfaring fra PWC og globale stillinger i Pfizer. 

Ali fratrådte sin stilling før sommeren i 2023, av personlige årsaker, opplyser selskapet. 

– Som ansvarlig for MSDs kreftportefølje i Romania, er Mocofan en sterk tilhenger av samarbeid og partnerskap, skriver MSD Norge. 

– Å ta vare på pasienten er ikke noe én aktør kan gjøre alene. Mens den norske helsetjenesten er verdensledende på mange områder, har den erkjente utfordringer der vi på leverandørsiden må bidra. Vi bør sikte mot å bygge kapasitet i helsetjenesten gjennom innovasjon, og dermed sette pasientens behov først. Partnerskap er den eneste farbare veien, sier Mocofan. 

Read full article here.

Equinor to take full ownership in Empire Wind through a swap transaction with bp in the US

Business News, Shipping & Offshore

Under the agreement, Equinor will take 100% ownership of Empire Offshore Wind Holdings LLC. Subject to certain conditions, Equinor will also take over bp’s 50% share of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) lease. Bp will take over Beacon Wind Holdings LLC and the associated project company that holds the Astoria Gateway for Renewable Energy site and will become the operator of the Beacon Wind projects. The transaction will be cash neutral, except for standard settlements of cash and working capital items.

The agreement provides Equinor and bp with the flexibility to pursue their respective priorities under their corporate strategies. Equinor has more than 20 years’ experience with offshore wind and entered the US offshore wind market already in 2017 – and has also built a strong offshore wind portfolio with assets in key markets like UK, Poland, Germany, and South Korea.

Following the signing of the agreement, a bid was submitted for the Empire Wind 1 project in New York’s fourth offshore wind solicitation round, which closed at 3pm ET today 25 January 2024.

It has also been agreed with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to terminate the Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Certificate (OREC) Purchase and Sale Agreement for the Beacon Wind 1 project.

Read full article here.

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network at Microsoft: Tech Geopolitics & AI Era Innovation

AmCham News,

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network at Microsoft: Tech Geopolitics & AI Era Innovation

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network (TTN) gathered at Microsoft Norway’s offices, with Nordic Director of Government Affairs Kristine Beitland warmly welcoming participants and addressing the era of tech geopolitics. Beitland emphasized the need for knowledge sharing on fast-paced technological developments for robust regulatory frameworks, especially during periods of global instability. “We are all in the same ballgame to protect democracy,” she stated.

Innovation at Microsoft in the Era of AI

National Technology Officer at Microsoft Norway, Christopher Frenning, took participants on a journey through time and leadership, explaining Microsoft’s development from the 1970s to the “AI era” we are now all experiencing. Like Beitland, he emphasized the need for cooperation, but also among tech companies, arguing that “innovation cannot be constrained – we must use the knowledge that is out there.” An important driver of this innovation is inclusivity and partnership, both among coworkers and customers, which has been vital for Microsoft’s success. The not invented here syndrome, he asserted, is a thing of the past.

A special thanks to Stine Saatvedt for giving us an office tour and to all the TTN participants for their engagement!

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About the AmCham Tech Talent Network

TTN is a non-competitive arena for knowledge sharing, professional development, and expanding international market insights, currently open to select Patron-level technology industry member representatives. Exclusive quarterly sessions with industry leaders and external speakers create opportunities for collaboration and leadership development.

For further information and interest in the program, please contact Ragnhild.Dalen@amcham.no.

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network at Microsoft: Tech Geopolitics & AI Era Innovation

January 26, 2024 No Comments

AmCham’s Tech Talent Network (TTN) gathered at Microsoft Norway’s offices, with Nordic Director of Government Affairs Kristine Beitland warmly welcoming participants and addressing the era of tech geopolitics. Beitland emphasized the need for knowledge sharing on fast-paced technological developments for robust regulatory frameworks, especially during periods of global instability

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Bulk Data Centers unveils plan for data center expansion following unprecedented demand

Business News, Technology

Kristiansand, Norway – 23rd January, 2024 – Bulk Data Centers, the leading provider of ultra-scalable, highly connected, and sustainable data centers in the Nordics, today announced that construction has commenced of a new 42MW data center facility scheduled for completion this year.

“The rapid growth in occupancy at the N01 Data Center Campus underscores the undeniable demand for highly scalable, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions. The success of our strategic approach is reflected in the trust from our owners and partners, which will help us to build data centers of the future that meet the demands of our growing customer base,” said Gisle M. Eckhoff, Executive Vice President, Bulk Data Centers at Bulk Infrastructure.

The new facility will offer 42MW of IT space, designed to accommodate the latest generation of high-density GPU and CPU infrastructure. It will include air cooling and direct liquid cooling capabilities of up to 100kW+ per rack.

This is on the back of the successful launch of a 12MW data center facility at the N01 Data Center Campus, which was ready for service in 2023 and is now fully contracted due to high demand.

Scaling with focus on low-cost and sustainability

The new 42MW facility will be constructed at the 300-hectare site and connect to the existing 125MVA dual onsite sub-stations.

In addition to the current construction-ready levelled land area of 265,000 sqm, Bulk will also undertake the preparation of an additional 300,000 sqm to facilitate future expansion of the data center facilities.

Bulk Data Centers takes a long-term strategic approach in the site master planning, combined with innovative proven colocation designs to reduce lead time and enable the fastest time to market.

Read full article here

The State of American Business Data Center 2024

Business News, Statistics

The indicators in the State of American Business Data Center help measure the health of business and the economy. At the start of 2024, many indicators are trending in a positive direction, while others lag. 

The pandemic disrupted our economy and basic way of life, but because of the resilience and resourcefulness of the private sector, we have surpassed many pre-pandemic economic benchmarks. American businesses continue to drive innovation and make meaningful investments in their employees, in their communities, and for the betterment of the planet. 

The U.S. Chamber’s 2024 State of American Business event on January 11, will celebrate and highlight how American businesses serve customers, solve problems and strengthen society.   

Read full report here.

62 new production licenses offered in the APA 2023 licensing round

Business News, Government, Shipping & Offshore

The Norwegian Ministry of Energy offers 62 new production licenses on the Norwegian continental shelf in the APA 2023 licensing round. Last year, 47 licenses were awarded.

– Awarding new licenses through the Awards in Predefined Areas is a pillar in the continued development of the Norwegian shelf. To see such great interest in further exploration activity is very encouraging. This is important for both employment and value creation, as well as for facilitating Norway’s role as a stable energy supplier to Europe, says Minister of Energy, Terje Aasland.

Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) is an annual exploration round for the most mature areas of the Norwegian continental shelf. Of the 62 production licenses offered in APA 2023, 29 are located in the North Sea, 25 in the Norwegian Sea, and eight in the Barents Sea.

In total, 24 oil companies are offered parts in one or more of these licenses. 16 companies are offered one or more operatorships. A binding work program is linked to all the licenses.

Read full article here.

BlackRock to sell 365 MW of wind farms to Norwegian utility

Business News, Energy

Bergen-based utility Eviny has sealed a deal to buy two operational wind farms with a combined capacity of 365 MW in Norway from US investment giant BlackRock Inc (NYSE:BLK) for EUR 537.5 million (USD 584.9m) in enterprise terms.

The transaction concerns the 197-MW Guleslettene and the 168-MW Tellenes wind power generating facilities on the west coast of Norway, according to a statement released Tuesday.

The Guleslettene plant is situated in the municipalities of Bremanger and Kinn. The site is equipped with 47 turbines and produces about 700 GWh of clean power annually.

Read full article here.