Germany’s and Norway’s offshore wind sectors have created a joint working group designed to strengthen cross-border cooperation and improve coordination between industry players, policymakers and market participants in both countries.

The initiative was set up by Norwegian Offshore Wind together with the German-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce. It is intended to turn bilateral dialogue into practical outcomes by mapping business opportunities, tackling regulatory and market hurdles, and supporting tighter supply-chain links between Germany and Norway.

The working group brings in a wide set of participants, including companies active in offshore energy and the subsea industry. Its remit includes spotting bottlenecks, encouraging specific cooperation efforts and helping firms connect more effectively as the offshore wind value chain expands.

The new platform also builds on the German-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce’s bilateral offshore wind working group that was established in 2022, extending the scope and participation to match current market needs.

In describing the rationale, Norwegian Offshore Wind said the two countries offer complementary strengths. Germany is among the world’s largest offshore wind markets, with more than 9 GW installed and an ambition to reach at least 30 GW in the early 2030s. Norway’s offshore wind buildout is at an earlier stage, but the country brings a strong offshore energy supply chain.

Norwegian Offshore Wind pointed to Norway’s capabilities in maritime operations, subsea engineering, floating structures and complex project execution as a fit with Germany’s project scale.

Michael Kern, CEO of German-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, said the joint effort is intended to bring more value-chain actors into cooperation, widen knowledge exchange between industry and policymakers, and support a more integrated and competitive offshore wind ecosystem across the two countries.