Danish Ocean Cluster:
New cluster initiative aims to strengthen blue, commercial initiatives in Denmark from its headquarters in Hirtshals
The newly established organisation, Danish Ocean Cluster, will strengthen commercial initiatives, symbiosis mindset, and international perspectives for fishery-related businesses and organisations in Denmark. The cluster presents a unique opportunity for members, who can benefit from a vast network, particularly in the North Atlantic region.
On the initiative of the Port of Hirtshals, the North Sea Science Park, and Greenport North, the Danish Ocean Cluster has seen the light of day. The main purpose of the cluster is to strengthen commercial relations among aquaculture and fishery-related businesses and to promote innovative and circular business models, especially in the North Atlantic region.
Port of Hirtshals is strongly represented in the new organisation, with Linn Indrestrand, Head of Fishery & Maritime Services at Port of Hirtshals, serving as chairwoman.
A central task for the Danish Ocean Cluster is to inspire even more businesses to engage in circular symbioses that reduce waste and lower carbon footprints. We aim to connect organisations, creating new commercial opportunities within the maritime industry, says Linn Indrestrand.
The cluster is expected to positively impact all industries in Denmark that work with the supply of equipment and technologies in the "blue" sector. The organisation's headquarters are in Hirtshals, but the Danish Ocean Cluster is a national project that aims to enhance Danish companies' international perspectives and relationships. A cornerstone of this process will be preparing Danish companies to embrace new industries, partly by improving resource utilisation and converting by-product into raw materials.
Danish Ocean Cluster is already a key player in several projects. For instance, the organisation is working to strengthen the salmon hub in Hirtshals, exploring value chains in sustainable fishery as part of the Accelerator project 2025-2026 led by DTU Aqua, and is a partner in the Nordic Ocean Opportunity Project, which involves screening of maritime capital in the Nordic countries.
The inspiration for the Danish Ocean Cluster comes from its sister organisation, Iceland Ocean Cluster, which has been a significant driving force in transforming Iceland’s fishing industry. Iceland Ocean Cluster has been a major player in shifting cod production from traditional utilisation — where large parts of the cod were discarded as waste — to now utilising more than 90% of the fish's resources.
Iceland Ocean Cluster is a clear source of inspiration for our work in developing Port of Hirtshals as a salmon hub. One example is the company Biomega, which came to Port of Hirtshals in 2022. They were able to utilise salmon by-product from other companies here at the port and convert it into peptides and oils used in human nutrition products, says Linn Indrestrand.
Danish Ocean Cluster offers membership to all businesses, knowledge institutions, and organisations working with sustainable initiatives in areas such as fishery, aquaculture, fishing technology, and industry in Danish fishing ports, as well as innovation in energy and processing of by-product.