Ports Modernisation - Norwegian Delegation Visit to Portugal | 2025

This is the registration platform and website for the Delegation Visit, and it will be updated with information up until the visit.

The Ports Modernisation - Norwegian Delegation Visit to Portugal | 2025 brings Norwegian epresentatives from ports, innovation clusters, companies and institutes or agencies for a revisit to Portugal. The delegation will visit Portuguese ports, companies, and institutions that are key to the digitalisation and decarbonisation of the maritime sector and potential partners for cooperation.

Two matchmaking event will provide platforms for networking.  In Lisbon, a matchmaking event is back-to-back with the International Conference and focused on partnerships with ports, public agencies and research institutions. In Leixões, the matchmaking is organised in partnership with the Portuguese ocean cluster Fórum Oceano and focused on exploring B2B and B2C partnerships.

The visit also includes participation at the final event of the Blue Growth Programme, financed by Norway through the EEA Grants (EØS-midlene) in Portugal. The event will also discuss opportunities for bilateral opportunities under the upcoming next programme.

See the full programme and information on the travel costs for Norwegian participants in separate tabs.

The Delegation Visit is organised by the Directorate-General for Maritime Policy (DGPM), Innovation Norway, the National Focal Point EEA Grants in Portugal and the Norwegian Embassy in Lisbon. It is financed by Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein through the EEA Grants.

We look forward to meeting in Portugal!

You have registered to the Delegation Visit by making a profile on this website, and this profile is visible to the other participants.

We encourage all participants to add the information and links to their profiles which are relevant for others. The platform allows you to browse the profile and contact those that are most relevant for you. Others might contact you too, and we encourage you to use this site site up until the visit in March. The site also remains open after the visit for any follow-up.

The participants book flights and hotels as needed.

Participants travelling from Norway will have expenses reimbursed from Innovation Norway after the travel - see the tab on travel grants above.

Hotel recommendations in Lisbon:

Vila Galé Opera ★ ★ ★ ★ Vila Galé - Vila Galé Ópera. Address: Travessa Conde da Ponte 1300-141, Lisboa.

Belem Suites Lisbon ★ ★ ★ Guest house Ver Belem Lisbon. Address Rua Vieira Portuense 82, Lisboa.

Recommended areas of Lisbon: Alcântara and Belém

The Meeting Point will be Vila Galé Opera Hotel.

Hotel recommendations in Matosinhos - Porto:

Eurostars Matosinhos ★ ★ ★ ★ Reserve Hotel Eurostars Matosinhos in Porto - Matosinhos. Address Rua Heróis de França, 536 4450-159 Matosinhos – Porto

Hotel Amadeos – Matosinhos ★ ★ ★ Hotel Amadeos. Address Rua Conde Alto Mearim 1229 4450-284 Matosinhos - Porto

Recommended areas:: Matosinhos centre.

Meeting Point: Eurostars Matosinhos Hotel.

The ocean and the blue economy have always been at the heart of bilateral cooperation between Portugal and Norway, in multiple ways, from fisheries and maritime trade, to shipping and seafaring, to oceanography or ocean renewables, and more.

In the past two decades, the ocean has become even more central to the bilateral cooperation with the opportunities provided by the EEA Grants (EØS-midlene) and its Blue Growth Programme that has financed a hundred projects and many other bilateral initiatives.

One of the bilateral initiatives was in June 2024, when a Portuguese high-level delegation visited to Oslo and Bergen. The delegation included representatives from all entities responsible for maritime and port administration, government representatives and other relevant public agencies. They met with Norwegian counterparts and learnt about their solutions and technologies for port modernisation and decarbonisation that are highly relevant to Portugal and to cooperation.

The timing and context of this visit was significant for bilateral relations. As the the offshore wind sector is developing, Portuguese authorities are drawing up plans for extensive investments in upgrading and modernising ports and shipyards, including marine control traffic management and single window systems.

This provides great opportunities for bilateral cooperation with Norway.

The promotion of Norwegian green solutions in cooperation with Portugal will also help to follow up Europe's Green Deal, the opportunities arising from the EU's recovery and resilience plans and Norway's green alliance with the EU. They also contribute to the recommendations from the Ocean Panel, of which both Norway and Portugal are members.

As a follow up to the success of this first initiative, the entities involved in the organization of this first delegation visit to Norway are now promoting a like-minded Norwegian delegation visit to Portugal.

This unique opportunity will also explore future cooperation within the EEA Grants in Portugal and the Blue Growth Programme.