Partnership on maritime safety officially launched

On April 21, the partnership between De Blauwe Cluster and the Royal Higher Institute for Defense officially kicked off. In a rapidly changing geopolitical context—marked by hybrid threats and increasing strategic interdependencies—collaboration is essential to protect our vital and critical maritime infrastructure and accelerate innovation.

During the launch event, details were provided on how we can work together to build a strong maritime security industry that can also play a role at the European level. Magali Michiels (VUB / Belgian Navy) clearly explained the strategic context. Kristof Van Belleghem (Chief of Staff, Belgian Navy) provided insight into the operational challenges, and Daniël Duseuil of De Blauwe Cluster, together with Mark Antonissen (NCP Flanders), familiarized participants with the Flemish, federal, and European funding frameworks.

With this initiative, the Blue Cluster aims to do whatever is necessary within the complex landscape of maritime safety. This means bringing together the right partners and guiding organizations toward R&D, collaboration, funding, and acceleration. Over the past year, a great deal of work has been done behind the scenes to identify the specific needs in the field of maritime security and to translate those needs into concrete innovation opportunities and a corresponding Maritime Security Innovation Roadmap.