Luncheon Speech

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,

It gives me great pleasure that the second day of my visit to Poland is dedicated to the Baltic coast.

Right here – at these shores – Norway once met Poland. Right here is the bridge between our countries.

Throughout the centuries we always had to cross a sea to get to each other.

The Vikings came to the southern shores of the Baltic sea and sailed the rivers onto the inner parts of continental Europe.

During Hanseatic times our traders came here with their fish, their timber and other products.

Our industrialists have cooperated in the area of shipbuilding and maritime technologies for decades.

And in a few years a pipeline of natural gas may cross the Baltic Sea to provide Poland and its neighbours to the east and south with an environmentally friendly source of energy.

The maritime sector binds us together. Today we are gathered to highlight the many perspectives of this partnership.

The purpose of my visit has been to further our political and economic co-operation. The maritime sector is the backbone of this cooperation.

A little more than a decade ago, very few would have believed that we would have come this far.

Today Norway and Poland are again allies. We are European partners for peace and stability. We are trading partners with exiting prospects ahead of us.

Poland is heading towards membership of the European Union. Once that happens our trade and exchanges will take place inside the context of the EEA agreement. That will further expand our mutual opportunities.

Poland and Norway both work hard to promote ooperation among the Baltic Sea states.

If we look at the map, one may say that this is a hard won distinction for Norway - placed as we are outside the shores of the Baltic sea. But we share a Baltic destiny.

Today we witness a Northern European awakening. From the Barents region to the Baltic region – the countries of Northern Europe are shaping a large area of growth and close cooperation.

The countries of this region represent the entire diversity of the new Europe:

Here are EU-members, EU-applicants, and members of the European Economic Area.
Here are NATO-allies and NATO applicants.
Here is Russia with its partnership with both NATO and the EU.

Some say it is the region with the strongest growth potential. That may be right. But beyond growth lies also the opportunity to address the many modern challenges that require close and innovative collaboration between countries, industries and peoples.

Safeguarding democratic institutions.
Protecting the environment.
Fighting organised crime.
Combating the spread of disease.

For my generation of Norwegians the dramatic political events of 1980 right here at the Baltic coast of Poland marked a watershed in European history.

The fall of the Berlin wall began here.
Poland led the way to demonstrate that Europe could exit the cold war peacefully.

When the Nobel Committee awarded the Peace Prize to Lech Walesa – Norwegians felt even closer to the fate of Poland.

Today – this same region of Poland is the venue for expanded economic cooperation between our countries.

We are gathered at a shipbuilding and shipping centre of global excellence. When representatives of the Polish and Norwegian maritime industry meet – we talk about a global elite division of the maritime sector.

Know-how, innovation, new technologies and sciences are trademarks of this industry.

I had a clear demonstration this morning when I visited the Nauticus Modelling Centre, recently opened by the Norwegian Classification Society, Det Norske Veritas.

This is the world’s first virtual shipyard. Models of the ships will follow them from cradle to grave.

Why did Veritas choose to locate this centre in Gdansk?

The answer is simple: It was chosen as a result of its longstanding history in shipbuilding.

A history of first class know-how.
A history of strong maritime universities.
A history of skilled manpower.
A competitive environment.

The Centre is an example of how businesses may be organised in the future. It highlights co-operation between countries, as well as the maximum use of information technology and scientific knowledge.

We need to give every priority to all efforts for improving safety at sea and protecting the environment.

The ship information systems developed at the centre may prove important tools for improving safety at sea and promoting high-standard shipping.

As the demand for improved quality and safety grows, stricter international standards are bound to follow. As partners in the International Maritime Organisation, Norway and Poland must take the lead on this ambition.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The maritime sector is the bridge between Norway and Poland. Never before has there been such exciting activity on that bridge.

I wish you the best of luck.