Washington State Governor Jay Inslee’s Maritime Innovation Advisory Council launched an effort called “Washington Maritime Blue” in December 2017 to develop a comprehensive strategy for leading the nation in “blue” ocean industry technology and practices. DNV GL, the world’s leading classification society and a recognized advisor to the maritime industry, is supporting the Washington State Department of Commerce to help achieve this vision.
The roadmap and supporting strategy framework is driven by the Maritime Blue Task Force, which is made up of 38 maritime industry leaders and stakeholders from across the public and private sector. DNV GL and the Washington State Department of Commerce organized the first meeting of the Task Force on January 25th in Seattle. At the meeting, Task Force members examined how leading international maritime clusters have pursued similar sustainability and innovation-centric agendas, which spurred a working session to identify potential development pathways for Washington Maritime Blue.
Some of the key goals of the strategy include establishing Washington State as a global maritime innovation hub cluster centered on Puget Sound and pursuing a competitive path to decarbonization. To realize these goals Washington Statue is committed to draw from the experiences of a diverse and inclusive community that is reflective of the whole maritime sector.