Hafenstrom at Arendalsuka 2023 (Part 2)

Hafenstrom made a notable presence once again at this year’s Arendalsuka. Arendalsuka stands as a testament to successful co-creation between national and local political factions, NGOs, esteemed universities, research institutions, and private enterprises. The motivation behind our participation was two-fold: the dissemination of our achievements and the pursuit of potential collaborators for our forthcoming project proposals. This event provided an ideal platform for showcasing outcomes from our European-funded initiatives such as GIFT (gift-h2020.eu), AURORAL (auroral.eu), and SPADE (spade-horizon.eu).

Broadly categorized, the focal points of Arendalsuka revolved around A.I., societal enhancements encompassing urban development and health, the critical subject of privacy including GDPR compliance and strategies against social hacking, and the intricacies of mobility spanning infrastructure and carsharing.

Hafenstrom’s objectives for participation were resoundingly achieved. Our unveiling of the SafeSEARCH platform garnered significant attention from various stakeholders. We effectively identified strategic partners keen on collaborating with our Digitalization Department to enhance the ontology. Furthermore, we engaged in meaningful dialogues with potential allies for upcoming project propositions.

The SafeSEARCH platform represents a robust framework designed to facilitate and streamline search-and-rescue as well as search-and-alert operations, operating on both tactical and practical fronts. This platform serves as a versatile conduit for novel service offerings. Numerous stakeholders were quick to recognize the multifaceted potential of the platform, and it is increasingly likely that innovative proposals will be anchored to the platform’s versatile architecture.

Among the noteworthy highlights of Arendalsuka was the debut of the electric ferry, Hyke. After years of anticipation, the maiden version is finally available for comprehensive testing. Hyke 001 admirably addresses several persisting concerns that have arisen in relation to other electric ferry projects. During this occasion, Hafenstrom effectively leveraged the opportunity to discuss and present our Harbour Energy Flexibility Manager. The commonalities between our approach and the electrification needs of ferry fleets emerged as a significant point of convergence. Our foresight into managing shoreside power and devising energy strategies based on availability and cost has poised Hafenstrom advantageously in the realm of fleet electrification demands.

With a staggering array of more than 660 diverse sessions spanning a span of five days, a plethora of other topics received due attention as well. However, prudent prioritization was imperative due to the sheer volume of information disseminated. The feedback received was overwhelmingly positive, and we at Hafenstrom extend our gratitude to the organizers, both new and longstanding partners who actively participated, as well as all other stakeholders who dedicated their time to deliberating and exploring the horizons of opportunity.