SINTEF Nordvest

SINTEF Nordvest in Ålesund and Molde is part of the SINTEF foundation. It is located at the Norwegian Maritime Competence Centre (NMK). We offer research and development services that create value for industry, businesses and public administrations in Northwest Norway.

SINTEF has 18 researchers in Northwest Norway
We have offices in Ålesund and Molde
We collaborate closely with NTNU, and various organisations associated with the maritime and marine cluster in Northwest Norway

Most of SINTEF Nordvest's projects are aimed at ocean-based industries and contribute to the transition towards the green and digital shift. The institute is locally rooted and contributes to developing the ocean industries in Northwest Norway.

We support companies throughout the entire research process, with:

Initiation and management of R&D projects
Idea generation and preparation of applications
Use of the funding apparatuses (regional, national and international)
Professional and technical implementation of projects
Publication and application of results

We are happy to work closely with small and medium-sized companies and start-ups with innovative ideas based on our research expertise.

Projects

Our projects touch upon the following topics:

Solutions for offshore energy production
Processes for increased utilisation of marine raw materials
Methods for quality improvement of biomarine products
Increasing the utilisation rate of catch
Purification and recycling of process water in the fishing industry
Material recycling aimed at fishing gear
Methods for digitisation and simulation of processes for marine ingredients
Decision support system for offshore operations and fisheries
Catch and search technology for fisheries

Detection technology, imaging technology, counting technology for fisheries
Framework for building complete digital models of ships
Analysis and optimisation within ship hydrodynamics
Documentation, measurements, data collection and data processing from ships
Biofuels
Autonomous ships
Development of software and analysis tools for modelling, simulation and analysis of data
Generic projects within digitisation technology
Shore power for ships and innovative energy systems
Stabilisation systems for floating wind turbines

Projects at SINTEF Nordvest

Mapping of marine rest raw materials 2026-2028

Start:: 2026
End:: 2028

Marine rest raw materials represent an important value-creating resource for the Norwegian fisheries and aquaculture industry. Mapping has shown that the vast majority is utilised today.

SeaTaste - Development of healthy flavour compounds from Norwegian macroalgae

Start:: 2026
End:: 2027

Can Norwegian farmed seaweed be used to create healthy food ingredients?

BRAVE – By-catch valoRisation into Added-Value ingrediEnt

Start:: 2025
End:: 2027

The project will develop a sustainable value chain for Norwegian skate, a by-catch and underutilised marine resource, by turning it into high-value ingredients for nutraceuticals, food and pet food.

ReCirc4Future – Harnessing novel processing tools to reveal a fully circular approach for total utilisation of side streams from the omega-3 industry

Start:: 2025
End:: 2028

The ReCirc4Future project will explore novel exploitation of the side streams crude glycerol, urea fatty fraction and spent bleaching earth, that arise from omega-3 production.

LUXUS - Testing lights in shrimp fisheries

Start:: 2025
End:: 2027

Can lights increase shrimp trawl catches while reducing bycatch? This project explores how shrimp trawlers can apply light to attract shrimp and help juvenile fish escape.

BLÅSE – Reduction of heavy metals from blasting sand

Start:: 2025
End:: 2026

To promote sustainable handling and reuse, this project will test a process for removing heavy metals from used blasting sand and explore potential applications of the recovered material.

News from SINTEF Nordvest

28. April 2026

This traditional fish processing company increased production by 50 percent

New technology and automation have radically changed production practices. Workers now lift around 20 tonnes less fish – each day – than they used to.

7. February 2025

World-leading maritime research centre opened

Sustainable shipping and increased value creation in Norwegian industry are the goals for one of the world's largest maritime research centres. 60 of the project's partners met in Trondheim during the official launch.

18. April 2024

Full speed towards green shipping

Reducing energy consumption and replacing fossil with renewable fuels within the maritime sector is a large and global challenge. The new Norway-based research center FME MarTrans aims to find sustainable solutions for the maritime energy transition.

A regional presence is part of our strategy

Proximity to our customers is important to us - that's why we are represented in most parts of the country. No matter where in Norway our clients are based, they have access to experts from all over SINTEF.

Through SINTEF's vision Technology for a better society, we will contribute to:

Innovation, value creation and increased competitiveness for the business community in North-West Norway
Strengthen and restructure existing industries and contribute to the creation of new green value chains
Perform research locally for current global issues.