Arctic Search and Rescue Project on Track
The Norwegian Marine Technology Research Institute is heading SARiNOR, Search and Rescue in the High North, with a planned launch later this year.
A Norwegian collaborative project named SARiNOR, for Search and Rescue in the High North, aims to develop an expert search and rescue capability to respond to emergencies in the Arctic, where several countries are busily planning energy projects. SARiNOR actually launched April 18 during a meeting at the Norwegian Shipowners' Association in which representatives of oil companies, insurance companies, research institutes, and government agencies participated, according to The Norwegian Marine Technology Research Institute, or MARINTEK. It is a SINTEF company; SINTEF, a large, independent research institution, reported in the spring 2013 issue of its Gemini magazine that the project will be launched this winter.
Maritim21 is a comprehensive maritime research and innovation strategy developed by the industry on behalf of Norway's Ministry of Industry and Trade; one of its core missions is to promote efficient and environmentally friendly energy utilization. MARINTEK conducts research and development for companies in the field of marine technology. Its headquarters and laboratories are in Trondheim, Norway, with subsidiaries in Houston and Rio de Janeiro. It has been collaborating with Maritim21 and Maritimt Forum Nord on the SARiNOR project since September 2012.
The April meeting was organized to discuss the content of the project proposal and how the project should be organized, managed, and financed. According to MARINTEK, participating organizations "expressed interest in investing in the project, both with hard cash and with in-kind contributions. In the end," its news release said, "the project now looks very promising and will start as soon as the finances and contributions have been formalized."