08/04/2026 Key Outcomes from the NESB Project Maripark Workshop
On April 2, 2026, experts from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany gathered in The Hague for a dynamic Maripark workshop. The event was organized in collaboration with the Community of Practice North Sea (CoP) as part of the NESB project’s multi-use work under Work Package 4, led by Blue Cluster. The workshop contributed to the ongoing development of a Maripark blueprint— a concept that is rapidly emerging as a practical tool to bring multi-use at sea into implementation.
Originally developed within the eMSP NBSR project and further advanced through NESB project, the Maripark concept represents a shift from fragmented, single-use offshore development towards integrated, system-based approaches. It functions as a governance model that combines infrastructure, innovation and regulatory alignment, enabling multiple activities—such as renewable energy, sustainable food production, nature restoration and data infrastructure—to coexist and reinforce one another. Increasingly, both the concept and the term “Maripark” are being adopted by public authorities, industry and research actors, reflecting its growing relevance and momentum across Europe.
The workshop in The Hague focused specifically on governance as a critical enabler for Maripark development. Bringing together experts from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, the programme combined a series of inspiring pitches—highlighting concrete initiatives such as the development of Mariparks within and beyond offshore wind farms, the need for enabling infrastructure (e.g. data hubs, storage platforms), and the introduction of co-use agreements to reduce risk and complexity—with three interactive table discussions.
These discussions addressed three core subthemes: (1) system robustness and governance, (2) synergies and complementarities between offshore activities, and (3) the implementation of multi-use at sea basin level, with a focus on the North Sea. Together, they provide key insights into how Maripark can evolve from concept to implementation, and how it can support the transition towards a more sustainable, resilient and strategically autonomous North Sea system.
The workshop was marked by high energy, open exchange, and concrete new directions. Participants highlighted the critical role of coordination, shared infrastructure, and system thinking in making Maripark a reality. Above all, there was a clear sense of momentum: a collective drive to transform the North Sea into a more sustainable, autonomous, and resilient system—reducing Europe’s dependence on external energy and food imports while accelerating the transition to a multi-use offshore future.
More about NESB project work package 4: Multi-use in Practice here.
NESB project is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the project consortium only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
