A business-focussed programme…

Imagine a 12-km long canal, joining Caen to the sea. At one end, the busiest shipping lane in the world running the length of a wonderful coastline, popular with tourists and sailors alike... at the other end, Caen, the regional capital, a great place to live and work. And, right in the heart of the city centre, magnificent port and harbour facilities, presently being extended and extensively redeveloped to house the Norlanda programme.

The Norlanda programme was developed specifically to help new and growing businesses in the marine and nautical sectors in search of a more favourable location. Businesses that would benefit from a dedicated marine environment and supporting infrastructure to thrive and prosper.

The main thrust of the Norlanda programme is to ease the creation and launch of business projects, particularly innovative projects, linked to the construction, fitting out, overhaul and maintenance of yachts or motorboats. Projects related purely to sport and ocean racing will also find the Norlanda programme perfectly aligned with their needs: for example the organisers of the world famous Figaro Single-handed Event chose Caen for the 2004 start on the 27th July.

Less than one year after the official launch by the Conseil Général of the department's maritime initiative (Calvados Nautisme), the Norlanda programme is a tangible and substantial confirmation of the area's maritime development orientation.

With all the responsible authorities (Communauté d’Agglomération Caen la mer, la Région Basse-Normandie, le Département du Calvados and the Chambre de Commerce) acting in concert to the same end, success is guaranteed.